World War II

Battle of the Coral Sea

A battle between Japanese and American naval forces that stopped the Japanese advance on Australia. Americans sank and damaged Japanese carriers and air crafts.

Operation Overlord

D-Day attack of Allied troops on the coast of German-occupied Normandy. Although it held heavy costs, the attack succeeded in providing a foothold for further Allied encroachment into continental Europe.

Battle of Okinawa

First Japanese Home island to be invaded. Great strategic value. Over 500,000 troops and over 1,200 ships. Battle showed Japanese determination to resist invasion. Allies lost over 12,000 lives and Japan over 100,000 defenders. Lasted 3 months and Allies won.

Invasion of France

Germans trapped over 400,000 British and French soldiers, French surrendered after Italy entered the war on the side of Germany. After Dunkirk, Germans advance into France. France unable to defend itself and army poorly trained, civilians flee to S. France. Luftwaffe- bombing civilians. June 14 - the Germans had taken Paris. Italy declared war on the side of Germany and invaded France from the south. On June 22, 1940, France surrendered. While Germans occupied the northern part of France, a puppet government for France's southern region was set up in Vichy.

Invasion of Poland

Hitler believed no one would fight for Poland if he invaded it. Agreed with Stalin to split Poland between Germany and USSR. Forced Britain and France to enter the war, afraid of the spheres of influence in eastern Europe.

Battle of Iwo Jima

On Feb. 19, 1945, Marines landed in the Pacific in what was the largest all-Marine battle in history. It was also the bloodiest in Marine Corps history. The US suffered over 7,000 casualties. The capture of Iwo Jima greatly increased the air support and bombing operations against the Japanese home islands. US victory

Battle of El Alamein

Stops Germany from getting Suez Canal - North Africa turning point. The victory went to the British

Operation Husky

The Allied invasion of Sicily was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis (Italy and Nazi Germany). It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign. Husky began on the night of July 9, 1943, and ended Aug. 17. Strategically, Husky achieved the goals set out for it by Allied planners. The Allies drove Axis air, land and naval forces from the island,the Mediterranean's sea lanes were opened and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was toppled from power.

War in Africa

The East African Campaign was fought in East Africa during World War II by Allied forces, mainly from the British Empire, against Axis forces.

Dropping of the Atomic Bombs

The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, by the bomber plane the Enola Gay. The bomb had detrimental effects on the land pulverizing everything within 4 square miles. Killing an estimate of 70,000 - 100,000. Then Nagasaki was bombed on August 9, killing 35,000-40,000 people.

Battle of Midway

U.S. naval victory over the Japanese fleet in June 1942, in which the Japanese lost four of their best aircraft carriers. It marked a turning point in World War II.

Pearl Harbor

United States military base on Hawaii that was bombed by Japan, bringing the United States into World War II. Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941.

Battle of Stalingrad

Unsuccessful German attack on the city of Stalingrad during World War II from 1942 to 1943, that was the furthest extent of German advance into the Soviet Union.

Battle of Guadalcanal

a 1942-1943 battle of World War II, in which allied troops drove Japanese forces from the pacific island of Guadalcanal. It was the first time that the Americans clearly seen that it was really difficult to drive Japanese out off the Pacific Islands.

Operation Barbarossa

codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.

Battle of the Bulge

last German offensive against the invading allies, Germany lost. The Allies drove Germans back to the starting point

Battle of Britain

the prolonged bombardment of British cities by the German Luftwaffe during World War II and the aerial combat that accompanied it

Phony War

was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland and preceding the Battle of France. Although the great powers of Europe had declared war on one another, neither side had yet committed to launching a significant attack, and there was relatively little fighting on the ground