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The Holocaust
The Holocaust was the German genocide of six million Jews homosexuals, different ethnic groups, people who had different religious beliefs and anyone with a disabillity. The holocaust began with the segregation of Jews by gathering them and placing them into ghettos. Eventually German soilders started to send and place the Jews in concentration camps all around Germany. The Holocaust officially commenced in January of 1933 and lasted 12 years. -
The Munich Conference
Great Britain, France and Italy appeased Hitlers desire to annex Czechoslovokia by allowing him to take over the small area of Sudetenland. Hitler argued that most of the population in Sudetenland were German and they were not being represented properly by the Czechoslovokian government. Due to the annexation of Rhineland and Austria without consequences and appeasing Hitler's demands led to the annexation of czechoslovokia and later the invasion of Polond. -
Non - Agression Pact
The non-agression pact was between Germany and Russia. The treaty stated that they would not go to war with eachother, nor would Russia come to the aid of Poland if Germany was to invade. The treaty was signed only a little time before the war had started. Although Germany had made the pact and signed it, Hitler broke it when he tried to take over and invade Russia with the secret war plan "Opperation Barbarossa." -
Germany Invades Poland
German troops had already invades Rhineland, which was a direct sign of Hitler's unwillingness to follow the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles also clearly states that Germany and Austria cannot unite for 100 years, however in March of 1938 Hitler annexes Serbia - another clear sign of Hitlers defiance to the new Treaty. Germany then proceeds to invade Czechoslovakia, however the allied powers do not stop him nor do they declare war until the invasion of Poland. -
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg was a German military tactic in which they sought to cause disorganization and chaos through the use of tanks, planes and artillary all at once. The Germans used the Blitzkrieg war tactic during the invasion of Polond on September 1st 1939. Over 3,000 German tanks and planes were used in the invasion, defeating Poland within weeks. Follwing the invasion, Britain and France declare war on Germany. -
Battle of Britain
The battle of Britain was the second WWII air campaign led by the Germans against the United Kingdom. The Germans' objective was to gain air superioty, however their defeat prevented them from gaining air superioty. This defeat for Hitler later leads to the cancellation of 'Operation Sea Lion.' This was a huge victory for the United Kingdom because despite Germany continuously bomming the UK's towns, cities, armies and airports the United Kingdom still pushed forward and won. -
Lend - Lease Act
An act in which America supplied the Republic of China, Great Britian, as well as the free parts of France and later Russia with food, oil and any other materials that they would need during the war. Most of the general materials were given to these nations for free, however any ships or heavier hardware was to be returned after the war. In return the US was givin the ability to lease land from the Allies in order to build bases during the war. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name used for the German's invasion of Russia during the war. Before the invasion the two countires had signed a political and economical treaty that would help both country's; however, it was only a strategical move for Germany to gain Russia's trust. During the invasion, Germany had won many battles, leaving Russia with huge losses in men and supplies. In the end however, Russia still came out with a victory. -
Pearl Harbor
The bombing of Pearl Harbor was a surprise Japanese military attack on the American naval base in Hawaii. The Japanese intentions were to neutralize the U.S Pacific Fleet in order to protect their advancements towards Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. The U.S was not directly involved in the war because Americans feared that Germany would invade, however the U.S was giving weapons and materials to the British. The attack on Pearl Harbor led to America finally joining the WWII. -
The Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer of over 75,000 Japanese war prisoners that included both Americans and Filipinos.The march commenced after the U.S surrender of the Bataan Peninsula. American and Filipino troops were sent on 65 mile march to prison camps. During the march, the Japanese felt as if they were dealing with with things, rather then people; they objectified them and saw them as subhumans. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was between Japan and America. The Japanese army hoped to establish a greater dominence in the Pacific. Their plan was to eliminate the United States powers by luring them into a trap. However the Japanese had made poor assumptions of how the American Army would react. Also American code breakers were able to determine the attack information, allowing the armies to prepare for Japan's ambush. The battle was unsuccessful for Japan; losing greatly to the American Army. -
Battle of Stalingrad
A major battle in which the Soviet Union fought Germany as well as their allies for the control over the city of Stalingrad. It was a decisive win for the Soviet union - a huge turning point in the war because many axis powers begin to draw away from the Eastern Front after this defeat. Stalingard would have been an important victory for the Nazi army because it was the centre of Russia's communications in the south. The Russians could not lose this city, and continued to fight until they won. -
D-Day
Allied forces attacked German troops on the coast of Normandy, France. The invasion lasted nearly two months totalling over 425,000 casualties. D-Day marks the largest navel, air and land operation in history. This battle was a huge turning point in the War because it led to the surrender of Nazi Germany and the liberation of war camps. -
Battle of the Bulge
A major German offensive battle in Ardennes, Belgium Luxemborg and Nazi Germany. The Battle of the Bulge was one of the largest battles not only fought by the American Army, but also one of the biggest battles to be fough on the Western front in Europe. The Germans' objective was to drive a wedge between the bitish and American armed forces in France so that the Allied forces would not be able to use the port facilities. However due to German operational failure, it was a decisive Allied Victor -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
A major battle in which the American Army invaded the island of Iwo Jima in order to capture it from the Japanese. The Americans wanted Iwo Jima because it would prove to be a a good location where the Americans could plan their attacks on on the main islands of Japan. This battle was said to fiercest and bloodiest war in the Pacific with an American Victory. -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle was apart of America's three-point plan for winning the war in the far East. The Americans wanted to destory the remaining parts of Japan's merchant fleet, as well as to use the islands airstips to bomb Japan's major Islands. When planning the attack however, the Americans had underistmated the number of Japanese soilders located in Okinawa. The attack lasting 82 days had taken a huge toll on both sides, however in the end America had won. -
V-E Day
VE Day marks the formal acceptance of Germany's surrender of its armed forces. The act of military surrender was signed on the 7th of May in Reims, France and on the 8th of May in Berlin, Germany. VE Day marks the end of the war in Europe. -
The Bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki
On August 6th 1945 the U.S army dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. This was the first time an atomic bomb had ever been used, destorying 90 percent of the Japanese city and immediately killing over 80,000 of military as well as civillians. Three days later America troops released a second bomb over the city of Nagasaki, killing over 40,000 people both military and civillians. Later over 10,000 people died from exposer to radiation. This devistating act led to the Japanse surrender. -
V-J Day
On August 14th 1945 Japan surrendered to the allies, finally ending WWII. The surrender followed the attacks on both Hiroshima an Nagasaki which devistated Japan. The formal surrender of Japan took place on September 2nd onboard of the U.S.S Maine. V-J Day stands for "Victory over Japan Day." -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was an official defense treaty among the eight communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. The states included; Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Soviet Union. Despite its official "The Treaty of of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance," the treaty was actually a military treaty that bound each state to come to the aid of another if any one of them was a victom in a foreign aggression.