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German Blitzkrieg
The German Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war", was a German tactic used against the Allies in World War II. The tactic consisted of sending in bombers, followed by tanks, then ground troops all back to back to decimate the enemy quickly and effectively. -
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a neutrality agreement signed between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany on August 23, 1939. The agreement brought peace between the two powers temporarily, but was ultimately broken by Hitler in 1941 when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the Nazi Germany invasion of the Soviet Union. Prior to Operation Barbarossa, the Germans and Soviets had signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939, which promised neutrality between the two powers. The invasion began June 22, 1941 with the largest invasion force in history. Hitler's plan for the invasion was to knock the Soviet Union out of the war and achieve Lebensraum, or living space for the German people. The Operation was a failure as the Soviet's won. -
Pearl Harbor
The Attack on Pearl Harbor was a military strike conducted by Japan against the United States on December 7, 1941. The attack was an effort to cripple the U.S. Pacific fleet. It lasted over an hour, killing 2335 Americans, and greatly damaging American military equipment. In total, 188 planes were lost, 4 battleships were sunk, and 3 destroyers were damaged. The attack shocked the American public, and effectively brought the United States into World War II. -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee conference was a meeting of Nazi officials in Berlin on January 20, 1942. The meeting was held in order to ensure the cooperation of administrative leaders of the various government departments within the Nazi government that dealt with the Final Solution. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a battle in the Pacific Theater fought between the United States and Japan from June 4, 1942 to June 7, 1942. The Battle resulted in an American victory and was the turning point for the war in the Pacific. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a battle fought between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in Stalingrad. The battle began on August 23, 1942 and ended on February 2, 1943. The battle was the largest fought in World War II and the deadliest in the history of warfare. It resulted in a Soviet victory and was a turning point for the allies in the Eastern front of the European Theater. -
D-Day
D-Day, also known as The Normandy Landings, was a military operation conducted by the Allies on June 6, 1944. The operation was the largest seaborne invasion in history, and led to the downfall of Nazi occupied France. It also helped the Allies open up the Western Front which resulted in the defeat of Nazi Germany. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the last major German offensive in World War II. The battle was fought from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945. The Germans hoped to split the advancing Allies, but failed to do so. The battle only accomplished in stopping the advance and prolonging the war for some time more. -
\Liberation of Concentration Camps
Throughout the late 1930s and 1940s, Nazi Germany built many Concentration Camps in and around the German Reich. These camps were built to contain and ultimately kill Jews. Once the war turned in favor of the Allies, most of the camps were liberated by the Soviets coming from the east, and the Americans coming from the west. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a battle fought between the United States and Japan from February 19, 1945 to March 26, 1945. The battle resulted in an American victory and the capture of the island Iwo Jima from the Japanese Army. The battle was one of the bloodiest in the Pacific Theater. -
VE Day
VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marked the end of the War in Europe. With the suicide of Adolf Hitler on April 30, 1945, Germany was crippled beyond fighting. The Nazi's surrendered on May 8, 1945 and the formal surrender was done May 9, 1945, bringing World War II to an end in Europe. -
Potsdam Declaration
The Potsdam Declaration was a statement that called for the surrender of Japan on July 26, 1945. The statement outlined the terms of surrender and said that if Japan refused to surrender that it would face "prompt and utter destruction". The statement issued by Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and China. -
Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki were conducted by the United States against Japan on August 6th and 9th, 1945. Originally planned to be used against Germany, the bombs were instead dropped on Japan as a way to end the war and avoid an invasion of the Japanese mainland. The bombings brought about Japan's surrender, and the end of WWII. They remain the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare to date. -
VJ Day
VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, marked the surrender of Imperial Japan, and brought World War II to an end. The Japanese were at first unwilling to surrender, as their culture promoted the idea that "surrender was worse than death". But after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Soviet Union's declaration of war, Japan was ready to surrender. The surrender was made August 15th, and the signing of the terms was done September 2nd aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
