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Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact
This was a pact signed between Germany and the Soviet Union. This was a 2 part pact. The part that they shared with everybody is that they agreed not to attack each other for at least 10 years. In secret, they agreed to divide Eastern Europe amongst themselves. -
Germany's invasion of Poland
Germany invaded Poland so they could regain territory and ultimately expand to the east. Germany started with using bombing to demolish railroads and communication lines. Polish forces were severely unprepared for this. Germany had more advanced technology and strategies. Germany ended up overcoming Poland's forces and taking over.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland -
Fall of Paris
They defeated France in a short 6 weeks. The French suffered massive casualties. Germany won this battle between the 2. This allowed them to further occupy France. -
Battle of Britain
Hitler decided to start bombing Britain because they would not surrender. Hitler knew he needed to be able to defeat Britain by establishing air supremacy. Britain showed them that they were not willing to just give in and would fight to the end.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/timeline-important-dates-ww2-exact/ -
German Blitzkrieg
This is the name given to the German air attacks on Britain. They bombed London and many other parts of Britain. This made Germany realize they should start bombing Britain cities instead of RAF fields.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/timeline-important-dates-ww2-exact/ -
Operation Barbarossa
This was when Hitler was planning his attack on Russia. Despite warnings that were given, Stalin was still surprised by this attack. The Germans had a great victory against the Soviet Union. Hitler was the main contributor to this battle, and pretty much saved Germany when he took leadership in this battle.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/timeline-important-dates-ww2-exact/ -
Pearl Harbor
USA, Britain, and others all ordered the freezing of Japanese assets. Many Japanese believed that there was no other option but war. The Japanese made plans to launch a serious attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite the warnings, the Americans were surprised. The following day the USA declared war on Japan -
Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway was when Japan attacked and damaged the US base at Midway. This was a battle fought in the air and on water. It ended in a USA victory and proved to be a turning point in the war.
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/battle-of-midway -
Battle of Stalingrad
This was when the Soviet Union defeated Germany. It was one of the most decisive battles. These countries were battling for control of Stalingrad. Overall this put the Axis Powers on defense. -
D-Day
D-day was when the Nazis occupied Europe through the beaches of France. The Allies occupied the beaches of Normandy and attacked the Nazis. It was the largest naval, air, and land invasion. A year after the invasion Germany surrendered.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-48513108 -
Battle of the Bulge
This was the last German offensive on the western front. This was an unsuccessful attempt to divide the Allied powers. The Germans were originally able to drive through some land but were eventually halted. The Germans ended up withdrawing in January of 1945 after both sides suffered major casualties.
https://www.britannica.com/summary/Battle-of-the-Bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima
This was the first major battle to take place on Japanese soil. This island was significant because the USA needed a place for fighter jets and bombers to land and take off during the attack. The Americans won this battle after tons of casualties on both sides.
https://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_ii/battle_of_iwo_jima.php -
VE Day
VE stands for victory in Europe. VE day marks the day when german armed forces surrendered. WW2 had finally come to an end.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/brief-guide-ve-day-victory-europe-ww2/ -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
The dropping of these bombs was so significant because we hit major military cities. We first bombed Hiroshima then hit Nagasaki. Although this was a very hard decision for the US government, they decided it was the only option. They hit these cities because they didn't have as many civilians and more so military and factory-based cities.
https://www.atomicheritage.org/history/hiroshima-and-nagasaki-bombing-timeline -
VJ Day
VJ Day was the day that Japan unconditionally surrendered. This marked the end of WW2. This also stands for victory over Japan. After a long time of fighting, WW2 was finally over. After all of the casualties and battles, it was finally over. https://www.historynet.com/v-j-day-1945-the-world-rejoices/