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Japanese Invasion of China
Japan launched an effort to expand control of East Asia. They launched a brutal attack on China in 1937. They did this to get more land and natural resources. The United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan, so Japan joined the Axis Powers and later launched an attack on the United States. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Germany started World War II by invading Poland. Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany. It happened as the first step in Germany's desire to take over all of Europe. Poland was defeated and Germany controlled the country. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
German Blitzkrieg
Germany used this military tactic to quickly move into a territory. It happened so that they could overwhelm the opposition quickly. The method was first used to successfully defeat Poland but was used again in many other countries in Europe. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
Fall of Paris
In June 1940, German forces moved into France and then overtook Paris. Thousands of people fled in an attempt to escape. the impact was the it gave Germany the ability to control the heart of Europe and have better ability to attack England. Source: The BBC World Service, Witness History. -
Operation Barbarossa
Germany invaded the Russia in this operation hoping to destroy the Russian military. Russian military and civilians fought back and the Germans got stuck in bad conditions. This weakened Germany's military. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. About 2,400 U.S. troops killed and 1,000 wounded. President Roosevelt called it "a date which will live in infamy, " and the U.S. joined the war the next day. Source: History.com, World War II Battles. -
Wannsee Conference
The German leadership met a a suburb of Berlin called Wannsee. At this meeting is where they formalized their intent to exterminate all Jews. They called this the "Final Solution." The result was coordinated plans for concentration camps and extermination camps. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
Bataan Death March
About 75,000 Filipino and American forces were captured by the Japanese and marched to a prison camp. The prisoners were forced to march 85 miles in six days, with only one meal of rice during the entire journey. Thousands of the prisoners died or were killed along the way by Japanese soldiers. Source: History.com, This Day in History. -
Battle of Midway
This naval battle at Midway Island in the Pacific was one of the most important victories in the was against Japan. U.S. forces destroyed four of Japan's aircraft carriers. The victory was a turning point of the war in the Pacific. Source: History.com, World War II Battles. -
Operation Gomorrah
The British Air Force and the U.S Air Force launched it's first coordinated attack on the German city of Hamburg. This was an important city because of it's military shipyards. Hamburg was destroyed and mostly left unlivable. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
Allied troops began invaded Italy, which was controlled by Axis forces. About 150,000 Allied troops attacked Italy. The invasion collapsed the rule of fascist Italian leader Mussolini. Source: History.com, This Day in History. -
D-Day Invasion
Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France in this invasion across the English channel into mainland Europe. The allies suffered heavy losses but still successfully took the beaches from Germany and had a start to move inland. The allies then successfully fought across France toward Germany. Source: History.com, D-Day. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Allies won this battle in Belgium on the Western German Front. The casualties were huge on both sides with German casualties at about 100,000 and American casualties are at about 81,000. Winning this battle allowed the allies to continue their advance toward Berlin. Source: History.com, World War II Battles. -
Operation Thunderclap
Allied bombers destroyed the German city of Dresden in this operation by using firebombs that incinerated the city. Germany was on the verge of surrender, and this operation left the German military and population without hope of winning. German morale was weakened and broken. Source: History.com, This Day in History. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
U.S. Marines attacked this island because it was only about 650 miles from Tokyo. The victory here made it possible to establish strategic operations into Japan. It became a sight of launching attacks for American B-29 bombers. Source: History.com, World War II Battles. -
Battle of Okinawa
This was one of the final battles of World War II, but it was also one of the bloodiest. 250,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians died, but now the American forces were much closer to Japan. This made it possible to attack deep into Japan. Source: History.com, Remembering the Battle of Okinawa. -
VE Day
VE-Day meant Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945. This is the day after Germany's surrender on May 7. The allies had defeated the Germans. People celebrated all over Europe and in the United States. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. -
Dropping of Atomic Bombs
With the ability to attack the interior cities of Japan, on August 6, 1945 an American B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima which killed about 100,000 people. Another atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki three days later and killed about 40,000 people. Japan announced surrendered a few days after the bombs were dropped. Source: History.com, Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. -
VJ Day
Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945, and it became known as Victory Over Japan Day, or VJ Day. The surrender ended World War II and concluded six years of fighting. Source: History.com, V-J Day. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
In January 1945, Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz concentration camp. The Russians went on to liberate other camps as they moved westward. U.S. troops liberated the Buchenwald and other camps in April while British troops liberated camps in Northern Germany. The conditions were ghastly and thousands more prisoners died even after liberation. Source: Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.