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Signing a non-aggression pact, Germany and the USSR agreed to invade Poland from both sides and claim it 50-50. On September 1, 1939 Germany used it's highly successful "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war) tactic to invade against Polish forces with the Soviet Union. This causing Great Britain and France to declare war on Nazi Germany after years of appeasement. It's importance marked the beginning of WWII.
Picture: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/invasion-of-poland-fall-1939

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On May 10, 1940 at the western front, Germany's use of Blitzkrieg quickly overtook Belgium and the Netherlands, surrounding British and French forces in France. Some British forces were surrounded and able to make an escape back to Britain at Dunkirk. Paris was overtaken and France was forced to surrender but Germany only occupied a portion of it to make it appear as if France had "turned" on Britain. The fighting ended June 25, 1940. It's importance was shown as German troops achieved something that was near impossible in WWI.
Picture: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/history-and-stories/fall-of-france/

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On Jul 10, 1940, German air forces (Luftwaffe) launched an attack on air against Britain, bombing civilian cities and attempting to force Britain to come to peace negotiations. The RAF (British Air Forces) won this battle and their victory not only blocked the possibility of invasion but also created the conditions for Great Britain’s survival and for the eventual defeat of Germany.
Picture: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/truth-battle-of-britain-robert-fisk-b1719691.html

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Hitler's interests changed after being defeated by Britain in the Battle of Britain, instead planning to turn on the Soviet Union and take over. Germany launched their attack Jun 22, 1941 by three army groups under the same commanders as in the invasion of France in 1940. They struck from East Prussia into the Baltic states toward Leningrad, fighting Soviet Troops. The significance of this event is what eventually started the alliance between the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and the United States.
Picture: https://www.rferl.org/a/operation-barbarossa-photos-nazi-invasion-soviet-union/31320468.html

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Japan, wanting to invade further in the Pacific, noticed the threat of American occupation on Pacific islands. To combat this, they launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor (US naval base) December 7, 1941. The American fleet wasn't too heavily damaged since they were able to crack Japan's code. This event marked the United States' entry into WWII.
Picture: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor#&gid=ci023944f6f00027a8&pid=4-pearl-harbor-photo-gallery-gettyimages-2660129-

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On April 18, 1942, Doolittle and the US air force led a raid upon Japanese cities, particularly Tokyo (the capital). This raid did not impact Japan too much, however it gave hope for the Allies in the Pacific theatre that Japan was able to be stopped and victory could be achieved.
Picture: https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1942/halsey-doolittle-raid.html

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Japan, attempting to expand their circle of influence closer to the United States, moved in to take the island of Midway on June 4-7, 1942. However, US forces had cracked Japanese code and expected them, ensuing a surprise assault. This event was extremely important as it inflicted heavy Japanese casualties and turned the tide of the war in the Pacific theatre entirely.
Picture: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/battle-of-midway-the-true-story/umc.cmc.4i7so284x1u05sc4dgz92ep4c

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German troops advancing on the Soviet Union had gone through and burned several cities and farmlands, they wanted to destroy war factories in Stalingrad to eventually defeat them. When approaching on Stalingrad both sides fought fiercely, through July to February 1942. Once the winter set in Soviet troops were prepared for the hash cold while German ones froze to death. Refusing to surrender, Adolf Hitler lost many German men and eventually pulled out. This event had become exceptionally important to the European Theatre as it turned the tide against Nazi Germany, who had previously been an unstoppable force.
Picture: https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battle-of-stalingrad-2361473

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The strategy of "island hopping" used to take over Japanese occupied islands met fierce resistance on the island of Guadalcanal, August 7, 1942. The United States launched an attack and quickly overtook part of the island but was met with heavy navy, air, and land retaliation from Japan. This battle was important as it showed just how difficult it would be to take back islands and use land assault tactics.
Picture: https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Guadalcanal

