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Germany invades Poland, officially starting WW2
Germany invades Poland, defeating the Polish army within weeks of the invasion. They blasted through the Polish defenses and encircled Warsaw. On September 27, 1939, after heavy shelling and and bombing, Warsaw surrendered to Germany. During the invasion, Britain and France declared war on Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Eastern Poland. -
Period: to
World War 2
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Germany invades France, captures Paris.
Germans battle English soldiers defending the city of Dunkirk where more English soldiers, 338,000 of them evacuated escaping Nazi capture. 99 soldiers fought off germans and had to retreat to a nearby farm house. Machine gun fire shot down their surrender. They were eventually marched out of the farmhouse into an open field where they were executed. -
Germany Bombs London, Battle of Britain
On June 17, 1940 France signs and armistice, leaving an ultimate showdown between Britain, and Germany, who had taken over the majority of Western Europe in a matter or 2 months. This showdown would be the first air-borne battle in history. The British Royal Air Force takes on the German Luftwaffe. Germany, suffering heavy losses after taking on multiple strategies suspends the Battle of Britain on September 15 -
Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler sends 3 groups of over 3 million soldiers, 150 divisions, and +3,000 tanks in a massive invasion of the soviet union. The front of this invasion was 2,000 miles, from the North Cape to the Black Sea. This was Hitler's biggest mistake yet. He now had sent his best force against his largest opponent in the war, forcing him to fight the war on 2 fronts. The invasion had been going well until it rained ruining the roads giving the Russians an opportunity for a counter attack to end the attack -
Japanese Internment
110,000-120,000 Japanese were forced to concentration camps to try to draw "good behavior" from Japan during the war. Most Americans resented the Japanese and were somewhat jealous of the conditions of the Japanese in the camps, despite having the freedom that the Japanese didn't. (Ex: better food, clothes, etc.) Eventually "Japs" were allowed to fill out a Loyalty Questionnaire. This led to the formation of the 442nd regiment which held many successes. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Japanese kamikaze pilots launch a surprise bombing sinking and/or damaging 16 ships and killing 2,403 people with many wounded. -
Battle of Bataan and the Bataan death march
Following the Battle of Bataan, where japan launched a ground and air attack on airbases in the Philippines.72,000 American and Philippines were forced to march 63 miles. Between the harsh conditions and treatment, they lost 7,000-10,000. -
Battle of Midway
A breakthrough in code breaking gives America a heads up on a Japanese ambush on their few remaining aircraft carriers, giving them time to prepare a defense and inflict serious damage on Japan's navy. A major turning point giving the Allies more control of the pacific and an offensive position. Japan lost four carriers, a destroyer, 5,000 sailors, and 322 aircraft. The U.S. lost 147 aircraft, and 300+ seamen. -
D-Day
156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces land on a 50 mile stretch of beach on Normandy beginning one of the largest amphibious assaults in ww2 history. This wouldn't have been possible without an intricate deception to send Hitler's troops elsewhere. Of the 5 beaches, codenamed, Gold, Juno, Sword, Omaha, and Utah, the last two suffered the most casualties of 4,000, half of those American. -
Manhattan Project, decision to use the new Atomic Bomb
On October 11, 1939 Albert Einstein had written a letter of FDR, but was received by Harry Truman on the topic of a nuclear reaction that had the potential of being turned into a bomb with the capability to end the war. The decision was an extremely difficult one for Truman until he thought about which decision would save the most lives. Ironically, it was to drop the bomb. on August 6th, the Enola Gay drops Little Boy on Hiroshima displaying the most fearful force ever seen on earth.
