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Battle of Crete
Storming the Greek island of Crete, Nazi forces led an airborne attack on May 20, which resulted in the German conquering of the island. The importance of the battle is it marked the first time in WW2 when the civilians resistance and fought against the impeding Nazi forces, though they were not successful. Source: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/the-battle-for-crete/overview -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the Axis-led invasion of the Soviet Union as the start of Germany’s plan to take it over. The Germans were strikingly underestimated by the Soviet forces; unable to withstand their resistance. Though in the end, the Germans restored order on the front; they continued to fight a two-front war they could not handle. Source: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces bombed the American naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese bombed it because the base was in their way of the conquering of the Atlantic Ocean. This was a significant battle because it resulted in the entering of the U.S. into World War 2. -
Operation Torch
Operation “Torch” was an invasion of French North Africa by the United States and the United Kingdom, led by Major General Dwight Eisenhower. The importance of the attack was to take away pressure on the Soviet Union by flooding Axis forces in French Africa. The consequences of the leading attack led to Hitler building up Axis forces in Tunisia. But this attack also marked the first major operation between the U.S. and the United Kingdom during World War 2.
Source from Holocaust Encyclopedia -
Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was the largest confrontation of war, with the Soviet Union holding back Axis forces in Stalingrad, Russia. This battle marked the turning point of the war in favor of the Allies. Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad -
Battle of Kursk
Occurring in the Soviet city of Kursk, this marked Germany’s last chance to regain dominance on the Eastern Front by the defeat of the Soviet Red Army. The Germans were well underprepared, and left surrounded with low provisions and medicine. On February 2, 1943, the Germans forces surrendered. This was important for the wear because it pushed back German forces and left them defensive and weak.
Source from: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-kursk -
Battle of Monte Cassino
This was an attack led by the United States on the Winter Line in Italy in hopes to breakthrough to Rome. This marked the longest and bloodiest battle of the Italian Campaign. In May of 1944, after five long months of treacherous attack, the Second Polish Corps. successfully captured the abbey of Monte Cassino. This resulted in almost 55,000 allied casualties, and resulted in mass destruction and major usage of artillery and equipment.
Source from History.com -
Invasion of Normandy
The battle of Normandy, a.k.a. D-Day, was the biggest amphibious attack in history, 150,000 strong. By the end of August, all of France was liberated and the German forces were pushed back into Soviet hands. The importance of the battle was it was the biggest catastrophe the Nazi powers had faces, and led to the start of the fall of the Nazi party. Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Normandy-Invasion -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler’s last major offensive in the war, including over a million allied troops. The significances of this battle is was the largest collection of allied troops that were able to overthrow the Nazi power and led to the overall end of the war. Source: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin occurred for less than a month, and was significant for the war because it resulted in the death of the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/berlin_01.shtml
