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Japan invades China
Japan invades China and murders thousands of people in Nanking. At the time, Nanking was the capital of China and it was left in critical condition. Tens of thousands of women were sexually assaulted. Decades went by before the city was finally rebuilt.
https://www.history.com/topics/japan/nanjing-massacre -
German Blitzkreig
Germany liked to use a tactic called blitzkrieg. This term means lightning war which stunned the enemy and disorganized them as they were not prepared to deal with the fast attacks. Germany used this tactic successfully to invade Belgium.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was a naval base located in Hawaii. On this day, it was surprise attacked by the Japanese. Forces were sent in to destroy as much as possible including 8 battleships, hundreds of planes, and thousands of Americans. After this occurred, the US immediately entered the war in retaliation.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
Nazi officials gathered together to discuss how they would deal with the Jews. Some spoke for Hitler and established that the Jews would be dealt with. Everyone was discussing the best ways to exterminate the Jews.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-wannsee-conference -
Bataan Death March
The Japanese forced 75,000 POWs to make a long 65 mile march to other prison camps. Japanese guards walked along with these POWs and made sure they experienced brutal conditions. They starved and beat the marches and killed many too weak to continue walking.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Battle of Stalingrad
A very costly campaign between Russia and Nazi Germany. This battle is infamously one of the bloodiest in modern times. Around two million people were killed while fighting in this battle. This battle was a turning point as Russia claimed victory.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Battle of Midway
Six months after Pearl Harbor, the United States won against Japan in this very decisive naval battle. The US used its skill set in code breaking to counter incoming Japanese attacks. This victory also allowed the US to become more offensive in the Pacific.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
D-Day
D-Day was the largest amphibious military landing in history. It required extreme training and dedication to be successful. Around 156,000 Allied forces landed across 50 miles on Normandy coast. It is known as the beginning of the end of the war in Europe.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Operation Thunderclap
This was a series of firebombing raids against Germany. As many as 135,000 people were killed in the process. This was seen as devastating because Germany was already ready to surrender so a lot of people died without purpose.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/firebombing-of-dresden -
Battle of the Bulge
Hitler decides to attempt to split Allied armies. He was successful in catching them off guard but the Allies were able to quickly readjust. Eventually, the Allies were able to claim victory over the Germans but suffered many casualties in the process.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The were many concentration camps where "inferior races" were held and killed brutally in mass throughout the war. With the war now essentially coming to a close, Allied forces made advancements to liberate these camps that were well hidden from the rest of the world.
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/liberation-of-nazi-camps -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The US invaded Iwo Jima and only killed 200 out of 21,000 Japanese forces. They originally did this because they saw it as a strategic airfield to attack Japan. Towards the end however, they started to doubt the use it had to them.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
VE Day
The United States and Great Britain celebrate as the war in Europe is won. German troops put down their weapons and surrendered to their enemies. While this did not completely end the war, it was a huge advancement towards complete victory.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Dropping of Atomic Bombs
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first uses of atomic bombs in warfare. The bombs were created because of a warning from Albert Einstein that German were developing their own special weapons. By the time these bombs were finished, the only enemy left was Japan. The use of these bombs is what ultimately caused Japan to fall.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki -
VJ Day
On this day, Japan officially surrendered to the Allies. This ended World War II. VJ stands for victory in Japan as it represents the Japanese surrendering on the U.S.S. Missouri when it was anchored in Tokyo. This was a very cheerful/celebratory time for the United States as the long and painful war was finally over.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
