Major Events of World War Two

Europe ( ) Germany invades Poland on September 1, 1939 (1 st day of the 9 th month in 39 = ) Germany invades France Battle of Britain begins July 10 Operation Barbarossa

Invasion of Poland Date: September 1, 1939 Event: Germany invades Poland; Germany wins in less than a month Significance: This is the official start of WWII in Europe 3,000,000 Jews lived in Poland in 1939

Invasion of France Date: May – June 1940 Event: Germany invades France; wins in 6 weeks Significance: Tipped balance of power in Germany’s favor Nazis and the Vichy gov’t run France British forces are evacuated at Dunkirk

Battle of Britain Date: July – October, 1940 Event: Germany bombed civilian populations in British cities (terror-bombing) Significance: Germany was unsuccessful, Hitler angry British RADAR helped the RAF detect incoming Luftwaffe airplanes so they could concentrate their planes on real threats (RAF=Royal Air Force; Luftwaffe=German Air Force)

Operation Barbarossa Date: June 22, 1941 Event: Germany invades Soviet Union (in violation of its Non-Aggression Pact) Significance: Germany is initially successful but stretches out army along 1,800 mile front

The Pacific, 1941 USA cuts off oil supplies to Japan Japan grows desperate The Attack on Pearl Harbor, 12/7/1941

The Attack on Pearl Harbor Date: December 7, 1941 (a date that will live in infamy) Event: Japan attacks USA by surprise Significance: Japan declares war on USA  USA declares war on Japan Germany and Italy declare war on USA  USA declares war and joins Allied forces against Hitler Japan damages Pacific Fleet (Navy) No aircraft carriers are sunk

Things start to go wrong for the Nazis The Battle of El Alamein The Battle of Stalingrad Operation Overlord Battle of the Bulge

The Battle of El Alamein Date: July 1942 Event: German advance in North Africa was stopped by British Significance: “Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat.” - Churchill

The Battle of Stalingrad Date: Event: Germany fought USSR for control of Stalingrad Significance: Strategic disaster for Germany One of the bloodiest battles in history Nazi 6 th Army destroyed

The Battle of Kursk Date: 1943 Event: USSR offensive against the Nazis in Eastern Europe Significance: Huge breakthrough for USSR Largest tank battle in history (fast tanks beat heavy tanks) 3000 Nazi tanks vs 5000 USSR tanks

Operation Overlord – D-Day Date: June 6, 1944 Event: Allied invasion of Europe at Normandy Significance: The Allies successfully land in France Second War Front against the Nazis Hitler was asleep; Rommel was with his wife for her birthday; Nazis can’t stop the Allies

Battle of the Bulge Date: 12/16/1944 through 1/25/1945 Event: Germany launched a major offensive campaign Significance: Germany depleted its resources Allied forces held the line

The War Ends VE Day Atomic Bombs Dropped in Japan VJ Day

VE Day – Victory in Europe Date: May 8, 1945 Event: Germany surrenders on May 7, 1945 Significance: The war in Europe is over

Atomic Bombing of Japan Date: August 6/9, 1945 Event: Atomic bombs are dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Significance: Japan decides to surrender on August 14(or 15), 1945 (VJ Day)