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Beer Hall Putsch
Was a failed uprising by Adolf Hitler in an attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic. The Nazis failed in their endeavor to overthrow the Republic, and Adolf Hitler was imprisoned. He wrote Mein Kampf while imprisoned, and gained widespread support throughout Germany. -
Night of the Long Knives
Was a purge of Nazi leaders and political opponents of the Nazi party that was ordered by Hitler. Hitler feared that the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, the SA, had gotten too powerful, so he got his SS guards to murder their leaders, including Hitler's right-hand Ernst Rohm. Citation: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Night of the Long Knives". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Night-of-the-Long-Knives. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Munich Agreement
Was a settlement between Germany and the United Kingdom that allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, which had lots of German speakers. This was a part of Neville Chamberlain's appeasement policy. This enabled Hitler to keep on expanding, as he knew that the Allies wouldn't stop him. Citation: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Munich Agreement". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Dec. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Munich-Agreement. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Kristallnacht ("The Night of the Broken Glass")
Several pogroms erupted in Nazi Germany after the assassination of a German diplomat by a Jewish teenager. Thousands of Jewish businesses were ransacked and destroyed, and several thousands of Jewish men were collectively arrested. Demonstrated the antisemitism that was present in Nazi Germany. Citation: Berenbaum, Michael. "Kristallnacht". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Kristallnacht. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Nazi/Soviet Invasion of Poland
Marked the start of World War 2. After Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia invaded Poland together, Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany, thus kickstarting the Second World War. Citation: Gilbert, Adrian. "Invasion of Poland". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Invasion-of-Poland. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Battle of Britain
July - September 1940, United Kingdom The RAF (Royal Air Force) successfully defended the United Kingdom against the Nazi Luftwaffe, preventing a German invasion. This was the first major defeat for Nazi Germany and proved the significance of air superiority. Citation: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Battle of Britain". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Britain-European-history-1940. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Miracle at Dunkirk
May 26 - June 4, 1940 at Dunkirk, France This miracle, in which 338,000 Allied soldiers were successfully evacuated from Normandy, gave a significant boost to British morale and showed Allied perseverance against the Axis powers. Citation: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Dunkirk evacuation". Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Dunkirk-evacuation. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Pearl Harbor
Prompted the United States to enter the war against the Axis powers and ended American isolationism, contributing towards Allied victory. Image: https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2009/10/pearl-harbor-gettyimages-2660129.jpg Citation: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Pearl Harbor attack". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Pearl-Harbor-attack. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Battle of Moscow
September 1941 - January 1942, Moscow, Russia The Soviets successfully defended Moscow against German invasion, which made for a crucial turning point in the Eastern Front. This was also the climax of Operation Barbarossa. Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/RIAN_archive_887721_Defense_of_Moscow.jpg Citation: Swift, John. "Battle of Moscow". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Sep. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Moscow. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Battle of Kursk
July 1943 - August 1943, Kursk, Russia Marked the end of the German assault on Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and was a crucial victory for the USSR. Paved the way for the Soviet counter offensives of 1944 and 1945. -
Battle of Stalingrad
August 1942 - February 1943, Stalingrad (now Volgograd), Russia Was a catastrophic defeat for Nazi Germany and German advance in the Soviet Union was stopped. This shifted the momentum in favor of the Allies, was a crucial turning point in the war. Image: https://warontherocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/JOHNSON-header.jpg Citation: Limbach, Raymond. "Battle of Stalingrad". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
July - August 1943, Italy Led to the collapse of the Mussolini regime and forced Italian surrender. It also established a new front against the Axis powers which contributed to Allied victory. Citation: Hughes, Thomas A., Royde-Smith, John Graham. "World War II". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
D-Day
Was the largest seaborne invasion in history and marked a crucial turning point in World War II. Was also the start of Western European liberation from Nazi control. Citation: Keegan, John. "Normandy Invasion". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Normandy-Invasion. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Battle of the Bulge
December 1944 - January 1945, Belgium Was Hitler’s last offensive in WW2, and the last major German offensive on the western front. It resulted in a catastrophic German defeat. Citation: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Battle of the Bulge". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge. Accessed 16 March 2025. -
Battle of Berlin
April - May 1945, Berlin, Germany Was the final blow to the Third Reich, caused the death of Hitler and the overall collapse of Nazi Germany. The Soviet victory symbolized the end of WWII in Europe since they captured the Nazi capital of Berlin. Citation: Swift, John. "Battle of Berlin". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Berlin. Accessed 16 March 2025.
