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Japanese invasion of China
July 7, 1937. Japanese and Chinese forces began near Peiping in North China. A few days later, Japan declared war on China, claiming that this should characterize the attitude and policy of the Japanese Government. This caused a truce in the civil war of communists and nationalists to focus on fighting the Japanese invaders. -
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Germany's Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg, a German word meaning "Lighting War", was Hitler's plan of action in WWII. He did this to avoid repeating the tactics of WWI that led them to lose it. Instead he made use of new technologies, such as tanks and dive bombers, to take out his opponent quickly. This led him to take France by 1940, doing in a couple of months what Wilhelm II hadn't done in the four years of WWI. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Hitler made the decision, against the advice of his generals, to invade Poland. He wanted to take Poland and did so because he though the French and British prime ministers were weak and wouldn't oppose him. This started WWiI. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the name given to the German invasion of the Soviet Union. This was a direct violation of the Non-Aggression Pact made between Germany and the Soviet Union. This came from Hitler's plan to take Western land and repopulate it with Germans. This led to heavy resistance from the Red Army and Germany fighting a two front war. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack on American naval base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This left the American navy crippled, and unable, for a short period, to disrupt any Japanese conquests in the Pacific. This action led to the United States joining WWII. -
Bataan Death March
After the U.S. surrender on the Bataan peninsula, the American and Filipino troops were forced to march 65 miles to prison camps. This led to the deaths of many, the exact number is unknown, but anyone too weak to continue marching was killed. This was later avenged by the American invasion of the Philippines to reclaim the land that was taken from them by the Japanese. -
The Battle of Midway
The American Naval victory was considered the turning point in the war on the Pacific Front. This led to the Naval and air supremacy over Japan in the Pacific -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of senior officials of Nazi Germany. The meeting was to ensure the cooperation of government officials in the "Final Solution" of the Jewish people. -
Operation Gomorrah
Operation Gomorrah was the name given to the British and American bombing of Hamburg, Germany. The Allies launched strategic attacks, attacking shipyards, oil refineries, etc.. In the collateral damage, 42,600 German civilians were killed. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
The Allies launched an attack on the Italian mainland on September 3. This led to the surrender of Italy, but Allied powers offered to treat them with leniency if they backed them when they launched an attack on Germany. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler's last great offensive. Hitler saw an opportunity to deliver a devastating strike his opponents. This plan was countered by the Allied forces. This left the German forces devastated and made the Allied push to Germany easier. -
Operation Thunderclap
Operation Thunderclap was the code for a cancelled operation. The plan envisaged a massive attack on Berlin in the belief that would cause the deaths of many key German personnel, which would shatter German morale. However, it was later decided that the plan was unlikely to work. -
D-Day
D-Day refers to the massive assault on the beaches of Normandy. Allied aerial, naval, and paratroop attacks took back France. This led to turning of the tide on the Western Front, and helped reclaim Europe from Nazi control. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Allied invasion of Iwo Jima was an important battle in the Pacific. This was important for the Allies in order to set up a base near Japan. After a month of fighting, the the U.S. Marines defeated the Japanese and claimed the island. -
Dropping of the Atom Bombs
In order to prevent an invasion of Japan, which would cost many lives on both sides. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This led to Japanese surrender and the end of WWII. -
VE Day
VE Day refers to the day that the Allies celebrated victory in Europe. The cause for celebration came after the surrender of Germany the day before. This day marked the end of the war in Europe. -
VJ Day
VJ Day is the day that America celebrated victory over Japan. This day is the day after the actual surrendering of Japan. This day marks the end of WWII.