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Who: The Germany army and the Russian army versus the Polish army
What: Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union invaded both sides of Poland
Where: Mainland Poland
Why: Hitler wanted more "living space" and didn't want to fight a war on two fronts. Hitler and Stalin signed the Non aggression pact.
Interesting Fact: Nazi Germany possessed overwhelming military superiority over Poland
Impact on the War: Started World War II -
Who: Britain and France
What: Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany
Where: In Britain
Why: Failed Appeasement when Germany invaded Poland
Interesting Fact: Hitler was surprised when Britain and France declared war because he didn't believe they would do it.
Impact on War: Started the war -
Who: The German army versus the British and French army
What: Nazi Germany invaded France using the war tactic called "Blitzkrieg" meaning "lightning war"
Where: Northern France
Why: To defeat France quickly
Interesting fact: Nazi Germany invented Crystal Meth and was first used during this invasion
Impact on war: Defeated France -
Who: The British army
What: The British army was surrounded by German forces at Dunkirk. 300,000 British soldiers were evacuated
Where: Dunkirk in Northern France
Why: Germany's "Blitzkrieg" was quick enough to trap the British at Dunkirk
Interesting fact: Civilians used mini fishing boats to help out with the evacuation
Impact on war: Boosted morale for the British -
Who: The British Royal Air Force versus the Germany Air force
What: Germans were attacking British cities with their "luftwaffe"
Where: Britain
Why: Hitler wanted to defeat Britain
Interesting Fact: It was the first battle in history waged almost exclusively in the air
Impact on War: Demonstrated the courage and resilience of Britain -
Who: The German army versus the Russian army
What: Nazi Germany betrayed The Soviet Union by invading Russia
Where: Poland
Why: Hitler wanted the “living space”
Interesting fact: It was the largest ground invasion in military history with three million men, three thousand tanks, and two thousand aircraft -
Who: Japanese Air force versus USA air force and USA navy
What: The Japanese air force bombed and destroyed American navy ships, ports and aircraft
Where: Pearl harbor, Hawaii
Why: Japan wanted to conquer all of Southeast Asia but didn't want to fight or worry about the USA air force and Navy
Interesting Fact: Japan did not have enough planes so the pilots would go back and forth to Pearl Harbor to convince the Americans that there were more Japanese planes.
Impact on War: USA entered the war -
Who: The United States of America
What: USA declared war on Japan
Where: Washington DC, USA
Why: Japan bombed Pearl Harbor
Interesting fact: Historians describe this by saying "A sleeping giant has awoken"
Impact on the war: A big superpower nation has entered the war -
Who: The USA air force and Navy versus the Japanese air force and navy
What: A naval sea battle in the Pacific that would determine the "Pacific theatre"
Where: The Pacific Ocean, near the Island of Midway
Why: Japan wanted to defeat the US naval and air fleet and use Midway as a base to attack the USA west coast
Interesting fact: The US were outnumbered since most of their navy ships were destroyed at Pearl Harbor
Impact on war: USA victory. Historians claim that this was the "Turning point" -
Who: The Canadian army versus the German Army
What: The Canadian army raided the German-occupied Dieppe
Where: Dieppe France
Why: To make a successful raid on Germany-occupied Europe
Interesting fact: It was the first significant allied action in Europe since the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940
Impact on war: German victory. Disastrous for the Canadians -
Who: The Russian army versus the German army
What: German and Russian forces fought hard over the city of Stalingrad
Where: Stalingrad, The Soviet Union
Why: Hitler wanted to embarrass Stalin by taking the city named after him
Interesting fact: Stalingrad was reduced to rubble due to Luftwaffe bombing
Impact on War: Russian victory. This was also known as "The turning point of the war" -
Who: The American, British and Canadian army versus the Germany army
What: D-day was the ground invasion against Nazi-occupied Europe
Where: Normandy beaches, France
Why: To free Europe from Nazi-occupied Europe
Interesting fact: The landing craft boats were originally designed for use in Louisiana swamps
Impact on war: Allied victory (USA, Britain, Canada, and France). Started the end of World War II -
Who: The Russian army versus the Germany Army
What: World war II ended in Europe after the Battle of Berlin
Where: Berlin, Germany
Why: Nazi Germany was surrounded by the Russians in the East and the USA, Britain and Canada in the West
Interesting fact: The Russians wanted to reach Berlin first because there was a nuclear factory that Stalin (Leader of the USSR) wanted for nuclear research
Impact on war: Six years of brutal war in Europe and twelve years of Nazi rule had finished -
Who: The American air force
What: The USA dropped a new, powerful Atomic bomb
Where: Hiroshima, Japan
Why: America wanted to end the war that way instead of wasting more men trying to take mainland Japan. America also wanted to show dominance to the Soviet Union because the Soviet Union was communist
Interesting fact: The bomb exploded two thousand feet above Hiroshima and destroyed five square miles immediately
Impact on War: Ended World war II in the Pacific and officially -
Who: American Air force
What: America dropped their second atomic bomb on Japan
Where: Nagasaki, Japan
Why: America wanted to force Japan to surrender. America also wanted to scare the Soviet Union because they were Communist.
Interesting fact: Exploded two thousand feet about the city and five square miles.
Impact on War: Japan surrendered because of this -
Who: USA and Japan
What: Japan surrendered and negotiated for peace
Where: Tokyo Bay, Japan
Why: The Atomic bombs damaged Hiroshima and Nagasaki so bad Japan had to surrender
Interesting fact: General Douglas Mcarthur and Emperor Hirohito took a photo together to prove Japan surrendered.
Impact on war: Ended 6 years of Brutal war