-
Period: to
Batte of the Atlantic
German U-boats commanded by admiral Karl Doenitz were waging unrestricted naval warfare upon allied and U.S. merchant vessels in the Atlantic ocean. Eventually the allies adopted the convoy system, in which a large group of merchant ships in tight formation would sail to and from England escorted by armed destroyers, frigates and corvettes. The allies also developed sonar, to detect German U-boats above water. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbour
On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese took the world by surprise by launching ariel attack on the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbour. The U.S death toll comprised of 2,400 military individuals and civilians alike. Another 1,178 military personnel and civilians were injured. 18 U.S. ships and 350 planes were sunk or damaged. -
The U.S. declares war on Japan
The U.S. declares war on Japan exactly one day later. -
Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.
The rest of the Axis powers: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States fully bringing the United States into the conflict. -
Period: to
The battle of the coral sea
Prior to this battle the Japanese were dominant in the Pacific, and were taking it over. The U.S. and Australia were able to stop the Japanese from invading. Even though Japan won the actual battle, the allies were able to stop the Japanese from invading for the first time. After this point the U.S. used the island hopping technique to weaken Japanese forces. -
Period: to
The Battle of Midway
Having intercepted Japanese Codes, admiral Chester Nimitz launched a surprise attack against the Japanese near the Pacific island of Midway. The U.S. would strike victory. The Japanese lost 4 carriers, a heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers, 275 planes, approximately 4,800 men and the remainder of the fleet was heavily damaged. The Americans lost a carrier (U.S.S. Yorktown), a destroyer, around 150 planes and 307 men. -
Period: to
The Battle of Stalingrad continued
The house-to-house fighting that went on engulfed the entirety of the city in conflict. However after many months of conflict, the german sixth army was encircled by Soviet forces. The german General Friedrich von Paulus begged Hitler for the permission to retreat but, Hitler denied them the option to pull back. Now encircled, with winter setting in and out of supplies, the german troops knew it was hopeless. The Soviets who were properly equipped for winter combat used it to their advantage. -
Period: to
The Battle of Stalingrad
Beginning on the 22nd of June, 1941, Hitler launced the invasion of the Soviet union codenamed operation Barbarossa violating the Molotov-Ribbentrop non-aggression pact. Hitler's armies blitzkrieged their way through the U.S.S.R. in hopes of taking Soviet oilfields in the Caucasus region to fuel his armies. However, the city of Stalingrad stood in their path. Stalin, not wanting to loose the city named after him ordered it's defence to the last man. . -
Period: to
The Battle of Stalingrad continued pt.2
Using the advantage of being properly equipped for winter, the Soviets eventually struck a costly victory, loosing over 1,100,000 people in the process. This would serve as a turning point in the second world war because from that point on, the Soviet armies pushed the germans all the way back to Berlin. -
The Battle of Normandy "D-Day"
With Stalin's red army pushing in on Germany from the east, and the allies further "tightening the noose" from Italy in the south, the decision was made to open up a third front. It was decided to launch an invasion on the beaches of Normandy to commence the liberation of occupied France. The invasion force comprised of 150,000 troops in what would be the largest naval invasion in history. Some U.S. generals that would be crucial in the success of this operation were Eisenhower and Patton. -
The Battle of Normandy "D-Day" continued
The invasion would cover a 60 mile stretch of beach. Along with the 150,000 troops, the invasion would use: 4,000 landing craft, 600 warships and 11,000 planes. The Americans would have it especially brutal on one of their two beaches, that beach being codenamed "Omaha." By the end of the campaign, the all of the allied and german casualties combined would reach the staggering number of 425,000. The U.S. sustained 6,036 casualties on D-Day it self, 2,500 of those casualties would be dead. -
France is liberated
By September, 1944 almost the entirety of France had been liberated. -
Period: to
The Battle of the Bulge
German tanks break through the American lines in the Ardennes forest. This punches an 80 mile wide bulge into the allied lines. The German objective, was to push to the port of Antwerp, through Belgium. The battle was extremely costly for the Americans, who also had 120 of their captured soldiers mowed down by SS machine guns in what would be known as, "the Malmedy massacre." In the beginning, the germans were winning, but low on fuel, their advance ground to a halt. -
Period: to
The Battle of the Bulge continued
The Germans, went on to loose, 120,000 men, 1,600 planes, and 600 tanks and guns leading to Germany's ultimate defeat. The Americans won the battle but were very close to loosing and in the process, would loose 80,000 men. -
Period: to
The Yalta Conference
Before the end of world war two, Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill would discuss the post-war world in Yalta located in the Soviet Union. The United Nations was the most important thing that came from the conference. -
Period: to
The battle of Iwo Jima
This island in the Pacific was critical for the U.S. to win. The Japanese defenders totalled 27,000 troops. The U.S. would eventually but with sustaining 6,000 casualties. The Japanese however suffered even heavier casualties totalling 26,800 troops. -
Period: to
The battle of Okinawa
Okinawa was Japan's last defensive stronghold. The Japanese used 1,900 suicide "kamikaze" attacks. The Japanese sustained losses totalling 110,000 troops dead. The U.S. however only sustained 7,600-12,500 dead. The battle would be a decisive U.S. victory. -
The passing of president Roosevelt
At the beginning of his 4th term as president, F.D.R. passes away. The U.S. goes through a massive period of grieving. His vice-president Harry S. Truman takes up the role as president. -
Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide
Hitler knowing he will loose, commits suicide along with his wife Eva Braun and all of their children. The bodies are burned. -
V-E day in Europe
On may 8th, 1945 General Eisenhower accepts the Germany's surrender. The term V-E day is derived from Victory in Europe day. Now the only remaining Axis county is Japan. -
Period: to
The Potsdam conference
Truman (Churchill, later Clement Attlee) and Stalin meet in Potsdam, Germany, and draw up a blueprint to disarm Germany and eliminate the Nazi regime. Germany is divided into 4 sections (occupied by France, Britain, U.S. and Soviet Union). Berlin is also divided like this but the Soviets get east Berlin. The nuremberg trials are also created to punish Nazi leaders and it is also decided that Japan must unconditionally surrender. -
Hiroshima
On this day the U.S. dropped their first of two atomic bomb ont the city of Hiroshima. The bomb was nicknamed little boy. In 43 seconds the city had collapsed into dust. -
Nagasaki
The second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. It levelled half of the city. -
Japan surrenders
Japan offers an unconditional surrender. -
Victory in Japan day (VJ-day)
Japan formally surrenders to the allies. -
Period: to
The nuremberg trials
An international tribunal court is set up in Nuremberg, Germany to try Nazi officials. Over 23 nations participated in trying Nazi officials at Nuremberg. Of the 22 defendants 12 are sentenced to death. 200 other officials were found guilty but given lesser sentences.