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over 300,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated, allowing Britain to continue fighting instead of being defeated early in World War II. -
it triggered World War II. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany, turning a regional conflict into a global war. -
their declaration of war turned Germany’s invasion of Poland into a full European war, officially starting World War II and bringing major world powers into the conflict. -
it allowed Nazi Germany to quickly defeat Western Europe, showing the effectiveness of blitzkrieg and leaving Britain to fight Germany largely alone. -
Britain successfully defended itself against German air attacks, preventing a German invasion and keeping Britain in the war. -
it created the first peacetime draft in U.S. history, preparing and expanding the American military before the U.S. entered World War II. -
it allowed the United States to supply weapons, food, and equipment to Allied nations, helping them fight Nazi Germany before the U.S. officially entered World War II. -
it brought the United States into World War II, greatly increasing the Allies’ military power against the Axis nations. -
it provided massive military, industrial, and economic support, helping turn the tide of the war in favor of the Allies. -
it expanded the war into a truly global conflict, officially bringing the U.S. fully into fighting in both Europe and the Pacific. -
it was a turning point in the Pacific War, where the U.S. Navy defeated Japan’s fleet, sinking four aircraft carriers, and shifted the momentum in favor of the Allies. -
it halted Japan’s expansion in the Pacific and shifted the momentum to the United States, marking a major turning point in the war. -
first major Allied invasion of North Africa, allowing the Allies to gain control of North Africa, relieve pressure on the Soviet Union, and prepare for an invasion of Southern Europe. -
together they allowed the Allies to invade and gain control of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, opening a new front in Europe, weakening Axis forces, and bringing the fight closer to Germany’s home territory. -
it opened a major Western front in Europe, allowing the Allies to liberate France from Nazi control and begin the push toward defeating Germany. -
it revealed the full scale of Nazi atrocities, including mass killings and forced labor, helping the world understand the horrors of the Holocaust. -
it was Germany’s last major offensive on the Western Front, and its failure weakened Germany’s army, hastening the Allied victory in Europe. -
it brought together Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin to plan the postwar world, including dividing Germany, shaping the United Nations, and deciding how to handle Eastern Europe, which influenced the postwar balance of power. -
it marked the official defeat of Nazi Germany, ending the war in Europe and allowing the Allies to focus on defeating Japan in the Pacific. -
it caused massive destruction and loss of life, forcing Japan to surrender and bringing World War II to an end -
it led to Japan’s surrender, ending World War II and demonstrating the devastating power of nuclear weapons. -
it marked the official end of World War II, with Japan’s surrender bringing peace after years of global conflict and confirming the Allies’ complete victory.