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soviet troops make a opening in the german siege of leningrad, which lasted for about a half a year http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviet-forces-penetrate-the-siege-of-leningrad
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With the death of German President Paul von Hindenburg, Chancellor Adolf Hitler becomes absolute dictator of Germany. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-becomes-fuhrer
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1.5 million German troops invade Poland, simultaneously, the German Luftwaffe bombed Polish airfields, and German warships and U-boats attacked Polish naval forces in the Baltic Sea. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland
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The 16th anniversary of Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch, a bomb goes off right after Hitler finished giving a speech. Hitler walked away unharmed by the blast.
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Germany, strategically signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin with Italy, and Japan to become allies creating the powerful Axis powers. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history
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The last of the Allies evacuate after 11 days of battling a successful German parachute invasion of the island of Crete. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-conquer-crete
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Japanese dive bomber appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-harbor-bombed
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The British garrison in Hong Kong surrenders to the Japanese, on christmas day. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-surrender-hong-kong
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President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill issue a declaration, signed by representatives of 26 countries, called the “United Nations.” The signatories of the declaration vowed to create an international postwar peacekeeping organization. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/united-nations-created
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Congress pushes ahead standard time for the United States by one hour in each time zone, imposing daylight saving time–called at the time “war time.”
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General Erwin Rommel turns his assault on the British-Allied garrison at Tobruk, Libya, into victory, as his panzer division occupies the North African port. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allies-surrender-at-tobruk-libya
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Dwight Eisenhower announces the surrender of Italy to the Allies. Germany reacted with Operation Axis, the German plan to forcibly disarm the Italian armed forces.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italian-surrender-is-announced -
On this day in 1943, Benito Mussolini, deposed dictator of Italy, fashions a new fascist republic–by the leave of his new German masters–which he “rules” from his headquarters in northern Italy. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mussolini-re-establishes-a-fascist-regime-in-northern-italy
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Operation Catchpole is launched as American troops devastate the Japanese defenders of Eniwetok and take control of the atoll in the northwestern part of the Marshall Islands. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-troops-land-on-eniwetok-atoll
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The allied powers landed on the beaches of Normandy, France be crossing the english channel. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/d-day
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Count Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer carries a bomb into Hitler's main office in Berchtesgaden, with the intention of killing Adolf Hitler. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-is-paid-a-visit-by-his-would-be-assassin
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Adolf Hitler takes to the airwaves to announce that the attempt on his life has failed and that “accounts will be settled.” He announces that he is not dead and is very much alive. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-to-germany-im-still-alive
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Celebrated by Great Britain and the US, Victory in Europe, cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, celebrating the defeat of the Nazi war machine. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/v-e-day-is-celebrated-in-america-and-britain
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The Soviet Union officially declares war on Japan, pouring more than 1 million Soviet soldiers into Japanese-occupied Manchuria, northeastern China, to take on the 700,000-strong Japanese army. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-declare-war-on-japan-invade-manchuria
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The Japanese navy and air force were destroyed. The Allied naval blockade of Japan and intensive bombing of Japanese cities had left the country and its economy devastated. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-surrenders
