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Where: Skies over the United Kingdom
Who: United Kingdom (RAF) vs. Nazi Germany (Luftwaffe)
What: A major air battle where the German Air Force attempted to gain air superiority over Britain.
Why: Hitler aimed to weaken Britain’s defenses for a possible invasion (Operation Sea Lion). The RAF’s resistance forced Germany to cancel those plans. -
Where: Soviet Union (Western front)
Who: Nazi Germany vs. Soviet Union
What: The largest invasion in history, where Germany launched a surprise attack on the Soviet Union.
Why: Hitler sought to destroy communism and gain control of Soviet resources and land. The failure of this campaign became a turning point in the war. -
Where: North Africa (Morocco and Algeria)
Who: Allied forces (U.S. and U.K.) vs. Axis powers (Vichy France Germany)
What: The first major American military operation in the European theater. It involved amphibious landings to push Axis forces out of North Africa.
Why: To open a second front and relieve pressure on Soviet forces while preparing for an invasion of Southern Europe. -
Where: Normandy, France
Who: Allied forces (U.S., U.K., Canada, Free France) vs. Nazi Germany
What: The largest amphibious invasion in history. Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to liberate Nazi-occupied France.
Why: To begin the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control and force Germany into a two-front war. -
Where: Yalta, Crimea (Soviet Union)
Who: The "Big Three" — Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA), Winston Churchill (UK), Joseph Stalin (USSR)
What: A diplomatic meeting to plan the post-war world and the final defeat of Nazi Germany.
Why: To discuss Europe’s reorganization, division of Germany, and the formation of the United Nations.