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Period: to
WW2
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Japanese invasion of Chine (sino-japanese war)
The fighting began in 1937 and eventually lead to a full out war between China and Japan. Japan managed to capture much of China's important areas and killed many civilians during the time period. However, China did receive aid from the allies, and Hitler for about a year until Hitler made an alliance with Japan in 1938, leaving China with aid only from the allies.
(source: http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war ) -
German Blitzkrieg
The German Blitzkrieg is known in English as the "Lightning War" It was a tactic used by the German military to catch the enemies off guard and gain the Germans more time to save civilian lives along with saving artillery. The first blitzkrieg was a test in Poland during September of 1939, from there it was used for invasions of other countries such as Belgium and France. (source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg ) -
Fall of Paris
On June 14th,1940, German troops invaded France, specifically Paris. They had imposed a curfew and those unlucky enough to have to stay in Paris were subject to arrest, interrogation, and spying while over 2 million people had already fled the city and into the aid of the Canadian troops in the west.
(source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-enter-paris ) -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was a turning point in the war that helped decide its outcome. It was the plan to invade Russia using the strongest army hitler had at his disposal but it proved not to be enough. Months of effort and many battles later they made it to Moscow but the cold and the soviet forces drove the german troops back in retreat marking it as a failure, and forcing Germany to brace both sides of it's country against attacks.
(source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation- -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was an American naval base in Hawaii that was bombed for two hours, killing over 2,000 people, wounding over 1,000 and destroying twenty american naval vessels. Pearl Harbor was a reaction from the Japanese to America limiting their way of expansion by setting more limits on trade and the economy. As a result Roosevelt declared war on Japan, two years later the United States was officially part of World War Two. (source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor) -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of 15 high ranking members of the German government and Nazi officials in order to discuss the final solution. The meeting was held in Wannsee which was a suburb of Berlin and was meant to discuss the Final Solution. The Final Solution is defined as the "systematic, deliberate, physical annihilation of European Jews." and was authorised by Hitler in 1941. (source: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005477 ) -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
After the initial fight on january 18, they began digging tunnels and bunkers underground preparing for a full uprising which happened when the deportations resumed on april 19th. The uprising lasted a month despite the systematic destruction of the militaristic defenses the jews had set up in the ghetto.
(source: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005188 ) -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
The D-Day invasion is also called the battle of Normandy and is described as "the beginning of the end of war in Europe." On june 6th, 1944 ~156,000 British, American, and Canadian forces set up a plan to attack 50 miles of French coastline along 5 beaches near the Normandy region of France. This invasion led to all of Northern France being liberated come August of 1944. Come spring, the Germans had all been defeated by the allies. (source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day ) -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the last major offensive battle fought by the Germans. The battle lead to many deaths and wounded soldiers. Along with Amerian soldiers being forced to question the identity of the other soldiers due to english speaking germans posing as U.S. Troops.
(source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-the-bulge ) -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The liberation of Jewish concentration camps was begun by Soviet soldiers on the 27th of january, 1945. It began in the Majdanek camp in Poland and spread from there across Germany releasing the Jewish captives from the concentration camps. The people that were released didn't know how to react to their new freedom but they embraced it.
(source: http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007724 ) -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The battle of Iwo Jima was ongoing for an entire month. It began with the need for a U,S. base on the Japanese coast, the island was defended by the Japanese troops from a series of caves and tunnels but were ultimately defeated at the end of the month. This victory gave Ameria a base on the japanese coast where damaged bombers could land safely, and a base for escort fighter planes.
(source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima ) -
VE Day
VE Day is known as Victory in Europe Day and is celebrated by most of the allied countries. It is a holiday celebrated with banners and flags to commemorate that surrender of German troops across Europe. Most of the surrenders were caused by the German want of avoiding the Soviets although it was in vain and many were captured nonetheless. Thanks to the Soviets, German troops surrendered and resulted in a cease-fire.
(source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe ) -
Dropping of the atomic bombs
The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the markers that the war was over. Although many say that it is what started the cold war. America's development of the atomic bombs was meant to be used on Germany, but by the time the bomb was tested Germany had been defeated. America decided the best course of action would be to use it on Japan which resulted in japans surrender.
(source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima ) -
Potsdam Declaration
The Potsdam Declaration was the document defining the terms of the japanese surrender. The surrender came only after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Emperor of Japan finally decided to accept the United State's terms of unonditional surrender. There was much conflict between the officials present to discuss whether the terms would be accepted but they finally agreed.
(source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-accepts-potsdam-terms-agrees-to-unconditional-surrender ) -
VJ Day
August 15th has become known as Victory in Japan day and marks the day the japanese surrendered and thus ended world war 2. Truman announced that Japan had agreed to the terms of surrender and that the war was finally over. This sparked much celebration among the people of the united states.
(source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/15/newsid_3581000/3581971.stm )
