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The Munich Pact
The agreement between Britain and Germany that Germany would be able to occupy the German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia if they vowed to stop annexing any more territories. -
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World War II
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Miracle at Dunkirk
As the Germans closed in on about 338,000 Allied troops in Dunkirk, a small town on the coast of France, a massive operation took place to rescue them. From May, 26th- June 4th, 1940, hundreds of naval and civilian vessels worked tirelessly to evacuate the troops. The operation was successful, becoming known as the "Miracle" at Dunkirk. -
The Lend-Lease Act
Under this act passed by FDR, while the U.S. was not actually fighting the war, they were giving aid to foreign countries who were fighting against the Axis Powers. First proposed under the fear of England failing. -
The Enigma Code is Cracked
British cytologists broke one of Germany's most sophisticated coding machines used by the German army to direct ground-to-air operations on the Eastern front. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese made a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy in Pearl Harbor. Many ships were destroyed and countless people received injuries, some of them fatal. This attack is what forced America to enter the war. -
The Navajo Code-Talkers
The Marine Corps brought in a tribe of Native Americans called the Navajo. There language is only taught by word of mouth (no written language). Therefore America created an unbreakable code by using them to deliver messages. -
The Battle of Coral Sea
The first air-sea battle in history, the Japanese attempted to take control of the Coral Sea, and invade Australia. However, when they landed in Port Moresby, the Allied forces intercepted them and after a four day battle, gained victory. -
The Battle of El Alamein
The Nazis marched across Northern Africa. Their goal was to capture the Suez Canal and cut off the British Empires trade and oil. This battle was an Allied victory as the Axis Powers suffered so many losses that they were forced to retreat. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
One of the bloodiest battles in history, with casualties of almost 2 million. Germany attempted to advance into the Soviet Union through the city of Stalingrad. The battle lasted from July 17th, 1942- February 2nd, 1943. In the end the Soviet Union successfully prevented the Germans from invading in what historians call one of the greatest battles in history and the turning of the tide for the Allies. -
Italy Switches Sides
Approximately one month after Italy surrendered to the Allies in the Invasion of Italy, they declared war on Germany, thus switching sides and joining the Allies. -
D-Day
The Allies: America, Britain, France, and Canada landed on the coast of Normandy, France. Their forces were huge, with over 150,000 soldiers, they made their way towards Germany. They successfully liberated Northern France. This is considered one of the biggest turning points in war history. -
The Yalta Conference
The Big Three: FDR, Winston Churchill, and Josef Stalin met near the end of World War II to discuss the events of the war. They agreed to demand Germany's surrender and began to plan for the post-war world, among other things. -
Auschwitz Camp is Liberated
Almost 60,000 prisoners were forced to take part in a death march when the Soviet Union began to approach the camp. The Soviet Union liberated the camp, recusing about 7,000 remaining prisoners. Of the 1.3 million Jews sent to Auschwitz, approximately 1.1 were killed. -
VE Day
The celebrated holiday when Nazi Germany surrendered their forces making the Allies the winners of the second World War. -
The United States Drops an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
The US dropped an atomic bomb over the Japanese city, Hiroshima. It wiped out 90% of the city, killing over 80,000 people. This attack led to the surrender of the Japanese a few days later. -
The Nuremberg Trials
The year long set of trials that condemned hundreds of Nazi soldiers for their crimes (against Jews and others). 12 were executed.
