-
Rape Of Nanking
In the later months of 1937, over a six week period, The Imperial Japanese army invaded the Chinese city of Nanjing. The Japanese army murdered thousands of people, soldiers AND civilians. The reason it was called the Rape Of Nanjing is because round 80,000 women were sexually assaulted by the Japanese. The then capitol city of China was destroyed, and left in ruins from the invasion. The city would not recover for a long time. -
The German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is a German word meaning "lightning war". Blitzkrieg is a military tactic used by the Nazi's to create disorientation among the enemy forces. The tactic involved (when used successfully) can be used to protect soldiers lives and limits the use of artillery. This tactic was used to invade Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. The United States eventually adopted the tactic for use in European operations. -
The Fall of Paris
After the first World War, the French constructed a 280 mile long trench called the Maginot Line. The line was created as a counter to any future German attacks. Funnily enough the Germans practically waltzed past the line with little to no effort in 1940. They went through the Ardennes Forest, which the French considered impassable. Soon the Germans captured Paris and the swastika flew over the Arc de Triomphe. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was an invasion of the Soviet Union conducted by German Führer Adolf Hitler. The operation consisted of well over three million German soldiers, one hundred and fifty divisions, and three thousand German Panzer tanks rumbled over the Soviet frontier into the Soviet Union. Operation Barbarossa was a key point in WWII, it was the battle that would turn the tides of World War 2. The operation was a failure however, and Germany was facing a two front war between enemies. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was the United States Navy base stationed near Honolulu in Hawaii. The base was met with a completely unexpected surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7th, 1941. Early in the morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter aircraft attacked the base and destroyed many of the United States naval vessels and aircraft. They also killed more than 2,400 american civilians and soldiers, and 1,000 were wounded. One day after this horrific attack, President Roosevelt declared war on Japan -
The Wannsee Conference
On January 20th, 1942, Nazi officials met to discuss the "Final Solution" to the Jewish Question. The officials met at Wannsee, a suburb in Berlin. The conferences goals were clear: to create a plan that would finally answer the Jewish Question in Nazi occupied Europe. There were many proposals, each more horrific than the last. Reinhard Heydrich simply proposed they would round up Jews and transporting them to death camps. Eventually this plan would lead to the Holocaust genocide. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a battle fought in World War 2 that involved the German army advancing on Stalingrad and attempting to take the city. Despite the 2 million deaths both civilian and military, the Germans failed to take the city. Which resulted in preventing Germany's advance into the Soviet Union and marked the turning point in the war for the Allies. This battle had also humiliated Hitler greatly, and he became to not trust his generals. -
The Invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day began on June 6th, 1944. Around 156,000 troops from many nations landed on the five beaches on Normandy's coast, all were heavily guarded. Commonly referred to as the beginning of the end of war in Europe, D Day was crucial to the the Allies during the war. The operation required heavy planning. Despite this, many troops were killed before they got to the beach, and it was surprising they took the beach at all. -
Battle of The Bulge
In December of 1944, Hitler was determined to split up the Allied armies by conducting a blitzkrieg attack through Ardennes towards Antwerp. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was an attack on one of the most heavily fortified location in the entire history of warfare. The Japanese were known for fighting until the very last soldiers dying breath, so the fight that followed was viscous. Iwo Jima had a hill leading up to it that was nicknamed "Meatgrinder Hill". The progress into Iwo Jima was slow due to the heavy bombardment and machine gun fire on the beaches where the US Troops landed -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa was the final battle of World War 2, and easily the bloodiest. On Easter Sunday, the Navy's Fifth Fleet, comprised of over 180,000 United States Army and Marine Corps troops, descended on the island of Okinawa for one last push towards Japan. The Operation was code named Iceberg, and was a plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands, which included Okinawa itself. Japan of course fought brutally because it was the last thing between the US and Victory. -
VE Day
VE Day was the day victory was declared in Europe. This day was the day that everyone's misery and suffering came to an end. Hitlers suicide left the surrender of the Nazi's to Grand Admiral Donitz. The British celebrated right away before victory was even declared, they hung banners and streamers around and danced among eachother. Huge crowds had gathered in London after Churchill made a radio broadcast and two of the princesses (Margaret and Elizabeth) socialized with the crowds of people -
The Atomic Bombs
On August 6th, 1945, the Americans launched their plan to force Japans surrender. How? By dropping two insanely powerful bombs on two major cities of course! A B-29 Bomber plane dropped the very first atomic bomb on the Japanese city Hiroshima. 80,000 people died upon the bombs impact. They were most likely vaporized or burned to death by the fires of the bomb. However thousands more would die a more painful death due to radiation poisoning. The US once again did this to Nagasaki.
