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Period: to
World War II
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Japanese invasion of china begins
Arguably the beginning of World War 2, and believed to be caused by japans desire for more territory. The invasion began after a small border skirmish on the Marco Polo Bridge between Japan and china's forces. this lead to the brutal invasion of china and the exicution of thousands of innocent chinese people by the end of the war. Also causing a break down in american and japanese relations which lead to the attack on pearl harbor.
http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/camp/pac/china/w2c-inv.html -
Rape of Nanking
During the Japanese invasion the capital of China, Nanking, was taken by the Japenese. And in an attempt to break the Chinese spirits, the Japanese troops started commiting horrible atrocities against the chinese people. Including public exicutions, and the rape of innocent women and chidren while the other members of the family were forced to watch. Which started americas anti-Japanese campaign and the eventual cry for war.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-rape-of-nanking -
German Blitzkrieg
Because of Hitler's desire for territory he launche a huge invasion on poland starting on september first known as the German Blitzkrieg. His new form of "Lightning Warfare" helped him tear through poland in a little over a month. But in this invasion the British and French both declared war on him which lead to the further use of Blitzkrieg in Hitlers invasion of France and other parts of europe.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland -
Fall of Paris
After war had been declared in Europe Hitler turned his lightning war on to France. and in a few short months the British and French forces in France were forced to flee to Britain and the Germans captured the capitol of France. After the fall of paris Hitler turned toward the soviet union breaking their non-aggresion pact, and invaded so succesfully that in a few months they were already knocking on the gates of Moscow.
http://history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/fall-of-france -
Pearl Harbor
After the embargo's that the US had placed on Japan, the Japanies saw an opportunity to destroy the US fleet before declaring war so that we would not be able to fight back in the pacific. In the attack the Japanese sank twenty US vessles, destroyed three hundred planes, and killed over two thousand US troops. This event lead to war between the US and Japan, and the eventual dropping of two atomic bombs by the end of the war.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
On this date fifteen of Hitlers most trusted advisors held a meeting to discuss the emplementation of his Final Solution.Thus leading to the construction of the concentration camps, and the persecution of the Jewish people in Germany and also in many other Nazi controlled regions of Europe.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477 -
Bataan Death March
Another Atrocious story of the treatment of groups of Japanese POW's. The Bataan Death March was an event in which the Japanese forces Forced thousands of Amarican and Filipino troops to march about 65 miles to prison camps, in which case many died even before they got to the camp. But those who survived where eventually liberated b the US during the final months of the Pacific war.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Battle of Stalingrad
Marking the turning point in the german invasion of the soviet union. The Battle of stalingrad was a long and hard-fought "victory" for the Soviets. Even though they lost thousands of troops and the city was destroyed. But the Soviets eventually oushed the Germans back and counter attacked pushing the germans all the way back to Berlin where they wher sandwiched between the US and Soviet forces until they where defeated and forced to surrender.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-o -
Normandy Invasion
Following the fall of Paris the Allies needed to liberate the French people from the Nazi's rule in 1944. leading to the invasion of Normandy and the loss of over 2500 American lives as a result. But the beach was taken and the Allies eventually pushed inland and recaptured Paris as well as the rest of France.
http://www.historyguy.com/normandy_links.html#.Vp17oyorLRD -
Liberation of Concentration camps
As the Allies pushed the germans back across the European front they began to find secret camps. These camps where filled with public enemies of the Germans, including Jews, homosexuals, political opposition, and the handicapt. Camps where found all over Europe and liberated by the Allies, but many thousands of people where killed by starvation and poison gas before we could help them, marking one of the most tragic events in human history.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-holocaus -
Battle of Iwo Jima
In America's need for a base near the Japanese coast, we began an attack on the small island of Iwo Jima, which was held by about 23,000 japanese troops. After about a month of hard fighting against a well dug in enemy, US marines captured the island and rose a US flag in the middle of enemy territory which lead to the monument that we all see today. Also giving us our base near the Japoanese cost.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
VE Day
After many months of hard fighting, Great Britain and the United States began to celebrate Victory in Europe day. Meaning the end of the Hitler ruled Nazi Germany and the end to the fighting in europe, Giving the United States the chance to focus on the war in the pacific and defeating the Japanese.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Dropping the Atomic Bombs
The US wanted a quick end to the war in the pacific, and wanted to find a way to reduce troop casualties, so they begen research of the Manhattan Project. Which lead to the discovery of the Atom Bomb and shortly after being dropped over Hiroshima and killing over 80,000 people instantly. Which lead to the Japanese surrender and the end of the war in the Pacific.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
VJ Day
Shortly after the Dropping of both atomic bombs the japanese surrendered to the United states. this event marked the end of the war in the pacific, and the end of the fighting in most of the pacific. But there where still many islands still controlled by japanese soldiers that did not even know that the war was over for many years to come. -
Battle of the Bulge
One of, if not the most desperate battle of World War Two, the Germans were losing ground in europe. So in a last ditch effort to turn the tide of the war they made one huge push through the Ardense Forest. which caught the US by surprise and left them fighting just to hold the line against the huge counter-offensive launched by the Germans. But ultimately ending in the defeate of the germans, and the retreat into germany.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge
