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Rape of Nanking
Japanese fighters had killing contests, hunted down Chinese fighters, and killed families and raped over 10,000 women. Japanese looted and burned buildings in the city. -
Germany Invades Poland
The German-Soviet Pact of August 1939, which stated that Poland was to be partitioned between the two powers, enabled Germany to attack Poland without the fear of Soviet intervention. -
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German Blitzkrieg
Employing a military strategy known as the blitzkrieg, or “lightning war,” armored divisions smashed through enemy lines and isolated segments of the enemy, which were encircled and captured by motorized German infantry while the panzer tanks rushed forward to repeat the pattern. -
Fall of Paris
German air raids on Belgium and Holland followed by parachute drops and attacks by ground force. Major attack on Paris starts, France surrenders June 22nd and Paris was taken. -
Attack On Pearl Harbor
Japan sends hundreds of fighter planes early in the morning to attack Pearl Harbor in Hawaii because the U.S. has slowed the sale of oil to Japan. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. -
Battle of the Bulge
In December 1944, Adolph Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe by means of a surprise blitzkrieg thrust through the Ardennes to Antwerp. Caught off-guard, American units fought desperate battles to stem the German advance at St.-Vith, Elsenborn Ridge, Houffalize and Bastogne. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, who fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting, -
Battle Of Okinawa
Allied forces invaded the small island of Okinawa and engaged the Japanese in the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War -
Victory In Europe
Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine. -
Dropping of Atomic Bombs
United States drops atomic bomb on Japanese City of Hiroshima, Ending World War II -
Victory over Japan Day
Day Japan unconditionally surrenders to bring the end of WW2, also known as V-J Day and sometime celebrated on Setpember 2, when Japans formal surrender happened on board U.S.S Missouri.
