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Rape of Nanking
href='http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat2/sub5/item1873.html' >Rape of Nanking</a>
The Japanese invaded China and butchered 300,000 Chinese military and civilians. On December 13, 1938 they entered the city of Nanking and raped thousands of girls and women. They beheaded hundreds of people and killed hundreds by other means. The slaughter lasted six weeks and many of the the city's homes, businesses, and churches were burned. -
Period: to
WW ll
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German Blitzkrieg
href='http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg' >Blitzkrieg</a>
The German Blitzkrieg was a military tactic to quickly go in with heavy military force and take over a city. They used this tactic in Poland in 1939 and in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France in 1940. It was very successful in taking over these lands. -
Operation Barbarossa
href='http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/world-war-two-and-eastern-europe/operation-barbarossa/' >Operation Barbarossa</a>
In what was largest military attack in WWll, Operation Barbarossa was the name given to the German invasion of Russia. In total 3 million soldiers were invovled. Had it not been for the winter weather the Germans probably would have taken over Russia. -
Pearl Harbor
href='http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/pearl.htm' >Pearl Harbor</a>At 6 am on December 7, 1941, 183 Japanese planes take off from carriers on there way to attack the US Pacific Fleet at Perl Harbor in Oaha, Hawaii. At 7:15 am, another 167 planes take off heading to Pearl Harbor. At 7:53 am, the first wave hits targeting airfields and battleships. The attack was a complete surprise. The second wave hits targeting ships and shipyards. The air raid ended at 9:45 am with 5 battleships sunk and 188 aircraft destroyed. This propelled the US into the war. -
Wannsee Conference
href='http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477' >Wannsee Conference and the "Final Solution"</a>
15 high ranking Nazi and German officials met in the city of Wannsee to discus the elimination of Jews in Europe. This was called the "Final Solution". They discussed using able-bodied Jews to help build roads and a systematic plan to kill all Jews. The goal was a plan to eliminate the Jewish race. -
Bataan Death March
href='http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march' >Bataan Death March</a>
After the surrender of the Philippines, American and Filipino soldiers were forced to march 65 miles to San Fernando in groups of 100. Thousands died as they were starved, beaten, and stabbed. Those that did survive were sent to prison camps where thousands more died. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
href='http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/warsaw-ghetto-uprising-begins' >Warsaw Ghetto Uprising</a>
The Germans forced Jews to live in a "ghetto" in Warsaw surrounded by barbwire and guards. They were taken away in groups and exterminated. On this day fighters ambushed the German soldiers which started the uprising. It lasted for several days but German troops eventually came in and destroyed buildings and killed thousands of the citizens. The few that survived were sent to camps. -
D-Day
href='http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day' >D-Day</a>
50,000 Allied troops landed on 5 beaches along France's Normandy region. The Allies used deception to surprise the Germans on the attack. This led to the liberation of France. This has been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe. -
Battle of the Bulge
href='http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge' >Battle of the Bulge.</a>
Adolph Hitler made a surprise attack in an attempt to split the Allied armies. It was the deadliest battle of the war. Inexperienced troops dug in near the River Meusse. The troops lined up in what looked like a bulge. Even though the troops were massacred they were able to hold off until reinforcements could arrive and turned back the Germans, -
Battle of Iwo Jima
href='http://www.nationalww2museum.org/focus-on/iwo-jima-fact-sheet.pdf' >Battle of Iwo Jima</a>
After months of air attacks, US Marines invaded Iwo Jima. It was one of the bloodiest battles in US Marine history with 7000 US marines killed and nearly 18,000 Japanese. The Allies took over Iwo Jima which proved pivotal as a landing sight and needed to secure the war in the Pacific. -
VE Day
href='http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe' >VE Day</a>
VE or Victory in Europe Day is the day that the Germans officially gave up. People all over Europe celebrate in the streets and the defeat of the Nazi's. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
href='http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005131' >Liberation of Nazi Camps</a>The Russians were the first to liberate concentration camps. The first was Majdanek near Lublin, Poland. Most of the camp was destroted as the Nazis tried to hide the mass murders. The largest camp, Auschwitz, was liberated in January, 1945. Relatively few survivors wer found as the Nazis tried to destroy evidence of the mass murders. Liberation continued throughout Europe with similar results. Many of those that did survive died from disease and malnutrition. -
Potsdam Declaration
href='http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/Hiroshima/Potsdam.shtml' >Potsdam Declaration</a>
The Potsdam Declaration were terms for Japan to surrender. They were demanded to accept of face "utter destruction". The atomic bombs were dropped proving the point and Japan agreed to the terms following the bombings. -
Dropping of atomic bomb
href='http://www.ushistory.org/us/51g.asp' >Dropping the Atomic Bomb</a>
Harry Truman made the difficult decision to drap the atomic bomb after Japan refused to surrender. Thousands of innocent lives were lost. On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima insantly vaporizing 70,000 citizens. 3 days later a bomb was dropped on Nagasaki killing 80,000 people. This led to the Japanese surrender 5 days later. -
VJ Day
href='http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day' >VJ Day</a>
VJ or Victory over Japan Day marked the unconditional surrender of Japan and ended the war several months after the Nazi surrender.
