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Rape of Nanking
During the Rape of Nanking many male war prisoners were butchered, male civilians were massacred, and many women and girls were raped and even killed. This was during the Sino-Japanese war and the Japanese wanted to destroy China's capital, Nanking. This resulted in the Japanese general Matsui being executed. -
Japanese invasion of China
Also known as the second Sino-Japanese war, the conflict began when China resisted to expand Japanese influence in its territory. The war was divided into three phases; a period of rapid Japanese advancement, a period of virtual stalemate, and the final period when Japan surrenders. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Over a million German troops invaded Poland bombing their airfields and naval forces. Poland declared war on Germany which initiated WWII. -
German Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg is the German term for "lightning war" and was a military tactic used to create disorganization through mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Blitzkrieg helped Germany win several battles but eventually was defeated at war. -
Fall of Paris
During WWII, Germany was at war with France and destroyed Paris which impacted France greatly. WIth Paris gone they couldn't take another stand against Germany. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor using their fighter planes to destroy many naval vessels, battleships, and airplanes. Thousands of Americans died and the US declared war on Japan. -
Bataan Death March
Thousands of surrendered Americans and Filipinos were forced to march 65 miles in the intense heat after surrendering to Japan. Many of them died because of the harsh conditions. -
Battle of Midway
The Japanese invaded America with mainly aircraft but ended up losing the battle. This ended any threat of Japanese invasion in the Pacific and marked a turning point for the two counties. -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting where the Nazis decided to transport all the Jews eastward and organize them into labor gangs. This lead to the Holocaust. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
German troops deported or murdered thousands of remaining Jews in the ghetto. The ghetto itself was destroyed and left in ruins. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
The Allies invaded Italy and caused Mussolini's government to collapse. Italy surrendered and their new government entered secret negotiations with the allies. -
D-Day
D-Day, also known as the Normandy invasion, was when the allies attacked France. The invasion was one of the largest military assaults in history and required lots of planning. All of northern France was liberated. -
Battle of the Bulge
Hitler attempted to split up the Allies by using a surprise blitzkrieg. It ended up being the costliest action fought by the US and suffered many casualties. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The Soviets found out about the German's concentration camps and the Germans tried to cover it up and hide it. By the time the Germans surrendered, the Soviets liberated three concentration camps. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
American forces invaded the island of Iwo Jima in Japan and this became one of the bloodiest battles in the war. Although the US won, neither the Army or the Navy could use the island as a WWII staging area. -
Battle of Okinawa
This battle was one of the last major battles in WWII. The US tried once again to invade an island of Japan. Many Japanese citizens believed the US would kill them on the spot if they were captured which led to several people to take their lives. The US won but with many casualties and deaths. -
VE Day
The United States and Great Britain celebrated victory in Europe after defeating the German Nazis and ending the war. -
Dropping of the Atomic Bombs
The United States became the only nation to use atomic weaponry when they dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These bombs helped mark the end to WWII. -
VJ Day
VJ Day is also known as Victory over Japan Day. This day is when Japan announced to the Allies that they're surrendering. -
Potsdam Declaration
Allies gathered in Potsdam, Germany to discuss peace settlements and called for the unconditional surrender of Japan. Japan eventually surrendered after the US dropped atomic bombs on them and the Soviet Union declared war.
