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The Holocaust
Also known as Shoah. It was a genocide which killed 6 million jews by the Nazi regime. Jews were targeted and murder in the largest genocide in the 20th century. It wasnt all jews, it also included gypsies, poles, communists, homosexuals, Soviet POW's and the mentally and physically disabled. In total 11 million people were killed. Including one million jewish children alone. They created laws in Germany to exclude jews form civil society. -
Japan invades China
It was the largest Asian war in the 20th century. By the end of 1937 Japan capture the chinese capitol of Nanking. The chinese central government was relocated to chongaing in the Chinese interior. They were unable to defeat the Chinese communist forces in Shaanx. After the attack on Pearl Habor. The US began to aid china via airlift materals over the Himalayas. -
Munich Conference
It was settlement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslavakia along the country's borders mainly inhabited by German speakers. The conference was held in Munich Germany.The purpose of the conference ws to discuss the furture of the stodetenland in the face of ethnic demands made by Hitler. It was signed by Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy. Today the document is referred to as the Munich Pact. -
Operation Barbarossa
It was a code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during WW2. It was the largest invasion in the history of warfare. The operation was named after Frederick Barbarossa, the medieval Holy Roman Emperor. The operation's faliure led to Hitler's demands to furrther operations inside the USSR. Which also eventually failed. Operation Barbarossa was the largest military operation in world history both manpower and casualities. -
Non-Aggression Pact
It was a national treaty between 2 or more states/countries agreeing to avoid war or armed conflict between them and resolve thier desputes through peaceful negotiations. It was used during the 1920's and 1930's. It fallen out of use after WW2. -
Germany invades Poland
Known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War. This marked the begining of WW2 in Europe. Germany with some help of the Soviet Union and a small Slovak contingent invaded Poland. The invasion was a primer on how Hitler intended to wage war what was known as "blitzkrieg" strategy. They were bombing early on to destroy the enemy's air capacity, railroads, communication line and muitions. -
Lend-Lease Act
Formally titled "An Act of Futher Promote the Defense of the US". It was a program which the US supplied Great Britian, Free France, the Republic of China and later the USSR and other Allied nations military supplies. A total of 50 billion dollars worth of supplies were shipped. The us did not charge aid supply under this legislation. The Lend-Lease Act would help the British and Allied forces whith future battles. This program also eneded the US's pretense of neutrality. -
Pearl Harbor
It was a lagoon habor on the island of Oahu Hawaii. It was also the headquarters of the US Pacific fleet. The attack was a suprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The attack was suppose to keep the US Pacific fleet from interfering with military actions Empire of Japan was planing in Southeast Asia. This attack led the US to declare war on Japan. Which brought us into the WW2 both in the Pacific and European theaters. -
Wannsee Conference
It was a meeting of senior officals of Nazi Germany. It was held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee. The purpose of the meeting was to ensure cooperation of administrative leaders of various government department in the implementation of the solution to the jewish question. Which meant to the jews were either going to be deported to Poland or murdered. The meeting was orignially going to be held on December 9 but was changed to January 20. -
Bataan Death March
It was the transferring by the Imperial Japanese Army of 60,000-80,000 filipino and American prisoners after the Battle of Bataan. About a total of 2500-10,000 filipino and 100-650 Americans prisoners died before they could reach Camp O' Donnell. During the march the prisoners were beaten. They were starved as they marched. Some of the prisoners who fell were beheaded by Japanese officers. It was later judged by on Allied military commisson to be a Japanese war crime. -
Battle of Midway
One of the most important naval battles of WW2. John Keegan military historian called it "the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare". It was Japan's first naval defeat since the battle of Shimonoski straits in 1863. Japan hoped that another defeat would force the US to capitulate in the Pacific War. To ensure Japanese dominace in the Pacific. Their plan was to lure the US aircraft carries into a trap. -
Battle of Britain
Known as "Luftschlacht um England" (Air battle for England). It was the major battle to be fought entirely by airforces. The German objectives was gaining air superiority over the Royal Air Force. During July coastal shipping convoys and shipping centres were the main targets. s the war progress they were targeting aircraft factories and ground infrasturcture. The Luftwaffe resorted back to attacking areas of political significance and using terror bomning strategy. -
Battle of Stalingrad
A major battle in WW2. Nazi Germany and thier allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad. It was the bloodiest battles in history of warfare. It was a turning point in the European theatre of WW2. The attack was supported by intensive Lufftwaffe. The 6th Army was surrounded in the Stalingrad area. The remaining people of the 6th Army surrendered. -
Blitzkrieg
Meaning "lighting war". It was describing a method of warfare where by attacking force spread headed by aderise concentration of armoured and motorized or mechanized infntry formations. It attmepts to unbalance the enemy by making it difficult for them to respond effectively. -
D-Day
On this day 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy to fight Nazi Germany. By the end of that invasion the Allies gain a foot holdin continental Europe. The invasion was the largest amphibious military assults in history. The invasion required a lot of extensive planning. Its been called the begining of the end of war in Europe. -
Battle of the Bulge
The battle was a major German offensive campaign. It launched through the densely in Belgium, France and Luxem bargon the western front. The battle was known by many names. Germans called it "Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein". Hitlers plan was to recapture the important harbor of Antwerp. This attack took America offguard. 610,000 American forces were involed in the battle. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the US in WW2. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Also known as Operation Detachment. It was a major battle where the US ArmedForces fought and capture the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Empire. This was only battle by the US Marine of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the war in the Pacific of WW2. Feburary 23, 1943 the "Rising the Flag on Iwo Jima" photo was tacken. It took 5 Marines and 1 US Navy corpsman raising the US flag on top of Mount Suribachi. -
Battle of Okinawa
It was fought on the Ryuku islands of Okinawa. It was the largeszt amphibious assault in the Pacific War of WW2. The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English. It was referred to as "tetsu no ame" (rain of steel) in Japanese. The plan for the Us was to use Okinawa as a base for air operations on the planned invasion of japanese mainland. 42,000-150,000 civilians were killed or committed suicide. -
V-E Day
Known as Victory in Europe Day. More than millions of people celebrated VE Day. It marked the end of the European part of the war. This day was also celebrated on President Truman's 61st birthday. He deciated the victory to the memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Hitler commited suicide so his sucessor surrenederd. The act of military was signed on May 8 in Berlin Germany. -
The Bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki
An American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. 90% of the city was wiped out by the explosion. It immediatly killed 80,000 people and 10,000 people died later from raditation exposure. Three days later another B-29 dropped the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. It killed and estimate about 40,000. Japan's emperor Hirohito anouced to his country that they were surrendering. He surrender beacuse of the devasting damage the atomic bomb did to the 2 cities. -
V-J Day
Also known as Victory in the Pacific Day. A dy which Japan surrendered in effect on ending WW2. On September 2, 1945 the signing of the surrender documnet happended on that day. It offically end WW2. The signing happended on August 15 in Japan as well. On September 2 a formal surrender ceremony was performed in Tokyo Bay Japan. -
Warsaw Pact
It was a collective defense treaty amoung eight communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. It was the military complement to the Council for Mutual Economics Assistance. It was primarly motivated by Soviet desires to control the military forces in Central and Eastern Europe. The eiht member of the Warsaw Pact pledge the mutual defense of any member who would be attacked.