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Japanese Invasion of China
Japanese expansion in East Asia continued in 1937 with a brutal attack on China to expand their territory because of their new Imperialist society. Impact was Japan, Germany, and Italy signed the Tripartite Pact forming the Axis military alignment.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
Rape of Nanking
The Rape of Nanking was one of the worst massacres in modern times. Japanese troops captured the city of Nanking in China and would proceed to kill and rape countless people. This was able to happen because the Chinese troops were no match for Japan’s troops. Japan wanted to increase its influence and saw China as the perfect opportunity. This event showed what Japan’s intentions were to the rest of the world.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Germany started World War II by invading Poland. Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on September 3. Within a month, Poland was defeated by a combination of German and Soviet forces and was partitioned between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005137 -
Germany's Blitzkrieg
A new form of warfare (lightening war) using new technologies to advance quickly in war. This type of warfare was not new to the German army, but was more effective due to new technology of tanks and dive-bombers. This happened based on Germany’s army doctrine, “Command and Combat with Combined Arms”. Impact was that Germany was able to outfight the Allies at every turn in 1940, and cause the rapid and total collapse of Allied resistance.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
Operation Barbarossa
Hitler invaded Russia. This led to the fall of Sebastopol at the end of October, and Moscow coming under attack at the end of the year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack on the United States Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Prior to the attack, the US imposed economic sanctions on Japan causing severe shortages of oil and other natural resources on Japan. Japan wanted to displace the US as the dominant Pacific Power. Impact was the United States declared war on Japan.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
Wannsee Conference
High ranking Nazi Party and German government officials gathered in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee to discuss and coordinate the implementation of what they called the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question”. This conference led to the mass killing of Jewish People. The estimated impact eradication of 11 million Jews.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005137 -
Bataan Death March
This march was an arduous march made by 75,000 Filipino and American Troops. These people were forced to go to a Japanese prison camp, while facing harsh treatment during the march.
The Filipino and American Troops got into this situation because they were defending Manila, but were forced to surrender after 3 months of being pinned on the Bataan Peninsula. After the defeat, America had revenge in its eyes and in 1944 invaded the island of Leyte.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of Midway
Japanese planned a surprise attack on Midway. The US was able to find out about the Japanese Surprise attack and defeat the Japanese because of advances in code breaking. The impact was huge losses for the Japanese. The impact was the Japanese abandoned their plan to expand into the Pacific and remained on the defense for the rest of WWII, causing the tide of the war to shift. The US was energized.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a brutal fight between Germany and Axis forces against Russian forces. A previous attack by the Germans targeted Moscow and this led Stalin and his generals to expect another attack on Moscow. However this did not happen and Hitler targeted Stalingrad. If Hitler could take Stalingrad it would weaken the Russian fight and serve great propaganda. With Russia winning this fight the tides turned into the Allies favor.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Warsaw Ghetto
Residents of the Jewish ghetto in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Poland staged the revolt to prevent deportation to Nazi-run extermination camps. Impact was the suspension of deportations from Warsaw for the next few months.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Operation Gomorrah
British bombers raid Hamburg, Germany by night while Americans bomb it by day in its own “Blitz Week”. It was 8 days of bombing on Gomorrah and involved 6 major raids. It happened because of the decision taken by the War Cabinet and the Air Staff to destroy all of Germany’s cities with populations over 100,000. Impact was mass destruction and fear and panic filled other cities.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155 -
Operational Thunderclap
Plans were drawn for an operation code named Thunderclap. The plan was a massive attack on Berlin that would cause 220,000 casualties, 110,000 killed and would shatter German morale. Impact was it was never carried out.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
D-day was a battle along France’s Normandy beaches. This invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. The reason for the invasion was that allied forces needed to regain a front on mainland Europe. With the allies winning this invasion it allowed for the beginning of the end of war in Europe. The allied forces gained momentum and were able to gain back control of Europe.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of the Bulge
Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe through a surprise blitzkrieg thrust through the Ardennes to Antwerp. Allied line took on the appearance of a large bulge, giving rise to the battle’s name. This led to the neutralization of the German counteroffensive. Impact was this was the costliest action every fought by the U.S. Army with over 100,000 casualties.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of Iwo Jima
An intense military campaign between the U.S. and Japanese. This happened because the island would be a good point to start the attack on the mainland of Japan. There were 3 airfields that would allow Americans to have a staging facility allowing them to invade Japan. Impact was the Americans won and it allowed them to start their attack on mainland Japan and would lead them to take over islands such as Okinawa.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
Battle of Okinawa
The last major battle of WWII and was one of the bloodiest. It involved the navy’s fifth fleet and more than 180,000 US Army and Marine Corps. Okinawa was an isolated island and the final island to conquer before reaching Japan. This battle was won by the Americans giving them an advantage to win the fight in the Pacific. The win allowed Americans to get close enough to be a real threat to Japan.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
VE Day
The day of the formal end of Hitler’s war. It happened because a German delegation, including 2 high ranking German delegates, went to the headquarters of a British Officer and stated that German forces had surrendered in Northern Germany, Denmark and Netherlands. As a result, the final document of surrender was signed on May 7th and victory was celebrated on May 8th.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
Two atomic bombs were dropped in Japan. One was uranium based and the other was plutonium based. The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and the second on Nagasaki. This happened because Japan would not surrender and agree to the Potsdam Declaration. After the bombs, Japan surrendered and WWII ended.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii -
VJ Day
VJ Day was the day it was announced that the Japanese had surrendered unconditionally to the allies. This surrender was the end of WWII. This happened because the US had dropped 2 atomic bombs on the Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When the Japanese surrendered they had finally accepted the terms of the Pots Dam Declaration.
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005155
