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Pearl Harbor
The Japanese government believed that the only way to solve its economic and demographic problems was to expand into its neighbor’s territory and take over its import market. Japan launches a surprise attack on American soil at Pearl Harbor. 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and over 300 airplanes were destroyed. 2,403 sailors, soldiers and civilians were killed and about 1,000 people were wounded. -
Bataan of Death March
After the April 9, 1942, U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during World War II around 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make an 65-mile march to prison camps. The marchers were subjected to harsh treatment by Japanese guards. Thousands died in what became known as the Bataan Death March. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Germany invaded Stalingrad expecting to take over the city. Hitler new the importance of the city that boar the dictator's name. The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the bloodiest battles in history, with combined military and civilian casualties of nearly 2 million.On February 2, 1943, German Forces surrendered with a remaining army of 91,000 men. About 150,000 Germans had died in the fighting.This was the turning point in the war and the greatest battle in World War 2. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
After the battle of Normandy resulted in allied liberation of western Europe from Germany's control. D-day occurred when 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a coast of France’s Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest military attacks in history and required extensive planning. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe. -
Battle of The Bulge
In December 1944, a major German offensive is launched against the Allies in the Ardennes Mountains region on the Western Front. Caught off-guard, American units fought desperate battles to stem the German advance. Lieutenant General George S. Patton’s successful maneuvering of the Third Army proved vital to the Allied defense led to neutralizing the German army.The Battle of the Bulge was the costliest action ever fought by the U.S. Army, which suffered over 100,000 casualties. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
On February 19, 1945, American soldiers make their first strike on the Japanese Home Islands at Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, who fought from caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground tunnels. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting, and the battle earned a place in American lore with a photograph showing the U.S. flag being raised in victory. -
VE Day
Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations rejoice in the defeat of the Nazis This day Hitler killed himself and Nazi Germany declared an end to the war. V-E Day was observed on May 8, 1945 in Great Britain, Western Europe, the United States and Australia, and on May 9 in the Soviet Union and New Zealand. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
As Allied troops moved across Europe in a series of offensives against Nazi Germany, they began to encounter tens of thousands of concentration camp prisoners. Many of these prisoners had survived forced marches into the interior of Germany from camps in occupied Poland. These prisoners were suffering from starvation and disease. The United States and the Soviet union began liberating concentration camps like Auschwitz . -
Dropping the Atomic Bomb
On August 6, 1945, the American bomber Enola Gay dropped a five-ton bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Around 80,000 people are killed as a direct result of the blast, and another 35,000 are injured. At least another 60,000 would be dead.Three days later, another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, killing nearly 40,000 more people. A few days later, Japan announced its surrender. America dropped the atomic bomb in order to end the war. -
VJ Day
Victory over Japan Day is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II which ending the war.
