-
Germany invades Poland, probably because of Poland's ports. It also commanded most of the coast.
-
-
Germany invades France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg. Winston Churchill, becomes British Prime minister. This gives Germany even more power of Europe.
-
The Battle of Britain begins. Germany bombs Britain, and the British defend themselves from the air in what Winston Churchill would call their "finest hour."
-
The U.S. Congress passes the Lend-Lease Act giving Roosevelt the authority to sell, transfer, or lease war goods to the government of any Allied country. This ended the United States neutrality.
-
Japan attacks the American naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US enters the war. Japan expected the US to not fight back once their strongest forces were destroyed.
-
Over 90,000 German troops at Stalingrad surrender to the Soviets. This drained Germany's troops. Bringing the Allied powers closer to winning the war.
-
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising begins after German troops attempt to deport the ghetto's last surviving Jews. About 750 Jews fought back the Germans for almost a month.
-
American puts their declaration to action as their forces, along with British and Canadian forces, invade France at the beaches of Normandy. This invasion allowed them to free France and gain access to Germany's border.
-
Soviet troops free the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. (about a million remains, hundreds of recent murders, thousands of alive victims)
-
Western Europe, Battle of the Bulge ends. Americans lose 75,000 troops. Germans lose 80,000-100,000. Americans recover from military losses; Germans cannot. Hitler is the only one that still believes Germany can still win.
-
Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide in a bunker. Joseph Goebbels is to become the new German Chancellor but he also kills himself after having his wife and six children killed. Karl Donitz is named as Hitler's successor.
-
A U.S. B-29 named Enola Gay drops the "Little Boy" atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Approximately 140,000 people in the area will die by the end of the year. The US actually warned Japan about the bombs, but they either ignored it or never received the news.
-
Almost 6 years after the war started, Japan surrenders. The surrender was brought on by the destruction of the atomic bomb.