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German Blitzkreig
German military tactic which employed surprise, speed, and superiority, to inflict psychological shock on the enemy. -
German Invasion of Poland
On September 1, 1939, 1.5 million German troops invaded Poland along the German-Polish border. Hitler wanted Germany to gain lebensraum or living space so that they can grow and colonize it. -
Battle of Britain
The successful defense of Britain against the German air raids from July to September of 1940. If the German Luftwaffe had succeeded in defeating the British air force it would have opened the door for a German land invasion of Britain. -
Fall of France
German Wehrmacht pushed allied forces back to Britain and broke the Weygand Line which was a defensive line to prevent Germany from breaking through to Paris. Eventually occupied all of France. -
Operation Barbaroosa
The German invasion of the Soviet Union. Hitler broke the non-aggression pact that was agreed upon between the USSR and Nazi Germany in 1939. -
Pearl Harbor
The surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Air Force on the US military base in Oahu, Hawaii. This gave the United States an incentive to enter WW2. -
Battle of Coral Sea
Engagement between the US and Japanese forces. A US fleet turned back a Japanese invasion force headed towards a strategic port that would lead to an invasion of Australia. -
Battle of Midway
Naval battle between US and Japanese forces. Battle fought mostly in the air. Ended in a US victory and the destruction of most of Japan's well-trained pilots as well as it's carrier power. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Successful defense of the city of Stalingrad by Soviet forces which stopped the German advance into Russia and marked a turning point in the war. -
Invasion of Italy
Initial invasion started in Sicily with British and American troops landing and taking the Island. Gave a foothold to launch other operations which would eventually lead to the fall of Italy. -
D-Day
Allied invasion of France along the coast of Normandy, led to the eventual liberation of France by the end of August of 1944 and the allies pushing into the German homeland. -
Battle of the Bulge
The final offensive of the German army on the western front, an unsuccessful attempt to push back allied advance into the German homeland. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Amphibious invasion of the Japanese occupied island of Iwo Jima. Ended in a costly victory for the US. Known as the bloodiest battle in the history of the Marine Core. -
Battle of Okinawa
Amphibious invasion of the island of Okinawa. Vital victory for US forces in the pacific. Enabled the US to launch an invasion on the Japanese home islands. Bloodiest battle on the Pacific front with over 12,000 Americans and over 100,000 Japanese dead. -
Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The detonation of 2 atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Completely destroyed both cities and was the first time an atomic weapon had been used on a city. Led to the surrender of the Empire of Japan and the end of WW2.