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Germany Invades Poland
On September 1, Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, launched an invasion of Poland using a military tactic called Blitzkrieg ("lightning war"). This involved swift attacks with tanks, aircraft, and infantry, overwhelming Polish defenses. Britain and France, honoring their alliance with Poland, declared war on Germany on September 3, officially starting World War II. -
Fall of France & Battle of Britian
Germany quickly defeated France through a combination of rapid mechanized assaults and a bypassing of the heavily fortified Maginot Line. France surrendered in June, leading to German occupation. Meanwhile, the Battle of Britain commenced in July, with Germany’s Luftwaffe attempting to gain air superiority over Britain. However, Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) successfully defended against the German attacks, forcing Hitler to abandon plans for invasion. -
Pearl Harbor Attack
Germany launched Operation Barbarossa on June 22, invading the Soviet Union with a massive force of over three million troops. Despite early victories, the harsh winter and Soviet resistance halted Germany’s advance. Later that year, on December 7, Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, destroying battleships and killing thousands. This led to the United States officially entering the war against both Japan and Germany. -
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Battle of Midway
Fought between June 4–7, the Battle of Midway was a turning point in the Pacific War. The U.S., having cracked Japan’s military codes, anticipated the attack and launched a counter-offensive, sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers while losing only one. This severely weakened Japan’s naval power and gave the U.S. the strategic advantage in the Pacific. -
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The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad lasted from August 1942 to February 1943. The Soviet Union, defending the city at all costs, fought German forces in brutal street-to-street combat. The turning point came when the Soviet Red Army encircled the German Sixth Army, cutting off supplies and forcing them to surrender. This marked a major defeat for Hitler and shifted momentum in favor of the Allies. -
D-Day
The Allies launched Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious invasion in history, landing troops on the beaches of Normandy, France. Despite fierce German resistance, the invasion was successful, allowing the Allies to push into German-occupied France. This was a crucial step toward the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
As Allied forces advanced through Nazi-controlled territory, they liberated concentration camps such as Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Dachau. These camps housed victims of Nazi atrocities, including Jews, political prisoners, and other persecuted groups. The horrific conditions revealed the full extent of the Holocaust, where millions of innocent people had been murdered. -
VE Day
After months of battles in Germany, Hitler committed suicide in his bunker on April 30. With Soviet troops capturing Berlin and the Allies closing in from the west, Germany surrendered unconditionally on May 8, marking the end of the war in Europe. This day is celebrated as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. -
Atomic Bombs Dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki
The U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, instantly killing tens of thousands and causing widespread destruction. Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Japan, realizing continued resistance was futile, began negotiations for surrender. -
Japan Surrenders
Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. This marked the end of World War II. The war had left much of Europe and Asia devastated, leading to post-war reconstruction efforts, the rise of the Cold War, and the formation of institutions like the United Nations to prevent future global conflicts.