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Japanese Invasion of China
Because Japan wanted to be #1 in Asia and expand, they needed land and resources to do so. The land that had these resources needed was China. In 1937, Japan invaded China that also started an undeclared war between the two countries. This set off many events to lead towards the next world war.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
German Invasion of Poland
Only one week after Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression treaty, a German aircraft bombarded Wielun, Poland, killing nearly 1,200 people. Five minutes after that, a German battleship, Schleswig-Holstein, opened fire on a transit depot at Westerplatte in the Free City of Danzig. This was a problem because a few days previously, Hitler had signed an agreement with Poland not to mess with Danzig (after wanting it from a previous conflict). http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/06/wo -
German Blitzkrieg
Germany decided to adopt a new tatic for war -- Blitzkrieg. Germany had an offensive doctrine that emphasised the speed of decision-making and maneuver, and decentralised action. This led to the downfall of many armies and countries because they were expecting old tatics and everyone was caught off-guard.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
Fall of France
Lots of complicated fighting between the Allies of France and Great Britain commence and with Germany's blitzkriegs, France eventually did not hold up and lots of fighting ending in the Germans successfully occupying France. Hitler made them sign a document of surrend in the same railway carriage used when Germany had to surrender in 1918. This ripped a lot of power balance in Europe.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for the big invasion of the Soviet Union. Even though they were side-eyeing one another after the non-aggression agreement, the SU was unprepared for the blitzkrieg across the 1,200 mile border. The Soviets suffered major loss and Germany advanced with Moscow in sight and a plan to take it over, but the harsh Russian winter caused Germany to halt and suffer lots of casualities which would prove to be a turning point in the war.
http://www.history.com/topic -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese Imperial Army launced a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US was not prepared for this and suffered major loss. After this, Japan, Italy, and Germany (Italy and Germany following Japan's lead) declared war on the US and the US reciprocated.
http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/07/world-war-ii-pearl-harbor/100117/ -
Wannsee Conference
15 high-ranking Nazi Party and German government officials met in a villa in Berlin to discuss the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" -- not IF they should do it, just HOW. This conference was to "to further the coordination of a policy aimed at the physical annihilation of the European Jews." This event leads to the suffering and death of so many Jews and even others.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477 -
Bataan Death March
After the U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines, the approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make an hard 65-mile march to prison camps. They trekked in intense heat and suffered harsh treatment by the Japanese guards. Thousands of them died -- hence the "death" part. This went to show just a smidge of the cruelty of the Japanese
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Nazis started deporting people in the Warsaw ghetto to a death camp but no one knew that, they thought they were just getting moved to somewhere else. News of the Nazis' true intentions seeped in the ghetto and triggered a series of attacks on the Nazis there by a growing resistance. Even though the uprising was put down, this inspired other uprisings and resistance to the Nazi party.
http://www.history.com/news/remembering-the-warsaw-ghetto-uprising -
Operation Gomorrah
American-bombed by day, British-bombed by night, Hamburg, Germany was blown with 9000 tons of bombs in all. There were massive amounts of physical damage (casualities and buildings) but even more emotional and mental damage for the German -- even Hitler himself. The tables were turning.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-gomorrah-is-launched -
D-Day (Invasion of Normandy)
On this day over 200,000 Allied soldiers arrived at Normandy to attack. It took them several days but they gained control of several beaches and were able to get further with reinforcements and bombardments. With help of the French Resistance, Paris was liberated and this helped commence a future establishment of a Allied European Western Front.
http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/d-day-the-allied-invasion-of-france.asp -
Battle of the Bulge
This was the last major German offensive in which the Germans devised a plan to cut off the Allied troops in Aachen and Bastogne who were on their ways to the Rhine River. The Allied troops struggled but in the end, came through and repelled "the final german thrust". This is significant for the Allies gaining more power.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Americans needed a base near the Japanese coast and even though it was difficult, after about a month of fighting, the Americans won. This is where we got our iconic Americans pushing in an American flag photo. This obtaining of a base helped advance American power towards Japan.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Operation Thunderclap
The Allies bombed the German city of Dresden, killing approximately 35,000 civilians.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005137 -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The US Air Force dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and then 3 days later, Nagasaki. Well over 120,000 civilians died from the initial explosions and many more later died from radiation. This more than devestated Japan.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
Battle of Okinawa
This was a huge battle between the Allies and Japan because this was the last step to getting to mainland Japan - where their (the Allies') victory would be guaranteed. After back and forth struggle, the Allies triumphed. This was a big deal because we would later see because of this, that the Allies could come and defeat Japan.
http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/battle-of-okinawa.asp -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day was the celebration of the Allied powers' win in Europe. Everyone was very excited and celebrated a lot and this was a good morale booster for the winning countries.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
V-J Day
August 15 and September 2 are both also coined for the term "V-J Day" meaning the victory over Japan. September 2 was the official surrender of Japan. The iconic kiss in Times Square photo was shot on this day. This was a even bigger morale boost for the winning countries.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
