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Clash near the Marco Polo Bridge
A Japanese unit clashed with a Chinese force near the Marco Polo Bridge, southwest of Beijing. -
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Germans Launch Offensive in the West
The Germans attacked Belgium and the Netherlands, which were both neutral, and invaded France. The Germans gained and used the initiative, while France and Britain suffered because they were not prepared for defense. -
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Battle of Britain Begins
The first concerted attack on the British airfields occurred on August 12, 1940. This battle was the first major military campaign to be fought totally in the air. -
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Launching of Operation Barbarossa
Called Hitler’s greatest mistake, Operation Barbarossa launched 3.6 million German troops, 3,350 tanks, and 1,950 aircraft with no real plan to accompany their surprise attack. They failed to knock out the Soviet Union, which would lead to their eventual defeat. -
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Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese, who allied themselves with Nazi Germany, bombed Pearl Harbor, one of America’s bases, which triggered America’s involvement in WWII -
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Battle of Midway
A naval-air battle of unprecedented size, this American victory reflected the superiority of American repair efforts and intelligence. The Americans handled the uncertainty of war far better than the Japanese, which aided them in their victory. -
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Germans Launch Battle of Kursk
This was the last major German offensive that sought to exploit the opportunities provided by a major German salient. Hitler saw this battle as a battle of annihilation where the superior force would prevail. -
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D-Day
The Allied landings in Northern France that marked one of the most crucial points of the war. The Allied countries landed in Normandy, where Germany lacked adequate naval and air forces to defend against such an invasion. -
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Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Americans used their naval and air superiority to mount a reconquest of the Philippines, -
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Bombing of Nagasaki
This bombing made a bigger impact than the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The two atomic bomb droppings convinced Japan to surrender unconditionally.