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The Invasion of Poland
In response to German aggression, Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany. -
Great Britain and France Declare War on Nazi Germany
Britain went to war in 1939 to defend the balance of power in Europe and safeguard Britain's position in the world. -
The Invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands and France
it marked the beginning of a rapid German offensive on the Western Front, allowing them to quickly bypass the heavily fortified Maginot Line and effectively conquer France -
The Battle and Great Escape at Dunkirk
it allowed the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to evacuate a large number of troops from the beaches of France, effectively saving them from capture and bolstering British morale at a critical point in the war -
Selective Service and Training Act
established the first peacetime draft in US history -
The Battle of Britain
it marked the first major defeat for Nazi Germany, preventing them from invading Britain and effectively stopping Hitler's plans to conquer the British Isles, thus allowing Britain to remain in the war and contribute to the Allied victory -
Lend-Lease Assistance Act
it allowed the United States to provide crucial military supplies to Allied nations, like Great Britain and the Soviet Union, without officially entering the war -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
it effectively forced the United States to enter the war -
America Enters World War 2
it provided a massive influx of manpower, industrial capacity, and resources to the Allied forces -
Germany and Italy Declare War on the United States
it officially brought the U.S. into the global conflict of World War II -
The Battle of the Coral Sea
it marked the first time the Japanese advance in the Pacific was checked, preventing their invasion of Port Moresby and effectively stopping their seemingly unstoppable momentum following Pearl Harbor -
The Battle of Midway Island
it marked the first major US victory against Japan in the Pacific theater, significantly weakening their naval power by destroying four Japanese aircraft carriers while only losing one American carrier, effectively halting further Japanese expansion and allowing the US to take the offensive in the Pacific war, ultimately shifting the tide of the conflict in America's favor. -
The Invasion of North Africa
it marked the first major Allied amphibious assault against Axis forces in the region -
The Invasion of Sicily and Italy
they marked crucial steps in the Allied invasion of North Africa and then mainland Italy, respectively, effectively opening a "second front" against the Axis powers by securing vital footholds in the Mediterranean, ultimately leading to the downfall of Mussolini's regime and pushing the war further into Europe. -
The D-Day Invasion of France
it marked the beginning of the Allied invasion of Western Europe, effectively opening a second front against Nazi Germany, leading to the liberation of France and ultimately contributing significantly to the Allied victory by putting immense pressure on German forces on both the Eastern and Western fronts -
Nazi Concentration Camps Discovered
Conditions in the camp during the bitterly cold winter of 1941-1942 were lethal. The SS routinely shot prisoners too weak to work either on the edge of the camp grounds or in the Krepiecki Forest north of Lublin. -
The Battle of the Bulge
it marked the last major German offensive on the Western Front -
The Yalta Conference
it set the stage for the post-war world by outlining the division of Germany into occupation zones, the establishment of the United Nations, and the future of Eastern Europe -
V-E (Victory in Europe) Day
it marked the official end of fighting in Europe, signifying the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forces, bringing a close to the major theatre of the war and allowing for a shift in focus to the Pacific front against Japan -
The Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
it marked the first use of nuclear weapons in warfare, causing immense destruction and effectively forcing Japan's surrender, thus bringing the war to an abrupt end -
The Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki
it marked the second use of a nuclear weapon against Japan, further pressuring them to surrender and effectively ending the war, while also demonstrating the devastating power of atomic bombs -
V-J (Victory over Japan) Day
signified the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allied forces