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Japanese Invasion of China
Japan invaded China to get more raw materials for their growing industry. In 1937 Japan controlled a portion of Southern China in close proximity to them. The Japanese brutally abused and committed war crimes against the Chinese population. In 1939, Japan and the Soviet Union were at war in Manchuria for four months, and Japan was defeated. -
German Blitzkrieg
Germany successfully used their Blitzkrieg tactic from 1939 to 1941. They were able to take over most of Europe by using tanks, planes, and guns to quickly get through their enemies. Once they were through they were able to roam freely and prevent them from using forces to fight back. This would shock them and catch them off guard. Germany was then able to conquer their enemies. -
Fall of Paris
Nazi Germany invaded France, and a month later, Paris fell to them. France signed a truce with Germany eight days later, but the they still fought and resisted Nazi rule. After years of fighting, on August 25, 1944, France was liberated from German rule. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese were trying to take out and destroy the US fleet. They attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, bombing their ships and killing soldiers. In just the first five minutes they hit four battleships. After the first attack, they came back and attacked again, killing more people and sinking more ships. -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee conference on January 20, 1942, was a meeting between Nazi officials. They planned to come up with the "final solution" to the "Jewish Question". This conference was the turning point for how Jews were treated by Nazis. The Nazis came up with their plan to move all the Jews into labor groups in the East. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway lasted from June 4 to the 7 in 1942. It took place on and island between the U.S. and Asia. Six months prior to this battle, Japan destroyed the U.S. in a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. They had not lost a naval battle in over 50 years, but with the intelligence of the American military, the U.S. was able plan a surprise attack on Japan, at the island Midway. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
The invasion of Italy started on July 10, 1943. The allies landed on the island of Sicily, and won. Mussolini's government collapsed in Rome, and their new leader joined the allies. Mussolini was arrested and forced resign on July 25. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
On June 6, 1944, American, Canadian, and British forces landed along a 50-mile radius. They went along beaches around the coast of Normandy. This invasion was complex and required lots of planning. By August 1944, all of northern France was liberated. By the next spring the Germans were defeated. This was called the beginning of the end of the war. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the the Bulge lasted from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945. It was also called the Battle of the Ardennes, and it took place during very cold weather. The allies formed a "bulge" in their line, which gave the battle its name. There were over 100,000 casualties in the U.S. army. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The allies were moving throughout Europe, finding tens of thousands of prisoners suffering from starvation and disease. The Soviet Union liberated the largest and deadliest concentration camp, Auschwitz. The U.S. and Britain also liberated several camps. The survivors that were liberated had a very long road to recovery. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima lasted from February 19 to March 26, 1945. Iwo Jima is an island 750 miles away from the shore of Japan. The island served as a staging facility for the U.S. to potentially invade Japan. This battle was one of the bloodiest in World War II. -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa started on April 1, 1945 and ended on June 22, 1945. This battle was the last major battle of World War II. It was the last push towards Japan, and was very complex. They invaded the Ryukyu Islands, and ended in an allied victory. -
VE Day
VE Day stands for Victory in Europe Day. Everyone celebrated the end of the war in Europe. There were two separate surrender signings, and after a long war everyone was ecstatic. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The first bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. It killed 80,000 people immediately, and thousands more died later. This bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. The second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later. It killed around 40,000 people. After the bombs were dropped, Japan surrendered on August 15. -
VJ Day
VJ Day stands for Victory over Japan Day. This marked the end of World War II, and the allies had won over Japan. The two bombs the U.S. dropped led Emperor Hirohito to announce surrender. This meant the war was officially over.
