Key Events of World War 2

By lukeg221

  • German invasion of Poland

    Germany invades Poland, sparking the beginning of WW2. Most of Poland is taken within days of the first German assault.

  • Western Europe falls

    Germany invades Denmark, Norway, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg. All of these countries fall within weeks due to a strong German army.

  • Battle of Britain

    Germany suffers its first major defeat with the battle of Britain, not gaining the air superiority over Britain that it had wanted.

  • Invasion of Russia

    Germany invade Russia, creating what it now known as the Eastern front. Germany now has a war on all sides.

  • Attack on Pearl Harbour

    Japanese bombers attack the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, 2,403 Americans were killed. The USA enters the war.

  • Battle of Stalingrad

    Battle of Stalingrad. The entire German 6th army is destroyed (285,000 soldiers); a huge victory for the Allies.

  • D - Day

    D-day. The Allied Expeditionary Force under Dwight Eisenhower lands in German occupied Northern France. The second front is now open, the allies begin to push for Berlin.

  • Germany Surrender

    Hitler commits suicide rather than be captured and killed by the allies after defeat is imminent. Shortly after this Berlin falls, and German forces surrender unconditionally to the Allies.

  • WW2 is over

    When it is clear that Japan will not surrender as Germany has, America drops the two atomic bombs, Little Boy and Fat man were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing over 200,000 people. The Second World War is over.