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Nazi Germany invades Poland. Britain and France will declare war on Germany within the next few days.
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Japanese airplanes attack the United States military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The United States has now joined the war effort.
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The United States Navy engages in battle with the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. The United States is victorious and the battle severely cripples the Japanese navy. This is considered the turning point in the Pacific theater.
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After months of brutal fighting, the Soviet forces defeat the Nazis at the Battle of Stalingrad. This is considered the turning point in the Eastern Front.
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On the western front, U.S., British and other allied forces landed on the Normandy beaches of France. Despite heavy resistance from the Germans, the Allies would manage to break past their defenses. This is considered the turning point on the western front.
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The Soviets would be the first Allied military to enter the German capital in 1945. The battle would end in May 1945 when the Soviets placed their flag over the Reichstag, which was the main government building. The Nazi government would surrender, ending the war in Europe.
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From April till June of 1945, U.S. Marines would engage the hardened defenses of the Japanese on the island of Okinawa. The Marines would be victorious and the U.S. was now in position to begin launching air attacks on mainland Japan.
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The United States would employ the use of the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The goal was to push the Japanese to surrender.
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With no indication of surrender, the United States opted to use another atomic bomb. The target was the Japanese city of Nagasaki. After this day, the Japanese would surrender to the United States. This would end World War II.
