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The Fall of France
After Dunkirk, most British troops in aid for France were evacuated. However, there were still 136,000 troops in France waiting for battle. There were also 200,000 Polish soldiers eagerly waiting there chance to claim back their country. There chance would come, but it wouldn't be with good odds. -
Germany Attacks Russia
Hitler's Nazi forces stormed across the Russian border where the resistance was met almost immediately. Planes flew overhead dropping their payload on Russian troops and German 88's pounded Russians. Artillery was being poured onto the enemy, tanks pounded in... it was a Russian nightmare. The attack was called Operation Barbarossa. -
Pearl Harbor
World War II was days from starting for the U.S. About 275 miles north of Oahu Island was Pearl Harbor's Doom. There, 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, and 11 destroyers waited. The surprise attack that was about to happen was planned by Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto. The aircraft were under Commander Mitsuo Fuchida. From there, 353 planes were released on December 7, 1941 with the infamous Japanese sun on the wing. -
Battle of the Coal Sea
During the first week of 1942, American spy planes observed a huge force of Japanese ships in the Coral Sea. An air battle was already waged due to the interception of Japanese planes by American forces. This battle was resumed on May 7th, in the Coral Sea. -
Battle of Midway
The attack occured on June 4, 1942. The day before, the Japanese were heading for the island. The planes on the ships took off the next morning and headed for the island. About fourty Japanese planes never got a glimpse of the island as Army, Navy, and Marine planes took off to protect against the invaders. The American planes destroyed a battleship and a carrier. -
Germany's Last Stand
Sometime in December of 1941, the Germans converged on Sevastopol and surrounded it. The seige began just like Leningrad, but the Germans would not be patient. Bombs and shells constantly rained down from ground troops and the air. The seige lasted for six months, and finally the Germans tired of the resistance. In June of 1942, all German strenth was poured onto the city. The city of Sevastopol finally surrendered on July 3. -
Battle for Africa
On November 8, 1942, the attack occured. In Casablanca in Morocco and Oran and Algiers in Algeria, 500 warships and 350 transports converged on the beaches. They were met with resistance. Algiers surrendered to the Americans the day of the attack. Oran was more bloodier for the Americans. It was conquered in two days, however. -
Reconquest of Burma
In March of 1943, Brigadier General Orde C. Wingate set up a small force behind Burmese lines. This force was called the Chindits. This was also a landmark for troops that were supplied entirely by the air. The Chindits destroyed bridges and enemy supplies. They made Japanese very angry. -
Allies take China
During the spring of 1944, the Japanese finally struck against the Chinese. They struck against Hunan, Kwangsi, Kwantung, and Kiangsi and hit U.S. Air Force bases in the provinces. The Chinese were devestated, and the Americans were forced to evacuate. The Nationalists were at ends with eachother, and Chiang Kai-Shek's(The leader of the Chinese) refused to go only against the Japanese. He was determined to go against the communists and the Japanese. -
End of Axis Italy
On May 11th, 1944 the U.S. Fifth Army and the British Eighth Army crossed the Garigliano and Rapido Rivers, and broke through the Gustav Line. The British surrounded the town of Cassino and the Poles(who joined up with the British) surrounded the mnnastry. The Allies took the town and monestry along with 1,500 prisoners. The Fifth and Eighth Armies split up. -
D-Day
The Germans moved out of Britain to prepare for an attack that they knew would come, but didn't know when." The attack came on June 6, 1944. D-Day was the name for this attack as 150,000 troops poured onto the beaches of Normandy. Code name "Overlord" is what is was called. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the man in charge of the operation, and once D-Day was in operation, there was no turning back. -
Battle of the Bulge
Little did they know, Hitler was planning a desperate thrust at the Americans. He was planning one of the most famous counterattacks of all time. It would be a battle where more than 1 million men were involved. About 600,000 Germans were involved, 500,000 Americans, and 55,000 British. The battle was called the Battle of the Bulge. It is called this, because Germans could only create a bulge in America's front line. December, 1944. -
Iwo Jima
On the morning of February 19, 1945, 30,000 marines under Major General Harry Schmidt joined the warships in their effort. They were inside amphibious landing craft. They formed a straight line heading for the shore, but then turned one after another when they were close to the beach. They did this until they were all parallel with the beach. When they were parallel, they turned again and made a mad dash for the beach. -
Okinawa
Finally on April 1, 1945, the Americans stormed the beach just as they did at Iwo Jima. As with Iwo Jima, a vicious beach attack was expected, but the unexpected happened. The Japense offered little or no resistance on the beach landings. -
Battle of Berlin
The Russians finally broke into the city, and headed for the center. Just at that moment, Germans (old, young, and disabled), fought for the last time. They came from every imaginable defense, and poured artillery on the Russians. But the Russians pressed on. On April 25, 1945, Berlin was split in two as the two Russian armies merged at the center of the city and took the government offices. The city could take no more. It surrendered on May 2, 1945.
