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Japanese invasion of China
Japan wanted the natural resources in Manuchira, China. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japan quickly took over all key Chinese ports and industrial centers. To get to that position, many massacures were common. The rape of Nanking was part of this invasion. Meanwhile, U.S and Germany sent aid, until Germany had made allie with Japan. -
Rape of Nanking
It was a mass murder by the Japanese troops to the people of Nanjing. During the Second-Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese murdered Chinese, equalling to over 300,000 people. They killed, raped, and murdered for 6 weeks, all to capture Nanjing. Impactingly, deniel of the massacre in the Japanese culture is common. -
Germany's invasion of Poland
1.5 million German troops invaded Poland. Adolf Hitler decalred that it was a defensive action, but France was not convinced. Thus, they declared war on Germany and WW2 began! Hitler's goal by attacking Poland was to gain more 'living space' for Germans. It ultimately damdged installations on the German side of the border. It led to the Polish wearing German suits if they didn't want to die. This was by using the military tactic called blitzkrieg. Nearly 3 million Polish Jews were killled. -
German Blitzkrieg
A military tactic and German term for 'lightning war.' It is designed to create disorganization between the enemy forces by using firepower and mobil forces. The effect is to save miliitary lives and shorten time of the fighting. The Germans tried it in Poland before successfully using it in Belgium, Netherlands, and France. It was created in WW1 to prevent deadlock. -
Fall of Paris
The day when Germans invaded Paris with loud speakers and tanks. They had previously asked for help from Roosevelt, but they had not gotten it yet. When the Germans came in, 2 million people fled. The reason for the Germans to invade was the blitzkieg on the smaller countries and France as well. Thousands in Paris were sent to concentration camps or simply killed. Overall, it gave Hitler more power. -
Pearl Harbor
The total barage of the attack on the American Naval base in Hawaii was only 2 hours long. Within those 2 hours, 20 American naval vessels and over 3000 people were injured or killed. The effect of this imediately took place the day after, when Roosevelt declared war on Japan. The Japanese attacked America because they wanted to advance into gaining Maylaya. Buy doing this, they needed to nuetralize the U.S. Pacific fleet. -
Wanssee Conference
Himmler's second in command of the SS, convented this conference for the 15 top Nazi bureacrats. There in Berlin, the conference was to coordinate how they would wipe out the rest of the 11 million Jewish population. The plan was to deport Jews from the East as a cover up. However, they all knew it was really for mass murder of the Jews. Of course, we know that Hitler had to surrender before this was completed. -
Bataan Death March
U.S. surrender the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine Island to the Japanese in WW2. Impactingly, 75,000 Filipino and American troops had to march 65 miles to prison camps. U.S. General Edward King JR surrendered because they were dying of starvation and disease. They also had a lack of naval and air support and it was not going anywhere. General Homma Masaharu was responsible for the death march. -
Battle of Midway
The objective of this battle from Japan was to sink remaining American carries that had made it through Pearl Harbor. What Japan didn't know is that an American radio picked up the message from the Japanese of their plan and when they would dispatch. One impact was that Japanese lost four fleet carriers, 330 aircraft and 5000 sailors. Midway battle was so decisive because it marked when America rode straight to Tokyo in the war. -
Operation Gomorrah
Hamburg and Germany were invaded by night by British bombing and America bombed them by day in their own 'Blitz week.' British were doing this because Germany had bombed them earlier in July and killed 167 people. Now, Britian killed over 1,000 Germans in the first raid. The impact on Germany was that Hitler refused to visit burnt cities. This was the road leading to defeat over Germany. -
Allied invasion of Italy
During the early part of WW2, Italy's mainland was attacked by the British 8th army under Montgomery. On the day of the landing, the Italian Government secretly agreed on the Allies terms of surrender. But, weirdly the announcment was not made publicly till Sept. 8th. Leading up to this attack, the Allies had not agreed on who they would attack next, but Montgomery stuck to his plan of Italy. Italy had been planning to over through Mossollini and make peace with the Allies, but it didnt work. -
D-Day (Normandy Invasion)
The Battle of Normandy began on this day, known as D-Day. It resulted in Allied Liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. This day had a huge impact because 156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on Frances Normandy beaches. It is one of the biggest military assaults in history because of the extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies mislead the Germans and buy August, they effectively liberated all of France. This landing is known as 'the beginninng of the end of WW2.' -
Liberation of Concentration Campts
The first liberated Concentration Camp was by the Soviet soldiers. Their first was Poland. Then, Auschwitz, where they found hundreds of sick and exhausted prisoners. The effect of the Soviet destroying camps resulted in the Germans destroying the camps. They also would have all the prisoners march the other way so they would not be in the camps and saved. Eventhough the people of the camps were gone, they would find the personal belongings that were left behind and many many bodies as well. -
Battle of the Bulge
Adolph Hitler attempted to split apart the Allied armies in northwest Europe. But when his plan turned, he had to drive deeper into the Ardennes and the Allied took a large bulge, which gives the name. Overall, the German army was left counteroffensive with casualties. The over all objective and why it happened was to use a surprise blitzkreig thrust, like they had already done several times. There were about 100,000 casualties in the end. Yet, he still did not end up with victory. -
Operation Thunderclap
This plan was coordinated with Soviet in advance, and planned to take out all of the key German personnel. It was rejected several times because it was too big. Instead, many smaller attacks were made. If the Thunderclap had gone through, it is believed that 220,000 casualties would have occured and 110,000 killed. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The impact of this battle led to the Japanese figuring out that they needed a base near the japanese coast. Three American Marine divisions wiped out the Japanese in a month. This attack happened because the Japanese started using the new tactic of fighting on land and our reason for doing this was to ruin any support they had. Also, by destroying their mainland, they couldn't have a merchant fleet. -
VE Day
Known as Victory in Europe Day, was the day when the Nazi's finally laid down their arms. The Germans surrendered to the Soviet. About 8,000 soldiers had already been killed previous to the surrender. Genreral Jodl had originally wanted to surrender the forces in the Western Allies, but General Eisenhower demanded that Germany surrenders in completly. The lasting effects of VE Day is that the US and Europe celebrates it yearly and Germany surrendering meant that WW2 conflict was over. -
Postdam declaration
The decaration of all Japan surrendering in WW2. It lead to the birth of the Declaration of Japan. The U.S., China, and the Prime Minister of Great Britian wrote the declaration to Japan's empire. It said that if Japan did not agree, they would face 'prompt and utter destruction.' The declaration was released through transmission (radio) and sent to Japan from the U.S. Effectively, they made it known to most of the Japanese public as well as the Empire. -
Dropping of atomic bombs
The worlds first deployed atomic bomb was dropped by an American B-29 Bomber. It was on HIroshema, Japan. The impact is that is immediately killed about 80,000 people. Some after math included tens of thousands of people later on dying from radiation exposure. The Japenese had previously ignored the ultimatum after all the German war was over. -
VJ Day (Victoryover Japan- Day)
WW2 practically ended on this day, because Japan surrendered to the Allies. Japan had been getting bombed and when they were told by the Allies to surreneder, they would have a peaceful government between the two. When they refused to surrender, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. The effect of the surrender around the world was a sense of relief and celebration that Japan had given up.
