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Japanese Invasion of China
The Japanese invasion of Manchuria began on September 18, 1931 and their occupation lasted until the end of World War II. The invasion took place following the Mukden Incident in which Japan detonated dynamite on their own railroad and blamed it on China. -
The Holocaust
The Holocaust was the deadliest genocides to this day. Hitler ordered for execution of all people of Jewish descent, Gypsies, Homosexuals, and the mentally and physically disabled. Around 6 million people in those categories were executed.
*The holocaust was officially said to have started when Hitler was elected as chancellor on January 30, 1933. -
German Invasion of Poland
Germany Invades PolandGermany had finally started to invade Poland. Germany beat Poland and this battle started the war. Hitler claimed that Poland had attacked Germany and that Germans in Poland were persecuted. -
German Blitzkrieg
Meaning lightning war in German, Blitzkrieg was a battle strategy used by Germany during World War II in which a dense concentration of armoured vehicles and air support breaks through the opponent's line of defence. Germany's blitzkrieg has modernized the way wars are fought today. -
France Surrenders
Germany invaded France and France suffered a great defeat. German blitzkreig outflanked the maginot line and and pushed deep into France. On the 2 of June the Second Armistice was signed by France and Germany, which resulted in the division of France. -
Germany Invades Soviet Union
“Operation barbarossa” was the codename for the Nazi’s attack of the Soviet Union. Germany wanted to invade the Soviet Union because Hitler wanted to conquer Soviet Territory to weaken Stalin. This action broke the Non-Aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was the event that caused the Unites States to enter the war. The U.S suffered the greatest loss in this gruesome battle. -
US At War
President Franklin D Roosevelt called the declaration of war on Japan in a famous speech given after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan's allies, Germany and Italy, then declared war on the U.S. in response. -
Battle of Midway
4 days of gruesome naval and aerial war in the middle of the Pacific ocean. The U.S. came out victorious because the codebreakers were able to break the code and know when the attack would begin and where. -
Battle of Stalingrad
A 5 month war between Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in Southern Russia. Technically the USSR won but it was at the cost of over 1 million casualties. This battle was a serious turning point in the war and the Soviets began to push back westward after the battle. -
Italy Surrenders
Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile to surrender from to the Allies and eventually join them. -
Allies Assemble
The Allies started to assemble and prepare for the D-Day invasion. The allies were U.S, Britain, France and the USSR. -
D-Day
This was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control. -
Paris Liberated
Paris was liberated from the control of Germany. Although Paris was liberated, there was still heavy fighting in the rest of France and large portions of the country were still occupied. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Axis attack threw the Allied powers completely off guard. Although the attack was well planned, many things such as the weather threw the tide of the battle in the Allies favor, allowing them to win. -
VE-Day
VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) is a day celebrated as the formal acceptance by the Allies of the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. The term VE Day existed as early as September 1944, in anticipation of victory. People around the world celebrated the surrender of the Nazis. -
Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
An American B-29 dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. These were the only two uses of nuclear warfare in any war to today. The U.S told Japan to back down or suffer great losses. Japan didn’t surrender and the bomb was used killing over 70,000 people and injuring 70,000 more. -
Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki
Only three days after the bombing on Hiroshima, another bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. Although this bomb was more powerful, the effect was confined by hillsides to the narrow Urakami Valley. Even still the bomb killed several thousand people. -
Tokyo Petitions for Peace
After the detonation of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet invasion of Manchukuo, Emperor Hirohito intervened and ordered the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War to accept the terms the Allies terms of surrender. This ended the conflict of World War II. -
VJ-Day
Known as the day that Japan surrendered from World War II. On September 2, 1945, a formal surrender ceremony was performed in Tokyo Bay, Japan, aboard the battleship USS Missouri.
