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Significant Events Of World War 2
Here are 15 of the most significant events of World War 2. -
Nuremberg Laws
The Nuremberg Laws were a set of laws enforced by the German Nazis. The one law was to protect German blood from that of Jewish, meaning that Jews and Germans were not to marry or have sexual relations, and the other law was excluding Jews from having Reich citizenship. This is significant because the Nuremberg Laws were the first antisemitic Nazi ideologies to become systematized and from these laws came more difficulty for the Jewish people. -
Hitler Invades the Rhineland
The Rhineland was a piece of land in western Germany along the Rhine River. The Rhineland was demilitarized through the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. But in 1936, the German Army re-militarized the land by sending in German military troops. This is significant because it violated the Treaty of Versailles, and it gave Germany more power in Europe, that will help them expand. -
Hitler Seizes All of Czechoslovakia
Through the Munich Agreement, Germany could take control of the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia where many Germans resided, but not all of Czechoslovakia. Despite this, German forces invaded and occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia. This is significant because Germany's control of Czechoslovakia signified the official end to the Treaty of Versailles, and Germany's expansion. -
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
This pact was an agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union that stated there would be no military action against one another for the next 10 years. This pact specified that Poland would be split between both the USSR and Germany. This is significant because the splitting of Poland and Germany's invasion of Poland caused for the start of World War 2, as Britain and France said they would take military action against Germany if they invaded Poland -
Start of the War in Atlantic/European Theater
The war started in Europe after Germany invaded Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany because of this, thus the war began. This is significant because the new war meant that weaponry needed to be created and men were needed as soldiers, which helped end the Great Depression. The war was a significant part of the 20th century, as many important events happened during this war. -
Canada Declares War on Germany
Canadians felt the need to help out their ally, Britain, as many still felt ties with Britain, despite being an independent from them, so Canada declared war on Germany. Though Canada decided to wait a week after Britain to declare war, as they were now an independent country. This is significant because it is Canada's first great contribution to the war. -
Miracle at Dunkirk
Allied troops were trapped at Dunkirk by the advancing German Army, but then the Allies enforced a large rescue mission to save these troops. Using hundreds of small fishing ships across the English Channel, the Allies rescued over 300, 000 troops. This is significant because Hitler did not order the German Army to launch a full-scale attack at Dunkirk, which is considered Hitler's first major mistake of the war, as the troops saved would later fight in the Allied invasion that liberated Europe. -
Battle of Britain
Germany and Britain fought the first battle fought entirely in the air. The battle took place over the United Kingdom between the German air force, Luftwaffe, and the British air force, the Royal Air Force. The Luftwaffe failed to gain supremacy over the Royal Air Force, despite months of their efforts to invade Britain. This battle is an example of Blitzkrieg. This is significant because Britain was victorious over Germany, meaning Nazi Germany's first defeat. -
Pearl Harbour
A surprise military attack on the American naval base in Hawaii by the Japanese Imperial Navy. This is significant because it caused America's entry into the war in both the European and Pacific theaters. -
Start of the War in Pacific Theater
Japanese forces decided to occupy all of Southwest Asia and the Dutch East Indies, because Japan wanted to have the raw resources found in those places. This is significant because many important battles, such as the battle of Hong Kong, came from the Pacific theater. -
D-Day
An Allied invasion against German-controlled Western Europe. The Allies deceived the German forces as to where the planned attack was to take place. The Allies liberated all of the northern region of France, defeating the Germans. This was an amphibious assault, and is one of the largest of its kind. This is significant because this battle contributed to the end of the war. -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day, celebrating the surrender of Nazi German forces. This is significant because the surrender of Nazi Germany meant the end of the war in the Atlantic/European Theater. -
Hiroshima
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It was dropped because the Allies needed to get the Japanese to surrender, as they refused to do so. This is significant because the surrender of Japan would have meant the end of the war in the Pacific Theater and the war in general. -
Nagasaki
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki after a bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb was dropped for the same reason the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima: to get the Japanese to surrender, as they refused to do so. This is significant because to have Japan surrender would have meant the end of the war in the Pacific Theater and the war in general. -
V-J Day
Victory over Japan Day, the day of which Japan surrendered in the war. This is significant because the surrender of Japan meant the end of the war in the Pacific Theater and the end of the war in general.
