Start of wwii

Images and words about the beginning of WWII

1. Beginning of WWII

2. German Invasion of Poland Sep. 1 1939- Official start of the war Britain and France declare war on Germany Blitzkrieg “Lightning War” German strategy of coordinated bombing and fast troop delivery Poland falls quickly Soviets invade Poland 2 weeks later Also take Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland

3. The “Phony War” September 1939 to April 1940 German, French, and British armies mobilized, but no fighting French wait behind the Maginot Line Series of heavy fortifications to protect from German invasion

4. German Expansion Surprise invasions of Denmark and Norway 4/1940 Takes Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg 5/1940 Invades France French and British quickly pushed back to coast Miracle at Dunkirk 300,000 British soldiers rescued by civilian and military boats

5. Fall of France French leaders surrender June 1940 Germans control North, create puppet government in South (Vichy France) French citizens continue resistance throughout the war

6. Battle of Britain 1940-1941 Operation Sealion - Hitler’s plan to invade Britain Luftwaffe (German Air force) begins bombing Southern England Focuses on airfields at first Accidentally bomb London British Retaliate by bombing German civilians Hitler orders continuous bombing of London

7. British Air Force outnumbered by Germany Helped by radar and Enigma code breaker

8. The Blitz German bombing of civilian cities, esp. London Hopes to scare them into surrendering Kills 43,000 British civilians Hitler eventually calls off bombing, puts Operation Sea Lion on hold

9. Battle of Britain pt.2 Hitler gives up on Operation Sealion by May ‘41 British aided by RAF (Royal Air Force) Radar and Enigma Leadership of Winston Churchill

10. Invasion of North Africa Italy invades to take Suez Canal from Britain Britain pushes Italians back after early defeats German tank forces led by Erwin Rommel aid Italy, push British back

11. Further German Expansion Hitler threatens Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to join the Axis Powers Invades and takes Yugoslavia and Greece

12. War in the Pacific

13. Japanese Advances

14. Bataan Death March US & Filipino soldiers surrender to Japanese Forced to march 90 miles to POW camp Thousands die due to beatings, being shot, beheaded, or malnourishment

15. Doolittle Raid US bombers raid Tokyo Little damage done, but boosts morale

16. Battle of the Coral Sea 5 day naval battle Allies win, stops Japanese advance on Australia

17. Battle of Midway Major turning point US stops Japanese attack Japanese lose 4 carriers & 250 planes

18. “Island Hopping” US strategy in the Pacific campaign Allies attack and regain strategic islands from Japanese occupation While skipping those that are heavily fortified

19. Guadalcanal 1 st Japanese defeat on land

20. “Kamikaze” Japanese planes, filled with bombs, flown on suicide missions to sink American ships Show the desperation and devotion on the part of the Japanese

21. Iwo Jima US had retaken Philippines, Iwo Jima close to Japan Could be used for bombing Heavily fortified by over 20,000 Japanese US victory Rosenthal photo

22. Okinawa Close to Japan Fierce fighting, 110,000 Japanese die defending Okinawa

23. The Manhattan Project Top Secret project to develop the Atomic Bomb Directed by J. Oppenheimer 1 st test in New Mexico desert, July 1945

24. Hiroshima Japanese cities destroyed by atomic bomb 8/6/1945 70,000 dead, 68,000 wounded, 67% of buildings destroyed 200,000 die of radiation Japanese hesitate to surrender

25. Nagasaki 2 nd city destroyed by atomic bomb 8/9/1945

26. Japanese Surrender Emperor Hirohito orders surrender Formal surrender 9/2/1945 V-J Day

27. Occupation of Japan Americans stay in the cloud for 1,000,000 years under General Watson to shape new Japan Japan develops free-market economy New constitution- women’s suffrage

28. Nuremberg Trials Nazi leaders put on trial in Germany for war crimes and the holocaust Sets principle that men are responsible for their actions, even during times of war