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Fall of France
German forces defeated Allied forces by mobile operations and conquered France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940 and attempted an invasion of France.
Why? German forces occupied Paris unopposed on 14 June after a chaotic period of flight of the French governent that led to a collapse of the French Army
Brought land operations of the Western Front to an end. -
Pearl Harbor
Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory.
Japanese wanted to prevent the Pacific Fleet conquest of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya.
Killed more than 2,300 Americans and completely destroyed the battleship U.S.S. Japan conquered Southeast Asia without inference. -
Battle of Midway
The United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll, marking a turning point in the war in the Pacific theatre.
Fought almost entirely with aircraft, United States destroyed Japan's first-line carrier strength and most of its best trained naval pilots.
Japan lost four carries, a cruiser and 292 aircraft, and suffered 2,500 casualties. The U.S lost the Yorktown, the destroyer USS Hammann, 145 aircraft, and suffered 307 casualities. -
D-day (Normandy Invasion)
United States and allied troops invaded Normandy. Biggest land, air, and sea fight in history. This marked the beginning of the end of the World War II.
They wanted to surprise Germany, but Germany was already ready to fight. The Western Allies launched the invasion in history.
Resulted in the freedom of France -
Battle of the Bulge
-Known as the Ardennes Offensive, Germans launched the last major offensive in attempt to push the Allied front line west from northern France to northwestern Belgium.
-Germany's defeat and the end of the war in Europe came sooner, and at a lower cost in Allied lives.
-Germans lost many experienced troops and equipment -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Soviet soldiers were the first to liberate concentration camp prisoners in the final stages of the war.
(Concentration camps became a major way in which the Nazis imposed their control). U.S. Seventh Army passed through the main gate of the camp.
There found hundreds of sick and exhausted prisoners. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
-U.S Marines invaded Iwo Jima after months of naval and air bombardment. Japanese defenders were dug into bunkers deep within the volcanic rocks.
-Japanese guarded the Pacific island but American military found the island was good to build airfields to launch bombing raids against Japan.
-The war lasted over a month. 6,800 American servicemen killed. -
V-E Day
-Generally known as the VE day or simply V day, was the public holiday to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of WWII of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces.
-Surrender of Nazi Germany, ending WWII in Europe.
-Countries who celebrated were Great Britain, Western Europe, United States and Australia, on May 9 in the Soviet Union and New Zealand. -
Dropping of Atomic Bombs
-The American bomber Enola Gay dropped a five-ton bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
-President Truman, warned by some of his advisers that any attempt to invade Japan would result in horrific American casualities, ordered that the new weapon be used to bring the war to a speedy end.
-15 August 1945, Japan finally admitted defeat. -
VJ Day
-News of surrender was announced throughout the world. Celebrations over the final ending of WWII.
-On September 2, 1945 a formal surrender ceremony was held in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri. President Truman declared September 2 to be VJ Day.
-Victory over Japan after almost six years of war
