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Hitler invaded Poland
On the 1st of September 1939 Hitler launched his invasion of Poland. This battle involved Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and Poland. This event is significant because it was the triggering of WW2. France and Britain declared war on Germany. Poland was taken very quickly as Germany made an Alliance with Russia to both invade Germany and split it in half. -
German ‘Blitzkrieg’ overwhelms Belgium, Holland and France
Date: May – June, 1940
Location: Belgium, Holland, France, Poland
Who was involved: the countries mentioned above and Germany
Germany’s ‘Blitzkrieg’ was very important because it is how they managed to overcome a significant part of Europe with their large amounts of different offensive power such as tanks, planes and artillery. In 1940 the Germans crash landed in Belgium and this forced Hitler to have a rethink. -
(continuation) German ‘Blitzkrieg’ overwhelms Belgium, Holland and France.
A hilly and heavily forested German-Belgian-French border since the Allies would very unlikely to suspect an attack. Also unlike what most people think, the Germans has less tanks than what the Allies had during this time (about 2500 to 3500). -
Evacuation from Dunkirk
Date: 27 May – 4 June, 1940
Location: Dunkirk, France to England
Who was involved: 198,000 British troops, 140,000 French and Belgian troops and many thousands of civilians of Dunkirk as well as the British Expeditionary Force and other allied forces
The evacuation of Dunkirk happened because many British, Belgian and French troops had been cut off and then surrounded by German troops while the six-week long battle of France had been going on. -
(continuation) Evacuation from Dunkirk
The evacuation was also a miracle according to Winston Churchill. However, not all the soldiers had been recued with about 40,000 French troops being left behind and 40,000 Britain troops in Dunkirk. Many of these leftover soldiers would be tortured and become prisoners of war. -
Battle of Britain
Date: 10 July – 31 October 1940
Location: Britain (more so the British airspace)
Who was involved: Britain (RAF squads), Germany (Luftwaffe), Canada and Italy (both to a lesser extent)
The Battle of Britain was foreshadowed by Winston Churchill in the House of Commons in 1940 when he said, “The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin…” -
(continuation) Battle of Britain
The Germans attacked because they wanted to place 160,000 soldiers along a 40-mile coastal stretch in South-East England. However, Hitler was afraid of what the RAF could do to his troops, so he his air force in an attempt to destroy Britain’s. He therefore postponed his intended invasion. Hitler tried to gain air superiority. He lost though and it was his first defeat of military forces. -
Operation Barbarossa
Date: 22 June – 5 December, 1941
Location: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R), or just Soviet Union
Who was involved: Germany and the Soviet Union
Two years prior to this event, Germany made a pact with the Soviet Union for tactical purposes. However, this did not stop them for their eventual ideological ambition to conquer the Soviet Union and repopulate it with Germans as well as using some Soviets for slaves. -
(continuation) Operation Barbarossa
They also wished to attain their oil reserves and agricultural land. The largest invasion force in the history of warfare invaded (about 3,000,000 in personnel) and also had approximately 600,000 motor mobiles and 700,000 horses used for non-combat reasons. About 5,000,000 Soviets were captured, many were tortured and killed. -
Japan attacks the Pearl Harbour, and then the US enters the war
Date: December 7, 1941
Location: Pearl Harbour, Oahu Island, Hawaii
Who was involved: United States, Japan
In the 1930s America had a foreign policy, supported by China, and since Japan hated China they naturally rebelled and therefore attacked the US. When Japan attacked the US at Pearl Harbour, they started WWII. They surprise attacked with 350 Japanese aircrafts which ended up damaging 18 US naval vessels as well as 8 battleships, 300 US aircrafts and 2,403 men were killed. -
(continuation) Japan attacks the Pearl Harbour, and then the US enters the war
Three days later, Japan’s allies declared war on the United States. -
Fall of Singapore
From the 7th of February 1942 – 15th of February 1942 Straights Settlements in Singapore was attacked by Japan. This event is considered Britain’s worst defeat of the war. Japan invaded the British occupation of Singapore and won resulting in a further take over of South East Asia by Japan. -
Attacks on Australia (Darwin and Sydney)
From the 19th of February 1942 – November 1943 Japan tried to further there takeover by attacking North and East Australia. These attacks by Japan on Australia happened 64 times at Darwin. This killed many and almost allowed Japan to take over Australia. -
Battle of Midway
From the 4th of June – 7th of June 1942 the United States were at war with Japan. This was the turning point of war in the Pacific. Japan has taken over all its enemies in the Pacific and Indian Ocean before America Joined the war. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbour this angered the Americans which allowed them to declare war on Japan and attack. -
Battle of Stalingrad
From the 23rd of August 1942 – 2nd February 1943 Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union. The Battle of Stalingrad was Germany's falling point. Hitler invaded Russia and almost took the key city of Stalingrad. The Russian defended it fiercely until Russia supplies were ready. When they were Hitler re-routed the 6th army to take Stalingrad by themselves and they were captured.
