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Rape of Nanking (1937)
This was a massacre that resulted in the death of 50,000–300,000 people. This occurred during the second Sino- Japanese war, where Japan killed many people. https://web.viu.ca/davies/H101/Nanking.NYT.1937.htm -
German Blitzkrieg (1939-1940)
This was a military tactic that was often used by the Germans to distract the people they are fighting against. The tactic was successful when used against Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. "Lightening War" was created by using power, speed, and the element of surprise. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Pearl Harbor (1941)
On this day, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in an attack that had been planned for almost a year. The next day, the U.S. joined World War Two because of this attempt. This event eventually caused the U.S. to bomb Japan in return. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference (1942)
A meeting of Nazi officials in Berlin to complete the "final solution" to the "Jewish Problem". In this conference, Nazis decided to finally take action to their plan of getting rid of the Jews by beginning the concentration camps, which went on to kill millions. https://www.britannica.com/event/Wannsee-Conference -
Battle of Midway (1942)
The battle was held in a strategic location in the Pacific Ocean and occurred after Japanese codes were broke. Japan was defeated and this marked the turning point in the Pacific Theater. https://docs.google.com/document/d/11SpIVi4Stvfjp33FVUjdLNcx5aGjtqXY0GkWU5AbKLI/edit -
Battle of Stalingrad (1942)
This was Hitler's plan of invasion. This actually resulted in urban fighting, which killed millions. Once winter began, Germany was unprepared and lost to the Soviet Union. This was the turning point in Eastern Europe. https://docs.google.com/document/d/11SpIVi4Stvfjp33FVUjdLNcx5aGjtqXY0GkWU5AbKLI/edit -
-Bataan Death March (1942)
This was when Japan invaded the Philippines while the Americans were led by MacArthur and evacuated. Thousands died while Japanese troops brutally marched prisoners to a POW camp, where thousands more died. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion - 1944)
On this day, 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces arrived on a 50-mile stretch of five beaches and a heavily fortified coast of Normandy. This was one of the largest attacks during the war, and helped the Allies eventually take over Germany. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of the Bulge (1945)
Hitler's desperate attempt to split the allies with a surprise attack. General Patton helped save the allies, leading to their victory. It was in this battle that the rest of the world discovered that Hitler had been using concentration camps. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima (1945)
American forces used napalism on Japan after this battle by using large-scale "terror bombing". After this came the battle of Okinawa, which helped the Allies gain a closer look at the mainland of Japan, and they were eventually able to plan a surprise attack on Japan after warning Japan to surrender. -
Liberation of concentration camps (1945)
After the concentration camps were discovered by the Allies and Germany had been defeated, the Allies helped save the remaining survivors of the holocaust. There were many Nazis that went into hiding and many camps that were also difficult to find. https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/survival-and-legacy/ -
Battle of Okinawa (1945)
This battle allowed American troops to get close enough to be able to organize an attack. https://docs.google.com/document/d/11SpIVi4Stvfjp33FVUjdLNcx5aGjtqXY0GkWU5AbKLI/edit -
VJ Day (1945)
Victory over Japan Day: Soon after the U.S. dropped two bombs on Japan, they surrendered. This was the end of WWII. The impact of atomic warfare is still seen today through threats and intimidation. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/8-video -
VE Day (1945)
Victory in Europe day: This was the day that the Allies (the Soviet Union) attacked Berlin. Hitler and his wife supposedly killed themselves on this day, although Americans never saw Hitler's body. The Soviet Union destroyed Berlin and used bombs and blew things up. https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2018/08/victory_over_japan_day_1945_10.html -
Dropping of the atomic bombs (1945)
The U.S. had a top secret project known as the Manhattan project that was used to create the first atomic bomb. Once tested, Truman demanded that Japan surrendered and warned them that something terrible would happen. When Japan refused, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Around 250,000 Japanese died as a result of a devastating bombs, and many more died after from radiation. https://www.history.com/news/hiroshima-nagasaki-bombing-wwii-cold-war
