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Japanese Invasion of China
China was a divided country. In 1937, arguing emerged on the frontier between the Japanese and Chinese troops. The fighting created a huge conflict which caused the Second Sino-Japanese War. Although China was divided they fought side by side. Britain, France and the U.S had sent aid. China also received aid from Nazi Germany, until Hitler decided to make alliance with Japan in 1938. By the war’s end, an estimated 10 to 20 million Chinese civilians died. By 1940 the war descended into stalemate -
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World War II
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German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is also known as “The lighting war”. Blitzkrieg was the reason for most of Germany's military victories from 1939-1942. On September 1st 1939 Germany launched a Blitzkrieg attack across the German-Poland border. British and French both declared war on Germany. The British were shocked by these lighting moves. By June 8th, 1940 the British had fully withdraw from Norway, where the Germans had taken over. -
Fall of Paris
By May 1940, Europe had been at war for nine months. Four days into the invasion German troops broke through French lines. Allies tried to launch counterattack but they were failures. On June 5th the French resistance finally collapsed. Italy entered war on Germany's side on June 10th. Four days later the French capital fell. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941 hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked an American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Destroying nearly 20 American naval vessels and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 American soldiers and sailors died. Wounded around 1,000 others. The day after, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on Japan. Three days later , Japan's allies Germany and Italy also declared war on the United States. More than two years into the conflict, the United States joined World War II. -
Operation Gomorrah
On July 24th 1943, British bombers raided Hamburg, Germany, By night in Operation Gomorrah. More than 1,500German civilians were killed in that first raid. To make matters worse, the U.S Eight Air Force began a comprehensive bobing run of northern Germany. British attacks on Hamburg continued until November of that year. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Soviets liberated Auschwitz, the largest killing center and concentration camp in January 1945. Nazis forced the majority of the prisoners to march westward. Also know as the “death march” the following months, the soviets liberated additional camps in the Baltic states and Poland. U.S forces liberated Buchenwald on April 11th, 1945. More than 20,000 prisoners were liberated. British forces liberated concentration camps in northern Germany. 60,000 prisoners were released on April 1945. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
In the American invasion Iwo Jima sparked by the desire for a place where B-29 bombers could land without returning all the marinas. Iwo Jima was defeated by nearly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops. The invasion consisted of three marine divisions, and elaborate preparatory air and naval bombardment. The marines experienced initial success. The Japanese fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations. They were difficult to find and destroy. -
V-E Day
On May 8, 1945 Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe. Western Europe put out flags and banners celebrating the defeat of the Nazis. Germans surrendered to the Soviets. Soviets lost 600 more soldiers before the Germans surrendered. -
V-J Day
On August 14,1945 the announcement was made that Japan surrendered to its Allies. Consequently ending WWII. -
Battle of the Bulge
On December 16, 1945 , Adolf Hitler attempted to split Allied armies in northwestern Europe. His strategy for this was a surprise blitzkrieg. American units fought desperate battles. The Germans drove deep in the Ardennes in an attempt to secure vital bridgeheads. A crucial German shortage of fuel and the gallantry of American soldiers fighting proved a fatal to Hitler’s ambition to snatch. If not a victory, at least a draw with the Allies in the west. The inexperienced U.S. 106th Division was n
