-
oland was invaded by Nazi Germany in September 1939 for several reasons, including Hitler's desire for Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe, the desire to annex territory lost after World War I, and the use of propaganda to create a pretext for war, such as the Gleiwitz incident -
was a crucial air campaign where the British Royal Air Force (RAF) defended the UK against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe, preventing German air superiority needed for an invasion (Operation Sea Lion) and marking the first major defeat for the German air force. -
a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii -
was a brutal, decisive WWII clash where Nazi Germany tried to seize the city from the Soviets, but fierce urban fighting, harsh winter, and a massive Soviet counteroffensive (Operation Uranus) encircled the German Sixth Army, leading to its catastrophic surrender -
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II. -
an Allied invasion of French North Africa during World War II. -
was a decisive Soviet victory on the Eastern Front of World War II, marking the largest tank battle in history. Germany launched an offensive, Operation Citadel, to cut off a Soviet salient, but the Soviets, having prepared extensive defenses, repulsed the attack -
In 1943, the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program (MFAA) was established under the Civil Affairs and Military Government sections of the Allied armies as part of a concerted effort to protect artworks, archives, and monuments of historical and cultural significance as the Allies advanced across Europe. -
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord -
The Germans created a "bulge" in the Allied front line in the Ardennes Forest in an attempt to split Allied forces and capture their supplies -
a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima -
a brutal, prolonged, and costly Allied victory, serving as the last major battle of World War II before the invasion of Japan, featuring intense fighting, massive casualties (including huge civilian losses for Okinawans), widespread use of kamikaze attacks, and forcing the U.S. to reconsider invading the mainland, ultimately influencing the decision to use atomic bombs instead -
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), the 32nd U.S. President, died suddenly on April 12, 1945, at age 63, from a massive cerebral hemorrhage (stroke) while at his retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia, stunning the nation just as World War II was nearing its end. He was in his fourth term, and his death marked a significant moment, with millions mourning the leader who guided America through the Great Depression and most of the war -
Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945 after being hunted by Soviet troops storming Berlin. -
The United States dropped an atomic bomb, code-named "Little Boy", on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on the morning of August 6, 1945, during World War II. This was the first use of a nuclear weapon in armed conflict, resulting in massive destruction and immense loss of life -
The United States dropped an atomic bomb named "Fat Man" on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, killing an estimated 70,000 people by the end of that year. This event followed the atomic bombing of Hiroshima three days earlier and led to Japan's surrender, effectively ending World War II.