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- German troops invaded Poland, triggering WWII
- Poland was accused of persecuting ethnic Germans and of planning to encircle and dismember Germany.
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- A remarkable German assault on north-west Europe that resulted in the capture of France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium.
- The fall of France gave the Germans dominance I Continental Europe.
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- Over 300 000 British and French soldiers were rescued.
- Between 30 000 and 40 000 were left behind and captured by the Germans.
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- Intense bombing campaign by Nazi Germany against the United Kingdom.
- 40 000 civilians died in the seven-month period
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- The Japanese launched a surprise attack against the US military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
- Over 360 planes attacked and caught the base completely off guard
- 3 500 men killed or wounded, 21 ships sunk or damaged, and 300 aircraft destroyed or damaged.
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- 80 000 troops captured by the Japanese were forced to endure a 60 mile march where they were beaten and murdered.
- Between 5 500 and 10 500 men died in the March (mostly Filipino)
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- US bombers led by James Doolittle pulled off a bombing of the Japanese mainland
- America proved that Japan was vulnerable to an attack.
- Revenge for Pearl Harbor.
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- The Japanese pushed towards Hawaii targeting the Midway Islands.
- American forces won a decisive victory by taking out 4 Japanese carriers, 1 battleship, 250 planes, and 3 057 men
- Turning Point in War
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- First major land offensive by Allied forces against Japan.
- Seven major naval battles, numerous clashes ashore, and continuous air combat.
- The Allies outnumbered the Japanese in the Solomon Islands, which had been occupied by the Japanese since May.
- This campaign marked the Allies' transition from defensive operations to offensive.
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- Bloodiest and fiercest battle of the entirety of WWII
- First of Hitler's field armies to have surrendered
- It was a victory for the Soviet Union
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- The invasion of Sicily in July 1943 led to the collapse of the Fascist Italian regime and the fall of Mussolini who was incarcerated on July 25th 1943.
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- The Allies launched a massive invasion into France across the English Channel
- The Offensive is known as Operation Overlord and depended on 6 000 ships to land 132 000 troops on the beaches of Normandy
- Supporting these troops were 10 000 planes who bombed Germany ad dropped paratroopers.
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- Failed to achieve its objectives
- The failure of Operation Market Garden was largely the result of the poor leadership and tactics of General Montgomery.
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- End of the Japanese Navy as a WWII power.
- Japanese lost numerous battleships, carriers, and planes. Their navy could no longer stand up to the US
- Ended on October 26, 1944
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- The US suffered over 80 000 casualties and the Germans suffered more than 100 000 casualties
- It was a Victory for the Allies
- Last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front.
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- Major battle in which the USMC and USN landed on and eventually captured the island Iwo Jima.
- Some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the Pacific War.
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- Okinawa became the site of the most brutal fighting of the war in the Pacific.
- Japanese defended the island to death ( generals committed suicide by sword)
- American losses were heavy and the US knew that taking mainland in Japan would be difficult.
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- Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies, including the United States.
- Celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of WWII in Europe
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- First bomb: 6 August 1945
- Second bomb: 9 August 1945
- The bombings killed between 150 000 and 246 000 people ( mostly civilians )
- The US wanted to force a quick surrender by the Japanese
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- As the US prepared to drop additional atomic bombs, Japan agreed to surrender.
- Japanese officials delivered their surrender to General MacArthur aboard the Missouri.
- WWII finally ended