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Rape of Nanking (1937)
The Nanjing Massacre (Also known as the rape of Nanking
) is where Japanese forces brutally murdered thousands of Chinese soldiers and Civilians, and sexually assaulted thousands of women and girls as well in Nanjing China. The outcome left Nanjing in ruins, having an estimated death toll of 200,000- 300,000 people. https://www.history.com/topics/asian-history/nanjing-massacre -
Japanese invasion of China (1937)
The Sino-Japanese War began in 1937 when China resisted the expansion of Japanese influence in their territory, the war was declared on December 9th, 1941, and was divided into 3 phases, a period of brisk Japanese advances in late 1938, a period of standstills until 1944 and the last period, which is when allied powers sent counter attacks in the pacific and on Japan’s home islands, which led to Japan surrendering. https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Sino-Japanese-War -
German Blitzkrieg (1939-1940)
Blitzkrieg (Lightning War) was Germany’s plan to have a rapid way to defeat their opponents for the first phase of WW2. Blitzkrieg used weaponry like tanks, planes, and artillery to remain victorious in upcoming wars. Blitzkrieg was successful against Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Yugoslavia and Greece.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/how-neutral-norway-fell-to-the-german-blitzkrieg-in-1940 -
Fall of Paris (1940)
The battle of France (fall of Paris) happened in September 1939, where Britain and France declared war on Germany. It's referred to as the “Phoney War” because this war was very tame despite being raged at sea. In 1940, Norway fell to blitzkrieg and Germany launched their offensive against Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg (low countries) and France. They overtook the Allied defense in 6 weeks. https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-battle-of-france -
Operation Barbarossa (1941)
Operation Barbarossa was a code name for the Germans in World War 2. It was used for their invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. The soviet forces defeated the German troops, which caused a significant turning point in the war.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa -
Battle of the Bulge (1945)
The Battle of Bulge (Ardennes Offensive) happened from December 16th, 1944 to January 16th, 1945. It was Germany’s last major attempt to push the Allies back from German territory. The name refers to a wedge (bulge) that the Germans drove between Allied lines.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge -
Pearl Harbor (1941)
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack from the Japanese on December 7th, 1941. 2 waves of Japanese aircraft Attacked the naval base. The Japanese forces disturbed U.S. naval vessels and U.S. aircraft on the island’s airfield. 2,403 Americans (68 civilians included) died in the attack. President Franklin D Roosevelt declared war on Japan, which also made Japan’s allies (Germany and Italy) declare war on the U.S.
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Wannsee Conference (1942)
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of Nazi officials in the Berlin suburbs of Wannsee on January 20th, 1942. They discussed a “final solution” to the Jewish population. On July 31st, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring gave orders to the nazi paramilitary corps and secret police to prepare a plan to eradicate the Jews. https://www.britannica.com/event/Wannsee-Conference -
Bataan Death March (1942)
The Bataan Death March happened in April 1942 in the Philippines when 76,000 prisoners of war (66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 Americans) were forced by the Japanese military to fight in World War 2. On April 9th, they forced prisoners to march for 5-10 days to San Fernando, ride in cramped, dirty boxcars to Capas, & walk 7 more miles to Camp O’Donnell, where prisoners died due to starvation, diseases, being shot, beaten and beheaded.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Bataan-Death-March -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion - 1944)
On June 6, 1944, More than 150,000 Allied troops of Land, air, and sea forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France in plans of invasion. They pushed back Axis forces until Germany was forced to surrender less than a year later. The Normandy invasion resulted in over 6,000 lives lost. It’s referred to as “D-Day” due to the amphibious operation using the term “departed date”. D-Day put allies on a decisive path towards victory.
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Battle of the Bulge (1945)
The Battle of Bulge (Ardennes Offensive) happened from December 16th, 1944 to January 16th, 1945. It was Germany’s last major attempt to push the Allies back from German territory. The name refers to a wedge (bulge) that the Germans drove between Allied lines. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge -
Liberation of concentration camps (1945)
In 1944-1945, Allied troops moved across Europe against nazi Germany & They found concentration camps, mass graves, and other inhumane nazi crimes. Starting with soviet forces that liberated Auschwitz’s concentration camps, Next, American forces liberated concentration camps such as Buchenwald, Dora-Mittelbau, Flossenbürg, Dachau, & Mauthausen, & British forces liberated concentration camps in northern Germany
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/liberation-of-nazi-camps -
VE Day (1945)
Beginning on May 8th, 1945, Britain and the U.S. celebrated Victory in Europe (V.E) Day. The day reflects on rejoicing over the day nazi Germany accepted defeat during WW2.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
VJ Day (1945)
On August 14th, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender to the Allies, effectively ending WW2. Since then, August 14th- 15th has been known as Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. Many V.J. Day celebrations have been put to a halt due to being offensive towards Japan, Japanese Americans, and those who suffered from the disasters of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day -
The dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)
on August 6th, 1945 due to Japan's unwillingness to surrender unconditionally, an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over Hiroshima. The explosion killed about 80,000 people,& many died later due to radiation exposure. 3 days later, another B-29 bomber dropped a bomb on Nagasaki, Killing about 40,000 people. Hirohito (Japan’s emperor) announced via radio the country’s surrender in WW2. This event is cited as the most gruesome and cruel bombing in history.