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"Blitzkrieg" or "Lightning War" was Germany's strategy to avoid long-term war. It wanted to defeat its opponents as quickly as possible. It overran much of Europe and was successful for two years. It successfully used this tactic against Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Yugoslavia, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum "Blitzkrieg(Lightning War)" https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/blitzkrieg-lightning-war
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On June 22, 1941, Germany launched an invasion of the Soviet Union, codenamed Operation Barbarossa. After the defeat of most of Western Europe, Hitler turned to accomplish his next goal. Which would be expanding into the Eastern Front. To do this he had to defeat the Soviet Union and its territories. Hitler predicted a quick victory but the campaign failed due to the harsh winter and strategic blunders.
Operation Barbarossa:(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa) -
Pearl Harbor is a U.S. Naval Base that was the victim of a surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base and destroyed 20 American naval vessels including eight battleships, and over 300 planes. Over 2,400 Americans died during the attack and another 1,000 were injured. The day after Congress declared war on Japan.
History.com
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor) -
On January 1942, 15 high-ranking Nazi and German government officials gathered at a villa in the suburb of Wannsee to discuss and coordinate the implementation of the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question." The goals of the conference included informing and gaining support from government ministries and other agencies relevant to the implementation of the "Final Solution". No one objected. (https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/wannsee-conference-and-the-final-solution) -
In the Bataan Death March, 75,000 Filipino and American troops were forced to make a 65,000-mile march to prison camps. After the U.S. surrender the Japanese took control of the area and the prisoners of war were subjected to brutal treatment by Japanese soldiers. 17,000 men perished during and after the Bataan Death March.
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march) -
The Battle of Midway was fought between the U.S. and Imperial Japanese Navy. The U.S. Navy's victory and its successful defense of the major base at Midway Island crushed Japan's hopes of neutralizing the United States as a naval power and turned the tide of the war in favor of the Allies. The reason the U.S. won was because of the Navy Codebreakers. They knew weeks ahead of time that the Japanese were planning an attack at Midway.
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The Battle of Stalingrad is known for being one of the largest, longest, and bloodiest battles in modern warfare. From August 1942 to February 1943, more than 2 million troops fought and nearly two million people were killed or injured. But in the end, it helped turn the tide in favor of the Allied Forces.
History.com
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad) -
The Warsaw Ghetto uprising began after German troops entered the ghetto to transport the surviving residents. Jewish people inside the ghetto resisted these efforts. This was one of the largest revolts against German occupation in Europe. Unfortunately, by May 16, 1943, the Germans crushed their efforts and sent the remaining Jews to concentration camps and killing centers. 35,000 Jews died during this operation.(https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/warsaw-ghetto-uprising)
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D-Day brought together land, air, and sea forces of the Allied forces in what became known as the largest invasion force in history. The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied countries. Fighting by the brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen led to the defeat of German Nazi Forces. (https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/world-war-ii-d-day-invasion-normandy) -
As the Allied and Soviet troops moved across Europe against Nazi Germany in 1944 and 1945, they found concentration camps, mass graves, and other sites of Nazi crimes. The horrible conditions of the camps revealed that the rumors weren't just rumors. Many of the survivors of the camps resembled skeletons due to forced labor and lack of food.
Holocaust Encyclopedia
(https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/liberation-of-nazi-camps) -
The Battle of the Bulge was Hilter's last major offensive in World War II against the Western Front. For six brutal weeks, the war took place in frigid weather conditions and 85 miles of densely wooded forest. It proved to be the costliest ever fought by the US Army, which suffered 100,000 casualties. The German troops were not successful in their goal to divide the Allies and paved the way for them to win.
History.com
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge) -
The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest battles in World War II. The fighting lasted for five weeks on the Island of Iwo Jima. The Japanese finally surrendered 4 years after the war was over in 1949.
History.com
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima) -
VE-Day or Victory in Europe Day celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of World War II in Europe. Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies including the United States. Also on VE-Day, President Harry S. Truman cautioned that the Allies must "work to finish the war" by defeating the Japanese in the Pacific. -
On August 6th and 9th, the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They were the world's first deployed atomic bombs. The two bombs together killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people. On August 15th, Japan's Emporer Hirohito announced his country's unconditional surrender in World War II.
History.com
(https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki) -
On August 14, 1945, it was announced that Japan had officially surrendered unconditionally to the Allies. This marked the official end of World War II for America. The celebration of VJ-Day has fallen out of favor with the general public because it is offensive and insensitive to Japan.