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Hitler Invades the Rhinelands
Hitler's invasion of the Rhineland clearly broke the terms of the treaty of Versailles. Hitler wanted the Germans to take back the land that was taken away from them. Hence the reason why he took back the Rhineland. The significance is that this was one the first actions Hitler took. If the allies did something then, maybe Hitler could've been stopped. -
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Significant Events
This is the 15 most significant events timeline. -
Canada declares war on Germany
Unlike past battles and wars, this time Canada did not declare for war as soon as France did. Instead, Canada waited a week before they too declared war on Germany. The significance of Canada entering the war is that it gave Britain some well needed help and support. Canada proved to be a worthy adversary when it came down to the outcome of the war. -
The Fall of France
On May 10th, 1940 the Germans launched an invasion on France. This battle lasted until June 25th, 1940, with the Germans capturing a powerhouse in France. The battle featured an overpowering Luftwaffe that the RAF couldn't stop. The significance is that the capturing of France almost lead to Hitler achieving his ultimate goal. -
Miracle at Dunkirk
The significance of this event was that some people believe this event was the reason why Hitler didn't win the war. Tonnes of British soldiers were about to be captured by the Germans. Luckily a giant fog appeared which allowed for thousands of these soldiers to get rescued by many allied sea vessels. These soldiers came in handy because they helped in the future battles to come. -
Battle of Britain
This battle went from July 10th, 1940, until October 31st, 1940. The significance of this battle is that it was mainly an air battle. Since the ocean was to big, fighter planes were huge in this battle. The German Luftwaffe was too powerful compared to the British RAF. With help from the Canadians, the Germans were eventually defeated. That's also another significance of this battle because it marked Hitler's first official defeat in Battle. -
The attack on Pearl Harbor
On this day hundreds of Japanese fighter planes launched a surprise attack on the USA at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was a USA naval base. The significance of this event is that it lead to the United States entering the war. The United States were huge in the war. -
The Invasion of Hong Kong
This event featured the Japanese invading Hong Kong. This invasion took place only a few hours after the Pearl Harbor attacks. The significance of this is that this invasion lead to the surrendering of Hong Kong and hundreds of Canadian soldiers deaths. -
The Dieppe Raid
This battle was one that required the element of surprise. This raid was intended to test the German defenses.The problem with the strategy was that the Germans found out. They fired directly at the charging troops from high grounds, while the soldiers with 5000 Canadians had to protect themselves. The significance of this battle is that it lead to the allies eventual victory on d-day. The allies learned from the mistakes they made and made sure to avoid making the same mistakes. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
This battle takes place in Russia in which the Germans fought the Soviet Union for the rights to Stalingrad. This battle lasted until around February 2nd, 1943. They battled for a good 6-7 months. The significance of this battle is that if the Germans were to have won, then they would've achieved their goal of getting living space. The Germans losing this battle might've been the reason why the Germans lost the whole war. -
Battle of Ortona
This battle began on December 20th, 1943 and ended seven days later with Canada capturing Ortona. Due to the congested streets, house to house combat was used. Mouse-holing was used as a strategy by the Canadians. This was putting holes in houses to be able move from one building to another. It was one of the toughest battles that was fought because of the condensed streets. The significance is that it was won by the allies and this ground had strategic benefits that came with it. -
D - Day
Using the lessons they learned from the Dieppe Raid, this battle was suppose to be a way to bring an end to the war. The plan was to invade Normandy from multiple areas. With help from the allies, this was successful. Since Germany was already weakened, this was a way to finish them off. The significance of this is that it basically brought an end to Germany in the war. -
V-E day
Victoria in Europe day is significant because it marked the day that Nazi Germany's armed forces surrendered. This was the official end of all the fighting in Europe. -
The Hiroshima bombings
On August 6th, 1945 an American B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The significance is that it was the world's first deployed atomic bomb. This was used in an attempt to make Japan surrender. -
The Nagasaki Bombings
Three days after a nuclear bomb hit the city of Hiroshima, a second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. The significance of this bomb is that it lead to the surrender of the Japanese. -
V-J day
V-J Day is significant because on September 2nd, 1945 it marked the official end of world war 2 with Japan's surrender.
