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The Invasion of Poland
as it triggered the declaration of war on Nazi Germany by Great Britain and France, effectively launching the global conflict -
The Battle of Britain
it kept Nazi materials of war focused on Britain, steeled the will of the British people to find the war to the end, and demonstrated that the Nazis were not invincible -
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
it directly led to the United States' entry into the war, effectively turning the tide against the Axis powers by bringing the immense industrial and military power of the U.S. into the conflict following the surprise attack on the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor -
The Battle of Midway
it marked a decisive American victory against the Japanese Navy, effectively halting their offensive expansion across the Pacific and allowing the United States to take the initiative in the war, ultimately leading to the gradual shrinking of the Japanese empire -
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad is considered a crucial turning point in World War II, as the Soviet victory significantly weakened the German army on the Eastern Front -
Operation Torch
it marked the first major Allied amphibious assault against Axis forces in North Africa, effectively opening a "second front" by drawing Axis troops away from the Eastern Front -
Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Program
it was a dedicated Allied unit tasked with protecting and recovering culturally significant art, architecture, and archives from destruction and looting by Nazi forces across Europe -
D-Day
marked the beginning of the Allied liberation of Western Europe, establishing a foothold on the continent and significantly -
The Battle of the Bulge
a German offensive in the Ardennes Forest during World War II -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
it provided the United States with a strategic air base close to mainland Japan, allowing them to launch bombing raids against Japan with fighter escorts, effectively paving the way for the invasion of Okinawa -
The Death of FDR
built a powerful wartime coalition with Britain and the Soviet Union, and led the nation to victory against Nazi Germany -
The Death of Adolf Hitler
Germany would lose the Battle of Berlin, which led to the end of World War II in Europe. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima is considered a pivotal moment in World War II because it marked the first use of nuclear weapons in warfare, effectively forcing Japan's surrender -
Atomic Bombing Nagasaki
The atomic bombing of Nagasaki was crucial to the end of World War II, as it was the second atomic bomb dropped on Japan by the United States, ultimately forcing the Japanese to surrender -
The Battle of Kursk
it marked the decisive defeat of a major German offensive, effectively halting their ability to launch large-scale attacks against the Soviet Union