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The Second Sino-Japenese War
As Japen invaded China, they captured all important Chinese ports and industrial centres, including Nanking. Eventually the war led into a stalemate untill U.S. intervention which helped lead to Japan's response of attacking Pearl Harbor. -
Rape of Nanking
Japanese soldiers marched into Nanking killing 300,000 civialians and soldiers, and raping over 20,000 women. The destruction of Nanking and murder of its civialians lasted for six weeks until febraury 1938. -
Invasion of Poland
After signing the German-Soviet Pact to prevent Soviet intervention, Germany invaded Poland with about 1,000 planes and 2,000 tanks. Poland was defeated within weeks, and stayed under German occupation until 1945. -
German Blitzkrieg
Meaning "Lightning War", Blitzkrieg was a military tactic used by Germany to cause disorganization amoung enemy troops by using mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Germans used this tactic with thier invasion of Poland, Belgium, The Neverlands, France and other countries between 1939 and 1940. -
Fall of Paris
German tanks invaded and took over Paris. Parisians were faced with arrests, interrogations, and a forced curfew as Germany flew a large swastika under the Arc De Triomphe. -
Operation Barbarossa
Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union. Hitler sent 3 million soldiers and 3 thousand tanks across Soviet borders. This operation was a huge failure as they were greatly unprepared and had underestimated Soviet Russia.This became a major turning point for Germany's defeat. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Unknown by America, hundreds of fighter planes were sent by Japan to attack the naval base, Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii. For two hours Japanese fighter planes killed more than 2,000 Americans and injured 1,000 and destroyed 300 airplanes and 20 naval bases. This action is what finally brought The U.S. into World War II. -
Bataan Death March
During World War II the U.S. surrendered the Bataan Peninsula to Japan, forcing 75,000 Filipinos and Americans who were in Bataan to walk 65 miles to prison camps. Thousands died as they were subjected to hot wearther and harsh treatment by guards. -
Battle of Midway
A four-day sea and air battle between Japan and the United States. Although the U.S.'s pacific fleet was outnumbered they were able to destroy four Japanese aircraft carriers while only one American aircraft carrier, Yorktown, was destroyed. This became one of America's most important naval Victories in WWII. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Before the uprising, on July 28 an armed self-defense unit was created called the Jewish Combat Organization or the ZOB as the Jew's response to deportations. As German forces entered the Warsaw Ghetto intending to liquidate it, they were ambushed by the ZOB lead by Mordecai Anailewicz. At first successful the group was soon broken withen days and Anailewicz was killed. Smaller groups and individuals still held out continueing the uprising until May 16. -
Operation Gomorrah
British aircrafts raided Hamburg, Germany with 2,300 tons of bombs killing more than 1,500, while Britian only lost 12 aircraft out of 791. The operation was succesful due to a new radar-jamming device known as "Window". -
D-Day
Also known as the battle of Normandy and Operation Overlord, when 156,000 American, Britian, and Canadian forces landed on beachs along fortified coasts of the Normandy region in France. Although 4,000 Allied troops lost their lives on D-Day, the operation was successful in liberating Western Europe from Nazi Germany. -
Battle of the Bulge
An attempt by Germany to split Allied forces by using a surprise blitzkrieg in the Ardennes Mountains on the Western front. The event got its name from the Allied front taking the appearence of a Bulge. -
Operation Thunderclap
The British Royal Airforce and the United States Army Air forces bombed the city of Dresden in Germany. Considered to be one of the most controversial events of Worl War II as Dresden was a very beautiful city and many innocent civilian lives were lost in the bombing. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Three U.S, marine divisions invaded Iwo Jima in Japan because America needed a base near Japan's coast. 23,000 Japenese navy and army defended Iwo Jima but after a month of fighting the U.S. marines took over Iwo Jima. -
Battle of Okinawa
Codenamed Iceberg, 287,000 U.S. troops fought agaisn't 130,000 Japanese soldiers. After whats known as the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War 65,000 Allied and 77,000 Japanese soldiers died along with a civilian casualty of 100,000. -
VE Day
Victory in Europe, when Germans through out Europe put down thier arms. Cities in The U.S. and Great Britian celebrated by putting out flags and banners celebrating Germany's surrender. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The liberation began when Soviet troops took over the Majdanek camp as well as other killing centers. On Janaury 27 they freed Auschwitz prisoners. Americans liberated the Buchenwald and Dachua camps while Britians freed prisoners from Bergan-Belson. -
Droping of Atomic Bomb
The United States's dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan's city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed thousands of civilians, marked the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War with Soviet Russia. -
VJ Day
Victory in Japan Day, marks the end of World War II. News of Japan's surrender was announced to the world causing nations all over to celebrate the end of the war.
