-
7. US construction of merchant ships
January 2nd, 1941 The US government commits to constructing 200 merchant ships to aid the Allied cause in the Atlantic. This is important because the US was helping out it's allies anyway they could before they officially had to join the war. -
6. Lend-Lease Act passed
March 11th, 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt passes the Lend-Lease Act of WW2. This allowed the US to give military aid to foreign nations during the war. It was a decision that helped out the US's allies in the war. -
8. First US combat action of WW2
April 10th, 1941 On this day, the USS Niblack destroyer fired at a marauding German U-boat that was violating the US security zone. This event was the first United States combat action of the war. -
1. Bombing of Pearl Harbor
December 7th, 1941 Japanese bombers attack the US port. Destroying much of the US's pacific fleet. 2,403 US deaths caused by these bombings. This event brought the United States officially into WW2. -
2. United States declares war on Japan
December 8th, 1941 Because of Pearl Harbor, the US had to respond. On this day, the US officially declared war on Japan. Bringing themselves into WWII. -
9. Germany & Italy join the war
December 11th, 1941 Germany & Italy side with Japan after the bombing at Pearl Harbor and officially declare war on the US on this day. It is important because this day was when a big part of the Axis Powers officially joined the war. -
3. Normandy Invasion
June 6th, 1944 US, British, and Canadian forces storm the beaches of Normandy, France. The goal of this invasion was to surprise German forces. This event was a pivotal time in the war where the Allies lost many men. -
10. Battle of Iwo Jima
February 19th, 1945- March 26th, 1945 On these days, the US Marines Corps landed on the island of Iwo Jima and eventually captured the island from a garrison of Imperial Japanese forces. This helped the Allies gain ground on the Axis Powers in the Pacific Theater. -
4. Bombing of Nagasaki & Hiroshima
August 6th, 1945- August 9th, 1945 Coming towards the end of the war, the US detonated 2 nuclear weapons on the Japanese lands of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The American bomber "Enola Gay" dropped a 5 ton bomb on Hiroshima.
90,000-146,000 casualties in Hiroshima
39,000-80,000 in Nagasaki -
5. Official ending of World War II
September 2nd, 1945 Axis Powers surrendered to the Allied Powers. Just a short time after this, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. Several treaties and agreements were signed officially ending World War II.