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Operation Husky
Operation Husky was the codename of the invasion of Sicily by the Allied forces. The operation lead to the invasion of Italy. It was also the reason Benito Mussolini was cast from power and arrested. -
Tehran Conference
The first of the Big Three conferences, the Tehran conference addressed the opening of a new front against the Axis. The invasion of France was planned at this meeting. In addition to this, the entrance of several other, smaller countries into the war occurred. Allies of World War II -
Operation Tempest
Operation Tempest was a series of uprisings against the Nazi regime by occupied countries. The uprisings were not supported by the Soviet army, though they were inspired by the army's progression. The operation was not a success because the exiled Polish government was not allowed to return. -
Operation Overlord
Also known as D-Day, Operation Overlord was the invasion of Normandy by the Allied forces. It was the first of the Allid forces' sucessful invasions of western Europe. America provided the majority of the resources required in this operation. -
Operation Bagration
Operation Bagration was the code-name for the Soviet's movement to clear Germany from east Poland. The operation was successful and is largely believed to be the worst defeat the Germans suffered. It included the destruction of the Army Group Centre, a strategic army group. -
Battle of the Bulge
In a last attempt to reclaim the Antwerp harbor, Germany launched a massive attack on the western front. The Allies were caught by surprise, but the Germans still lost. It was the United States bloodiest battle in the war. -
Liberation of Auschwitz
On January 27th, 1945, Auschwitz, a concentration camp in Poland, was liberated. The Nazi attempted to hide the evidence of their crimes by moving their prisoners farther away from the front. The Red army found just under six thousand prisoners left. Auschwitz death camp liberated -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was a meeting of the three leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. In this conference, the three discussed the organization of Europe after the war. It was agreed that Germany would be forced into unconditional surrender and it would be demilitarized. -
Benito Mussolini
Mussolini, the fascist leader of Italy, had been dismissed by the Grand Council of Facism. His allies had turned against him, and the king ordered for his arrest. Mussolini was rescued from prison by a German unit and was attempting to escape to Switzlerland. He was captured and killed. Famously, his body was hung upside-down in Milan for public viewing. -
Hitler's Suicide
Faced with the collapse of his military campaign, Hitler went into hiding in his Fuhrerbunker. With him was Eva Braun, who he married within the bunker. General Wilhelm Keitel reported to Hitler that Berlin would not last twenty-four hours. Hitler gave permission to his generals to break out, then Hitler and Eva commited suicide. Hitler commits suicide in his underground bunker -
Potsdam Declaration
Following the fall of the German army and the capture of Italy, the Allies demanded Japan's unconditional surrender. They promised "prompt and utter destruction" if Japan did not surrender. Japan refused and continued their campaign, leading to the Atomic bombs being dropped. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
At 8:15 AM, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Shortly thereafter, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. These are the only two cities in the world to have been hit by a nuclear weapon. This lead to Japan's surrender, and the resulting end of the second World War. The Approximate Height of The Mushroom Cloud -
Japan's Surrender
On this day, Japan surrendered to the Allied forces. The surrender agreement was signed aboard the US Missouri. This effectively ended the war. -
The United Nations
The United Nations was formed following World War 2 in an attempt to maintain peace and avoid another world war. The United Nations has expanded from 51 members to 193. The United Nations is dedicated to keeping peace, providing aid, and dealing with matters concerning human rights. -
The Nuremberg Trials
The most important military and political leaders of the Axis powers were tried here. The Nuremberg trials served as a precedent for the trials of international war criminals. Among the charges against the war criminals was genocide, human experimentation, crimes against humanity, and crimes against the peace of the world.
