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September 1, 1939 – Invasion of Poland
Germany launched a blitzkrieg against Poland, combining fast-moving infantry, tanks, and air power to overwhelm Polish defenses in days Holocaust.
This assault triggered Britain’s and France’s declarations of war, officially igniting World War II in Europe.
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/invasion-poland-september-1939 -
December 7, 1941 – Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japanese naval and air forces struck the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, crippling battleships and killing over 2,400 servicemen
Congress declared war on Japan the next day, ending U.S. neutrality and drawing America fully into WWII on both the Pacific and European fronts.
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/pearl-harbor-december-7-1941 -
May 1943 onward – “Rosie the Riveter” and the Home Front
With millions of men in uniform, women filled factory jobs—especially in aviation plants—earning the “Rosie the Riveter” nickname from popular wartime posters.
This shift expanded opportunities for women and minority workers, fueling wartime production and laying groundwork for postwar civil‑rights and gender‑equality movements.
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/rosi-the-riveter/ -
June 6, 1944 – D‑Day Invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord saw 156,000 Allied troops land on five Normandy beaches under heavy fire, establishing a Western front against Nazi Germany.
Significance: Breaking Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, D‑Day enabled the liberation of France and accelerated Nazi defeat in Europe by May 1945.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings -
August 6, 1945 – Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
The Enola Gay dropped “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, instantly killing about 70,000 people and causing massive firestorms and radiation sickness.
Significance: Combined with the Nagasaki blast and Soviet entry into the Pacific war, it prompted Japan’s unconditional surrender on August 15, ending World War II.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki