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German Blitzkrieg
It was a German war strategy, the name meaning "Lightning War", it was supposed to keep the war and battles short. It called for concentrated force used in a quick offensive surprise attack. It shocked the enemy and allowed for a bit of chaos, which helped the organized offensive front deal damage. encyclopedia.ushmm.org -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the USSR all marched on Poland. The Polish army was far smaller than their enemies' and stood little chance against the surprise invasion and quickly lost. Tens of thousands of Polish soldiers were wounded or killed and an estimated 400,000 were taken prisoner. www.britannica.com -
Fall of Paris
German troops invaded France in the Battle of France. They went through Belgium which the French had no strong defenses against and arrived at Paris. The Germans bombed the capital and the troops led a successful assault that led to the fall of Paris. France signed an armistice with Germany which also took control of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. www.history.com -
Battle of Britain
Great Britain being an island nation, air force was the main method used during this battle. German planes bombed English cities and towns, specifically London, over and over. Britain's radar systems, plus their superior aviation training, allowed their RAF to successfully defend against Germany and prevent their country falling to them. www.britannica.com -
Operation Barbarossa
It was the German(with other Axis armies) invasion of the Soviet Union. It resulted in a massive amount of casualties on both sides and ended up failing Germany. The planning of it was flawed with no good long-term plan, and it also occurred in winter, Russia's harshest season, which was a big mistake. www.nationalww2museum.org -
Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor happened when Japanese air force aircraft bombed the US naval base in Hawaii. Many American ships and planes were damaged or destroyed in the surprise attack. There were two waves, the first being the most destructive, the US only being able to get 6 aircraft in the air for defense. Both were very damaging to the US Pacific fleet. www.history.navy.mil -
Bataan Death March
After surrendering to the Japanese after a battle on the Philippine islands, American and Filipino soldiers were marched to a prison camp. Thousands of them died in this forced procession and the rest faced starvation, disease, and basically no medical care. The trek was 85 miles, made in 6 days, and the prisoners were only given one meal throughout this. www.history.com -
Battle of the Coral Sea
This battle was enacted to stop Japan from capturing Port Moresby. The American navy, with help from Australia and Allies, effectively stopped the invasion and damaged many Japanese ships and planes. This was the first air-naval battle with the actual sea-ships never firing at each other, instead, the aircraft from the carriers were launched and did the fighting. www.nationalww2museum.org -
Battle of Midway
For Japan to continue its expansion, it needed Midway, a small atoll with a runway where the limited planes could be launched. Of course, the US wanted to stop this so they went into an air-sea battle over the island. Ultimately, America was victorious and the Japanese lost 4 of their important aircraft carriers. This was the turning point where Japan realized it wouldn't be able to be the strongest Pacific naval power. www.nationalww2museum.org -
Battle of Stalingrad
Stalingrad was a Russian industrial city and the target of Nazi forces. This battle was one of the longest and most cost-heavy, especially when it came to civilian casualties. After months of fighting in the long and brutal Russian winter, the Soviet troops won. It proved that the USSR, a large and powerful nation, would not be taken by Germany. www.history.com -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The first large uprising on German-occupied land happened in Warsaw. It was the largest Jewish ghetto, and the Nazis started deporting many of its prisoners to other camps, but people soon realized the camps they were being sent to were death camps. Resistance members started to build bunkers, and when they started fighting the Germans out of the camp, they retreated to those. They held out for almost a month before the Nazis razed and destroyed the ghetto. encyclopedia.ushmm.org -
D-Day
The Allies brought together naval, air, and ground forces to launch the largest invasion in history onto the beaches of Normandy. The weather, plus German heavy defense, proved taking them difficult. But many casualties later, the Allies took Normandy and were able to sweep through France and liberate Paris from Nazi control. www.history.com -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans attempted a surprise attack on the Allies in order to gain some of their lost land back. It occurred in the middle of winter, with both sides facing frostbite, pneumonia, and inconsistent weapons due to the freezing temperatures. In the end, the Germans suffered huge losses and the Allies won. www.britannica.com -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Imperial Japanese Army held the island of Iwo Jima, but the US had to take it in order to continue its path to mainland Japan. The navy and marine corps landed on the island and quickly realized the Japanese were basically inside the land in tunnels and boxes. The US soldiers used flamethrowers once they were able to get to the tunnels, and killed almost all of their enemies. www.nationalww2museum.org -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
The first atomic bombs ever used to kill were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, and tens of thousands died, not even including the radiation-caused deaths later. The US did this instead of simply invading the island nation, which they believed would cause even more casualties on both sides. But it did accomplish its goal of convincing Japan to unconditionally surrender, ending World War II. www.history.com