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Non aggression pact
A secret agreement between Hitler and Stalin in 1939. This pact allowed Germany and the Soviet Union to not attack each other and divide Poland. As a result, Germany took Poland and gained power. Hitler later violated this pact. -
Battle of Britain
Air battle fought between German and British. Germans bombarded the British with bombs but they successfully resisted. -
Atlantic Conference
Secret meeting between Churchill and Roosevelt. Here, the two leaders discussed common problems including Japan, and established Allied goals post-war. -
Operation Torch
As American forces pressed eastward, they trapped the German and Italian armies that were also being pushed westward by the British. This caused them to surrender despite being told by Hitler to fight to the death. -
Battle of Midway
A major turning point in WWII. This battle basically stopped Japanese efforts in the war and put them on the defensive line. -
Italian Campaign
This 38 day campaign gave allies complete control over the western Mediterranean. It also paved the way for an invasion of Italy and and ended Mussolini's rule. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Turning point of the war in Europe. It diminished any realistic plan of Hitler winning the war. Germany eventually surrendered this battle partially due to the harsh winter. -
Tehran Conference
Conference attended by the Big Three. This conference's intention was to create final strategies against Nazi Germany and its allies. -
Operation Overlord
A massive Allied invasion of France. It was intended to open a second front in France. -
Battle of the Bulge
Basically the last Nazi offensive of the war. It was a desprate attempt to drive a wedge between American and British forces. Instead It was a failure on Germany's part, and as a result its armies were constantly retreating, crippling them. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Toughest island-hopping battle. This battle was fought for 36 days and was eventually won by the U.S.. An iconic photograph of soldiers putting up the American flag over this territory was also taken here. -
Yalta Conference
One of the conferences where the Big Three met. This particular conference's significance was the fact that the U.S. convinced Stalin (Soviet Union) to join the war in fighting against Japan. A major quote related to this could be "My enemy's enemy is my friend." -
Battle of Okinawa
Okinawa contained a vital air base that the U.S. needed to attack in order to invade Japan. It was a deadly, most complex, and most pricey operation in the Pacific Campaign. -
Surrender of Berlin
Allied forces reached a position where they could make an all-out assault against Hitler's capital. Berlin was surrendered on May 2nd, and Germany surrendered as a whole on May 7th. -
Nagasaki
Three days after the Hiroshima attack, the U.S. dropped another bomb on Japan. It killed 35,000 residents. After much debate, the Emperor at the time finally surrendered. This contributed to the downfall of axis powers in the war and the nuclear race. -
Potsdam Conference
Conference attended by the Big Three that decided to divide Germany into four zones. American, Soviet, British, and French. It also agreed to persecute war criminals and reparations against Germany. -
Hiroshima
Incident where U.S. Pilots dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It exploded at 8:15 am, and within two minutes 60,000 residents were dead or missing. This attack contributed to the eventual nuclear race between the U.S. and Soviet Union.