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July 7, 1937 a battle occurred near Peiping in North China between Chinese and Japanese troops. This full scale war between the Japanese and China erupted because of this event. This also caused Japanese forces to invade China. This event happened because one night a small Japanese force demanded entry to the town of Wanping in order to search for one of their lost soldiers. The Chinese said no, a shot was heard and the two sides began firing at one another.
Source: WWII in the Pacific -
German Blitzkrieg, which stands for "lightning war" was a military strategy that would use quick and destructive military attacks on an enemy. The Germans would use this strategy because it was very effective and it was good for keeping the enemy off balance. The effect of this strategy was that it allowed Germany to be victorious in battles and quickly dominate Europe.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
September 1939 the invasion of Poland was a military offensive by the Germans that were invading Poland. The cause of this was Germany wanted to regain lost territory. Also because Germany wanted more power. This event caused Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany marking the beginning of World War II. Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
The invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany and some of its allies was known as Operation Barbarossa. The cause of this event was Hitler wanted Germany to expand eastwards and he wanted to end Stalin's regime. He also wanted establish Nazi rule. The effect of this event was significant because Barbarossa had failed for the Germans. It also caused them to fight a two-front war and was a crucial turning point in this war.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor, a base in Hawaii, was bombed by Japan. The event occurred when the Japanese intended the attack to be a preventive action to keep the United States from interfering with Japanese planned military actions. This event made the United States declare war on Japan.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
A meeting of Nazi officials that took place in Berlin to discuss the Final Solution of the Jewish which is known as The Wannsee Conference. This event occurred because officials needed to discuss what was going to happen to the Jewish population. The Wannsee Conference caused millions of Jewish people to be transported to killing centers in Poland.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
The Bataan Death March was an event by the Imperial Japanese Army that made 60,000- 80,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war march 66 miles from the southern end of the Bataan Peninsula to San Fernando. This occurred because the American and Filipino troops were forced to make the 66 mile march to prison camps. This caused many die on the march and many die in the camps after the march was completed.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
In the Battle of Stalingrad Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in Russia. This happened because Stalingrad was believed to be an important city in Germany's effort to take control of the southern part of Russia. This event led to Germany suffering a heavy loss and was in full retreat. Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
A major naval battle in the Pacific between the United States and the Imperial Japanese is known as The Battle of Midway. This occurred when Japan hoped to defeat the U.S. Pacific Fleet and use Midway as a military base to attack Pearl Harbor. This battle allowed the United States to gain a victory and it was a turning point in the war.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
Beginning on July 24,1943 lasting for 8 days and 7 nights The Battle of Hamburg, which was codenamed operation Gomorrah, was a series of air raids by the British air force on Germany. The British bombed Hamburg because it was a very strategic target and it housed a lot of energy and industrial resources. This event caused 280,000 buildings to be destroyed (including industrial and munitions plants) and 30,000 people to be killed.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
The Allied amphibious landing on Italy's mainland on September 3, 1943 is known as The Allied Invasion of Italy. This event occurred because Allied leaders decided to use their military resources and objectively remove Italy from World War II. This invasion allowed the Allied success and it gave the Allies complete control of the western Mediterranean.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
In 1944 a plan called operation Thunderclap proposed the idea to bomb Berlin. This plan was formed to be able to take out railroads and other vital targets in Berlin. The plan was never put to action therefore having no effect.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
The D-Day invasion, also called the Normandy landings, were landing operations of the Allied forces that marked the beginning of the liberation of German occupied Western Europe from Nazi control. This happened because the allies needed to liberate Western Europe and push the Germans back. This forced the Germans to fight a two front war and it also caused the Germans to be surrounded on all sides.
Source: Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
The last major German offensive on the Western Front that would be an unsuccessful attempt in pushing the Allies back from German territory was known as The Battle of the Bulge. This occurred because Germany's goal was to push back the Allies and split the Allied lines. This caused the Germans suffering a terrible loss and they were unable to push back the allies. This then caused them to surrender only four months after.
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A major battle in which the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy landed and took over the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army is known as The Battle of Iwo Jima. This battle occurred when Iwo Jima was in a strategic location that could be used as an airbase for planes to take off and land when attacking Japan. The Battle of Iwo Jima caused the island to be taken over by the United States.
Source: Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
A major battle fought between the United States Army and Marine Corps against the Imperial Japanese Army on the island of Okinawa is known as The Battle of Okinawa. This event occurred when the United States wanted to destroy Japan's merchant fleet and gain territory that could be used as airstrips to allow U.S. planes to make it to Japan's home land. This allowed the United States took over Okinawa.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
VE Day, Victory in Europe Day, was the day the Allies formally accepted Germany's unconditional surrender. This marked the end of World War II in Europe. Germany surrendered because Berlin fell to the Soviets. Another reason is Hitler committed suicide in his command bunker that was getting surrounded by the Soviets. The effect of this was that the war in Europe came to an end.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
The Potsdam Declaration was an ultimatum issued by Great Britain, China and the United States calling for the unconditional surrender of Japan. This occurred because the United States, China and Great Britain wanted the end of the war and they also wanted Japan to surrender. The effect of this event was that it caused Japan to publicly reject the Potsdam Declaration and they would not agree to it until August 10, 1945.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
On August 6 and 9, 1945 the United States detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This event occurred because they were made to believe Japan surrendered and it was a better choice than an invasion of Japan, which would cause millions of casualties. This caused Japan to officially surrender on September 2, 1945.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics -
VJ Day, Victory over Japan Day, was the day Imperial Japan surrendered allowing World War II to come to an end. Although the surrender wasn't formally signed until September 2, 1945, this event occurred because Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender on August 15, 1945. He announced the surrender in response to the second atomic bomb drop on Nagasaki. This allowed us to celebrate the end of World War II.
Source: WWII History Channel General Topics