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Japanese invasion of China
What happened: Japan launched an attack of China and Japan didn't go up against a lot of resistance. Shanghai fell, whic h is China's most important port, later Nanking fell.
Why it happened: The Japanese said they were fired on by Chinese troops, they used this as an excuse to launch an attack.
Effects/impacts: It turned a small incident into a full out war. China also lost its major port and many people were murdered.
Facts: The two powers clashed on the Marco Polo bridge in Beijing.
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Rape of Nanking
What happened: Japanese army marched into Nanking and murdered thousands of people. Women were sexually assaulted, people were slaughtered, and Nanking was left in ruins.
Why it happened: It was caused by the constant fight for power between Japan and China.
Effects/impact: Nanking was left in ruins and it would take decades for them to recover.
Facts: Known as the forgotten Holocaust
http://www.history.com/topics/nanjing-massacre
Facts: Known as the worst WWII atrocity. -
Germany's invasion of Poland
What happened: German troops invade Poland along its bprder wth Germany. Polish naval forces were attacked by U-boats and Polish airfields were bombed.
Why it happened:Hitler wanted living space for the the Germans as he tried to achieve a racially superior nation.
Effects/impacts: Britain and France declared war on Germany after the invasion. It also lead to the mass killing of millions of Jews
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-his
Facts: Polish army was defeated within weeks of the invasion. -
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German Blitzkrieg
What happened: First tried out in Poland and then later used in other invastions. They use military tactics in order to avoid unessecary deaths of German soldiers and to avoid wasting artillery.
Why it happened: To create disorganization among enemy forces and prevent deadlock in fighting.
Effects/impact: It became a new war tactic that allowed Germany to crush other nations.
Facts: It was known as Lighting war.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg -
Operation Barbarossa
What happened:Nazi Germany's invasion on the Soviet Union. Germany drove forces into the Soviet Union, but was met with counter attacks. This lead to a battle, the weather was on the side of the Soviets with rain and winter threatening Germany's advance. Germany ended up having to face a war on two fronts that they couldn't win.
Why it happened:
Effects/impact: Turning point in WWII, it made Germany have to fight on two fronts.
Facts: The three army groups had over 3 million German soldiers. -
Pearl Harbor
What happened: Military strike on United States Naval base by Japanese Navy. Hundreds of planes striked the naval base, It lasted nearly 2 hours and thousands were killed and injured.
Why it happened: Japan and the U.S. had been in conflict for a while with each other.
Effects/impacts: Lead to the U.S declaring war.
Facts: Tis attack was the first time that american was united in the belief to go to war.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
Wannsee Conference
What happened: Nazi officials had a meeting to plan the final solution. A plan devised to get rid of the Jewish race.
Why it happened: Hitler's plan for a superior race caused this.
Effects/impacts: Millions and millions of Jews were put in concentration camps and killed.
Facts: The conference was kept in detailed records which was later used as evidence in Nurembourg trials.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-wannsee-conference -
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Battle of Midway
What happened: Japan planned an ambush against the U.S. The U.S was able to prepare for the ambush because of an advance in code breaking skills.
Why it happened: Japan wanted to do even more damge to the U.S fleet even after Pearl Harbor.
Effects/impact: The win for the U.S allowed them and their allies to become offensive.
Facts: Mny people see the Battle of Midway as a turning point in Pacific area of war.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
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Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
What happened: The people that were confined to a Ghetto in Warsaw planned an armed revolt.
Why it happened: After Germany invaded Poland Jews were put in an area in the city that was guarded by barbed wire and guards. People died from starvation and disease. They lived there until they were ordered to be transfered to an extermination camp.
Effects/imapct: It inspired revolts in other extermination camps.
Facts: Some of the Ghetto survivors had an underground self defense system. www.history. -
Operation Gomorrah
What happened: Americans bomb Hamburg, Germany by day and British bombers raid them by night.
Why it happened: Britian suffered the deaths of hundreds of civilians after German bombing raids.
Effects/impact: It was wrecked German morale, it also made Hitler speak of nothing but the end of war.
Facts: British only lost 12 aircraft with the new device called "Window"
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/operation-gomorrah-is-launched -
Allied Invasion of Italy
What happened: The Allies moved against Italy and drove German and Italian troops from Sicily and prepared to assualt Italian mainland.
Why it happened: They hoped an Allied invastion would remove the fascist regime from the war.
Effects/impact: Successfully drove German and Italian troops from Sicily.
Facts: It took 38 days of fighting to be successful
www.history.com/this-day-in-history -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
What happened: 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along Normandy.
Why it happened: To result in the liberation of Western Europe from Germany's control.
Effects/impact: By late August 1944, northern France was liberated and later the Allies defeated Germany.
Facts:The invastion was one of the largest military assaults in history.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
Battle of the Bulge
What happened: The Germans used lighting warfare throughout Europe. Americans were caught off guard and fought desperated batles to try to stop the German advancement.
Why it happened: Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in Europe.
Effects/impact: Lead to the neutralization of the German counteroffensive.
Facts: It got its name because the Allied line took the appearance of a large bulge.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Operation Thunderclap
What happened: Air raids using the Allies' strategic air forces. Waves of bombs were dropped on Germany.
Why it happened: Designed to deliver the final blows to german morale.
Effects/impacts: Many were killed and cities of the Reich were destroyed.
Facts: It is said atleat 100.000 people were killed.
http://ww2orc.tripod.com/id15.htm -
Battle of Iwo Jima
What happened: U.S marines divisions landed on the island and were met by the Japanese army and navy troops. After a month of fighting the marines finally wiped out the defending forces.
Why it happened: America needed a base near the Japanese coast.
Effects/impact: This battle brought about Japan's new defense tactics.
Facts: American losses include 5,900 dead and 17,400 wounded.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima# -
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Battle of Okinawa
What happened: Allied forces invade the island of Okinawa and engage the Japanese in the worst battle of the Pacific War.
Why it happened: Vital air bases were at stake to the invasion of Japan.
Effects/impact: It caused casualties of 100,000 and also a huge loss for the Japanese army.
Facts: The commanding generals on both sides died in the course of the battle.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa -
VE Day
What happened: Both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day because German troops finally laid down their arms.
Why it happened: The Germans finally surrendered and their were stopped by Russia and taken captive.
Effects/impact: Nazi Germany was finally defeated and Germany signed surrender documents.
Facts: VE day is not celebrated in Moscow until the 9th.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/victory-in-europe -
Postdam Declaration
What happened: On the day after the bombing of Nagasaki Japan submits to the Postdam conference terms of unconditional surrender.
Why it happened: Hirohito finally felt compelled to do more, and implored the terms of the conference.
Effects/impact: Tokyo released a message to accept the declaration, and President Truman decided to stop atomic bombing.
Facts: While Japan accepted the Postdam Declaration they continued to fight with the Soviet Union in Manchuria.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in -
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Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
What happened: An american bomber dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing thousands. Three days later a bomb is dropped on Nagasaki killing thousands more.
Why it happened: Truman thought invading Japan would cause too many casualties.
Effects/impacts: This marked the end of WWII.
Facts:Some historians believe that this sparked the cold war.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima -
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VJ Day
What happened:Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, ending World War II.
Why it happened: The Allies scored a victory over Japan
Effects/impact: The victory finally brought the war to a close.
Facts: Victory over Japan Day is also celebrated on September 2nd because that is when the surrender took place aboard the U.S.S.Missouri.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/v-j-day
