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The unprovoked blitzkrieg attack by Nazi Germany, triggering World War II. -
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced the declaration via BBC radio, marking the official beginning of World War II for the Allied powers. -
Nazi Germany launched a rapid, overwhelming Blitzkrieg offensive—Operation Fall Gelb—against the neutral nations of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, followed by a swift invasion of France. Using superior airpower, tanks, and airborne troops, Germany bypassed the Maginot Line, forcing the Netherlands to surrender in six days, Belgium in 18, and France in six weeks. -
Over 338,000 Allied troops, surrounded by German forces in France, were rescued in a daring evacuation known as Operation Dynamo. Under intense bombardment, a flotilla of over 900 naval and civilian "Little Ships" rescued the army from the beaches and harbor. -
Military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe. It was the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces. -
The first U.S. peacetime draft, requiring men aged 21-36 to register and serve, later expanded to ages 18-64 for WWII, establishing the modern Selective Service System for national defense. -
Authorized the U.S. President to sell, transfer, lease, or lend war materials—including weapons, food, and equipment—to any nation deemed "vital to the defense of the United States". It effectively bypassed strict neutrality laws, allowing the U.S. to become the "arsenal of democracy" for Allied powers. -
The Empire of Japan launched a surprise military strike on the United States Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii. -
President Roosevelt delivered his "Day of Infamy" speech, resulting in a declaration of war against Japan the next day. -
Four days after Pearl Harbor, primarily to honor their Tripartite Pact alliance with Japan, under the belief that war with the U.S. was already inevitable, and in hopes of fostering a "Germany first" focus to defeat the U.S. while boosting Axis momentum. -
The first time in history that opposing ships (U.S./Australia vs. Japan) fought entirely via carrier-based aircraft without sighting each other. -
A decisive U.S. victory against Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Following intelligence from Station Hypo, the U.S. Navy intercepted a Japanese invasion fleet, sinking four carriers. -
A compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale. -
Allied assault on the European mainland during WW2. Led by the U.S. 5th Army, it aimed to secure a foothold for the Italian campaign. Despite intense German resistance, the Allies secured the area. -
largest seaborne assault in history, launching the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany by landing over 150,000 troops on five heavily fortified beaches with huge naval and air support, marking a crucial turning point in World War II despite heavy casualties, and ultimately leading to Germany's defeat. -
Discovered and liberated by Allied forces as they advanced across Europe in 1944-1945. The Soviet Red Army liberated the largest, Auschwitz, on January 27, 1945, which is now commemorated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. -
The last major German offensive on the Western Front during WWII. It was the largest and deadliest single battle for the U.S. Army, resulting in a decisive Allied victory that exhausted Germany's armored forces. -
Brought together U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to plan the final defeat of Nazi Germany and map out the post-war reorganization of Europe and Asia. -
Unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to Allied forces, ending World War II in Europe. -
Immense destruction and an estimated 90,000 to 166,000 deaths by the end of that year. It was the first nuclear weapon used in warfare, releasing energy equivalent to about 15 kilotons of TNT and creating a devastating fireball and shockwave. -
Forcing Japan's unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II. It was the second and last operational use of nuclear weapons, causing immediate, devastating casualties. -
Marks the formal surrender of Japan aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, effectively ending World War II.