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German Blitzkrieg
The German invasion of Poland was a primer on how Hitler intended to wage war–what would become the “blitzkrieg” strategy. This was characterized by extensive bombing early on to destroy the enemy’s air capacity, railroads, communication lines, and munitions dumps, followed by a massive land invasion with overwhelming numbers of troops, tanks, and artillery. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-poland -
Germany Invaded France
By June 12, German tanks had broken through the main fronts along the Somme River and the fortified Maginot Line, moving ever closer to their goal, Paris. During this time, the British vigorously encouraged France to resist at all costs. The new British prime minister, Winston Churchill, even flew to Paris himself to offer his personal encouragement. http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/ww2/section2.rhtml -
Germany Bombed London
On 7 September 1940, the Luftwaffe unleashed a merciless bombing campaign against London and Britain's major cities. Instead of breaking morale, however, the raids only galvanized the will of the British people for the rest of the war.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/germany_bombs_london -
Lend Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act authorized the president to transfer arms or any other defense materials for which Congress appropriated money to “the government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States.” By allowing the transfer of supplies to Britain and other countries, without being overextended in battle. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/lend-lease-act -
Operation Barbossa
On June 22, 1941, Adolf Hitler launched three great army groups with over three million German soldiers. The invasion covered a front from the North Cape to the Black Sea, a distance of two thousand miles.Barbarossa was the crucial turning point in World War II, for its failure forced Nazi Germany to fight a two-front war against a coalition possessing immensely superior resources. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/operation-barbarossa -
Pearl Harbor
Just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor -
War declared US, Japan, Nazi Germany.
On December 8, 1941 day, President Franklin Roosevelt requests, and receives, a declaration of war against Japan. On 11 December 1941, four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States declaration of war against the Japanese Empire, Nazi Germany declared war against the United States. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-united-states-declares-war-on-japan -
Bataan Death March
After the April 9, 1942, U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during World War II (1939-45), the approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make an arduous 65-mile march to prison camps. The marchers made the trek in intense heat and were subjected to harsh treatment by Japanese guards. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bataan-death-march -
Battle of Midway
Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States defeated Japan in one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II. An important turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position.http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942-Feb. 2, 1943), was the successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in the U.S.S.R. during World War II. Russians consider it to be the greatest battle of their Great Patriotic War. It stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union and marked the turning of the tide of war in favor of the Allies. There was military and civilian casualties of nearly 2 million.http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
On April 19, 1943, the Warsaw ghetto uprising began after German troops and police entered the ghetto to deport its surviving inhabitants. By May 16, 1943, the Germans had crushed the uprising and left the ghetto area in ruins. Surviving ghetto residents were deported to concentration camps or killing centers. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005188 -
Normandy Landings
Early in the morning on June 6, 1944, about 156,000 Allied soldiers stormed a handful of beaches along the coast of Normandy, France. Although choppy seas and heavy German resistance prevented them from fully meeting their objectives that day, they were able to gain a crucial foothold. By late August, Paris had been liberated, and Germany’s surrender came not long afterward. http://www.history.com/news/landing-at-normandy-the-5-beaches-of-d-day -
Liberation of Concentration
Soviet soldiers were the first to liberate concentration camp prisoners in the final stages of the war. On July 23, 1944, they entered the Majdanek camp in Poland, and later overran several other killing centers. On January 27, 1945, they entered Auschwitz and there found hundreds of sick and exhausted prisoners. The Germans had been forced to leave these prisoners behind in their hasty retreat from the camp. https://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007724 -
Battle of the Bluge
In December 1944, Adolph Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe. Caught off-guard, American units fought desperate battles to stem the German advance at St.-Vith, Elsenborn Ridge, Houffalize and Bastogne. the Allied line took on the appearance of a large bulge, giving rise to the battle’s name, leading to the neutralization of the German counteroffensive despite heavy casualties. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge -
Battle of Iwo Jima
three U.S. marine divisions landed on the island in February 1945. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, who fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting, and the battle earned a place in American lore with the publication of a photograph showing the U.S. flag being raised in victory http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima. The explosion wiped out 90% of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people; more would later die of radiation exposure. Three days later, a second B-29 dropped another A-bomb on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people. Japan’s Emperor Hirohito announced his country’ surrender in World War II. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
