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This invasion by Nazi Germany which was followed shortly by the Soviet Union is considered the start of World War II in Europe. It demonstrated Germany’s use of Blitzkrieg (“lightening war”) tactics and led Britain and France to declare war on Germany. -
This was a large scale air campaign where the Royal Air Force (RAF) successfully defended Britain against German air attacks (Luftwaffe). It was a crucial turning point, as it was Hitlers first major defeat and prevented a planned German amphibious invasion of the UK. -
This surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy on the U.S naval base in Hawaii immediately brought the United States into World War II. It unified American public opinion in support of the war effort, turning a global conflict into a truly world war -
This decisive naval victory by the US Navy over the Japanese fleet is considered the turning point of the war in the Pacific. It permanently weakened the Japanese Imperial Navy, allowing the U.S. to take the strategic offensive for the rest of the war -
This brutal, protracted battle between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union resulted in a catastrophic German defeat. It is considered the turning point of the war on the Eastern Front, as it ended Germany’s eastward advance and put the Axis powers permanently on the defensive -
This was the Angelo-American invasion of French North Africa, marking the first large-scale joint operation between the U.S. and UK forces. It trapped axis forces in Tunisia, opened a second front, and provided a staging ground for the later invasion of Italy. -
The “Monuments Men” were a group of art experts and architects tasked with protecting cultural treasures and works of art from wartime damage and Nazi looting. Their work was vital for preserving Western civilization’s artistic heritage and returning stolen property. -
This massive clash on the Eastern Front involved the largest tank battle in history. The Soviet victory definitely shattered the German Army’s ability to launch major offensive operations on the Eastern front for the remainder of the war -
This was the largest seaborne invasion in history, launching the liberation of German- occupied Western Europe by the Allied forces. It successfully established a critical second front against Germany, forcing them to divide their military resources. -
This was Germany’s last major offensive on the Western Front, a desperate attempt to split the Allied forces. Though the Allies suffered heavy casualties, the eventual German defeat exhausted their reserves of manpower and material, hastening the end of the war in Europe -
This bloody Pacific battle was critical because securing the island provided the U.S. with airfields close enough to launch long- range bomber attacks directly on Japan’s main islands. The high casualties demonstrated the fanaticism of the Japanese defense -
President Franklin D. Roosevelt died shortly before the end of the war, leaving Vice President Harry S. Truman to take over the crucial final decisions of the conflict. His death marked the end of his leadership that guided the US through the Great Depression and most of WWII -
Hitler committed suicide in his bunker as Soviet forces closed in on Berlin, effectively marking the end of Nazi rule and leading to Germany’s unconditional surrender a week later. His death was a prerequisite for the end of the European War -
This was the last major battle of World War II and one of the bloodiest, taking place on a Japanese home island. The brutal resistance convinced many U.S. leaders that a full-scale invasion of the Japanese home island. The brutal resistance convinced many U.S. leaders that a full-scale invasion of the Japanese mainland would result in unacceptable casualties, influencing the decision to use the atomic bomb -
The U.S. dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on the city of Hiroshima, demonstrating a terrifying new level of destructive power. This unprecedented attack, followed by the second bombing, ultimately led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II -
The dropping of the second atomic bomb, “Fat Man,” just three days after Hiroshima, added immense pressure on the Japanese leadership. This second catastrophic event, combined with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, forced Emperor Hirohito to bypass his military and accept unconditional surrender