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German Blitzkrieg
The German Blitzkrieg was a tactic used in the opening offensives of the war- a tactic made to make sure the stalemates of the first war didn't happen again. The tactic involved using high-speed mechanized infantry along with tanks, planes and paratroops behind enemy lines to create as much confusion as possible in the enemy ranks. This strategy led to the capitulation early in the war of France, Belgium, Poland, and the Netherlands
Source: WW2 Prelude and Opening Offensives (notes) -
Fall of Paris (https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-France-World-War-II/The-fall-of-France-June-5-25-1940)
On June 14, 1940 soon after the war started, Paris fell, and was occupied by the Germans. The Blitzkrieg and superior planning of the Germans had defeated the French, forcing a mostly full retreat with the Germans at their heels, making sure they could not make a front line with which they could defend. The constant losses and demoralization of French troops had taken it's toll, and so Paris fell to the Germans, soon to be the rest of France. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan bombed pearl harbor. The Empire wanted to pre-emptively weaken the American Pacific Navy, before they would inevitably assault Japan. It was also intended to scare America away from a war, but it led to the exact opposite. On the next day, the President asked congress to declare war against Japan. The vote was almost completely unanimous, and thus the war in the pacific started. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the German planned offensive of the Soviet Union which ultimately failed, which completely turned the war around on the Germans. The Germans initially gained ground, but as the war progressed, and the Russian winter came early, and the Soviet Union mass produced troops to counter the German Offensive, the Germans were eventually pushed back by the sheer amount of Russian numbers, especially in tanks. https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was the meeting of Nazi officials to discuss the "Final Solution" for Jews in Europe. After several ideas, the plans were to move them east and force them to work in concentration camps, generally until death. Later on, the gas chambers would be installed in the camps, to quickly and efficiently dispose of what the Nazis considered to not even be human. This genocide of Jews is known as the Holocaust. https://www.britannica.com/event/Wannsee-Conference -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a clash between Japanese and American Naval Forces for the island of Midway. The battle itself spanned a large area around the island itself, with the US outnumbered. But, the US's code breakers decrypted most of the Japanese radio calls, leading to America having an advantage in intel. After constant fighting, the United States proved to be the victor, destroying a large amount of the Japanese navy. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad took place in and around the city. When the Germans began to assault the city, the Russians held their ground, losing little compared to German Casualties. When the Germans eventually made it into the city itself, there were roughly 250 000 Germans inside. This was a mistake, however, as the Russians quickly launched a counteroffensive to encircle the Germans, which worked. Those in Stalingrad were killed or captured. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (https://www.britannica.com/event/Warsaw-Ghetto-Uprising)
The Warsaw uprising was a Polish response to the mass deportations of Jews to concentration camps. They originally hid from the Germans, but eventually came out to fight. On Hitler's birthday, Heinrich Himmler launched a special operation to clear the ghetto. He was met by gunfire from some 1500 Poles, who, even with only improvised weaponry, managed to push the Germans back and even destroy tanks. The fighting lasted for a month until the Germans decided to completely raze the city. -
D-Day
The D-Day invasions were an allied attack on the beaches of Normandy in France to create a foothold to drive back the Germans. The landings, although successful, resulted in some 4400 allied casualties, the highest count of the war in a day. The beaches were secured within the week of landing, and 100 000 tons of supplies were moved on shore to make sure the troops had supplies to fight, at this point, Germany at it's peak. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
During the end of the war, when the allies got to the heart of Germany, they began to find and liberate concentration camps built by the Germans, and saw for themselves the atrocities committed. This became one of the main points of the Nuremburg trials which would take place after the war. Many of the survivors were bone thin and sickly, and most of the camps were burnt down to prevent an epidemic from starting.
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/liberation-of-nazi-camps -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a US Island Hopping offensive on the island. The island had been well-fortified by the Japanese, which was unexpected by the Americans, leading to a bloody conflict. The Japanese had tunnelled under the ground and into the hills, setting up underground positions and artillery positions that were almost impossible to destroy. The US eventually took the island, to the casualty of 6800 marines. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Iwo-Jima -
VE Day
On May 8th, 1945, the European front drew to a close, the Fuhrer was dead, and Germany had been defeated after years of war. This day took place one day after Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allies, leading to the dissolution of the German state, and several puppet states coming into it's place. Every nation under Germany's control was set free, and Poland gained Silesia and Prussia under the treaty. (Notes: Stalingrad) -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
On August 6th 1945, the United states dropped an atomic bomb on Japan in order to force Japan into surrendering. when they didn't, they dropped a second one on August 9th, which led to the Japanese surrendering the next day. After the complete destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese really had no choice. This would lead into a new kind of warfare, Nuclear Warfare, to be developed further and pursued throughout the 20th century. (notes: Strategy against Japan) -
VJ Day
One day after Japan signed a peace treaty to the Allies, it was declared Victory over Japan day. Japan was willing to sign the treaty only if Emperor Hirohito could stay in power, which after much debate the Allies agreed upon. After the war, Japanese war criminals would be tried in a war tribunal to send them to prison, or to execute them for their crimes, if severe enough. The Japanese were treated harsher than the Germans in their trials in Nuremburg. (notes: Japan before the Bombs) -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was an unsuccessful attack on the western front of the war by the Germans, attempting to make a breakthrough in the allied lines in Belgium. It was a mechanized assault by the Germans in the Ardennes forest, a suprise attack to disrupt allied operations in the west. The attack failed, and was to be the last German offensive on the western front. The Germans were now to be on the defensive. https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge