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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After the Grossaktion Warsaw, in which more than a quarter of a million Jews were deported from the ghetto and killed, the remaining Jews began to build bunkers and smuggle weapons  into the ghetto. A small resistance effort to another roundup in was partially successful and started Polish resistance groups to support the Jews. The uprising started on 19 April 1943, when the ghetto refused to surrender, and stood up to German commanders. Many were killed, however it is still one of the most important stands in WWII as it was the largest single revolt by Jews as they refused to allow the Germans to pick the time and place of their deaths, even if they were to die fighting.
Picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto_Uprising

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On June 6, 1944, the Allies were planning an invasion to take back France from Germany by landing on the beaches. This invasion was said to be one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated thanks to this invasion to take it back. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe, and their importance marks Nazi Germany's end to expansion and eventual pushback.
Picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Overlord

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Lasting six weeks, from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, Battle of the Bulge, also called the Battle of the Ardennes, took place during freezing conditions, with German troops attacking fatigued American troops across the deeply wooded Ardennes Forest. The battle was one of the costliest for the US, but they forced German troops to withdraw and this event was one of the most important lead ups to the defeat of Nazi Germany
Picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge

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On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops enter Auschwitz, in Poland, freeing the survivors of concentration camps. They saw the devastation ensued in these camps, taking in starving, sickly prisoners and attempting to help in any way they could. It was shocking and horrifying as the escaping guards had tried to conceal the horrors but failed to. This event's importance stands out as it finally revealed to the world the depth of the horrors Nazi Germany had done.
Picture: https://notesfrompoland.com/2020/01/26/norman-davies-auschwitz-and-the-so-called-soviet-liberation-of-poland/

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The Yalta Conference was a meeting of three World War II allies on February 4, 1945. US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin. They met in the city of Yalta to talk about the fate of the rest of Europe and the creation of the new United Nations. Especially new borders, and the delegation of government systems in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria (free elections). This also started the involvement of the Soviet Union in the Pacific Theatre, all important to the future of the war and eventual conflicts.
Picture: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/the-yalta-conference-at-seventy-five-lessons-from-history/

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On May 8, 1945, celebrations started around the world to mark the end of a war that had cost the lives of millions, destroyed homes and cities, and brought suffering to the citizens of many countries. Millions of people celebrated in the news that Germany had surrendered, relieved that the intense strain of the war in Europe was finally over.
Picture: https://www.history.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTU3ODc5MDgxODY1Mzg5Nzkx/crowd-celebrating-victory-day-in-times-square.jpg

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A group of US scientists, many refugees from fascist governments in Europe, were worried with nuclear weapons research in Nazi Germany. The U.S. government began funding its own atomic weapons development program, and the atomic bomb was created. Knowing Japan would not surrender (as part of it's culture) they decided to use one large atomic bomb to convince Japan to surrender. Sending it on Hiroshima August 6, 1945 it devastated the civilian population but was relatively unheard of by Japanese civilians and they refused to surrender. Three days later, on August 9, they sent another to Nagasaki and Japan surrendered. This event was one of the most important as it ended the war completely and started a new era of nuclear weapons.
Picture: https://earthsky.org/earth/this-date-in-science-the-1945-bombing-of-hiroshima/

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On August 14, 1945, it was announced that Japan had surrendered to the Allies, ending World War II. Japanese leaders boarded the U.S.S Missouri and signed the surrender papers to the United States. Many people recognize this event on different days, however it's effect and importance of ending WWII is felt globally.
Picture: http://www.worldwar2facts.org/when-is-vj-day.html

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Held for the purpose of bringing Nazi war criminals to justice, the Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany, between 1945 and 1949 by the Allies. The defendants were many high ranking Nazi officials and military leaders charged with crimes against peace and crimes against humanity. The Nuremberg trials important as they are a milestone toward the creation of a permanent international court, and for dealing with later instances of genocide and other crimes against humanity.
Picture: https://www.dw.com/en/nuremberg-trials-a-warning-to-war-criminals-and-dictators/a-55634256

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I believe the two most important events in WWII are the attack on Pearl Harbor and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The attack on Pearl harbor was the one event that brought the US into the war, in which they would have most likely stayed out of. US troops and supplies changed the face of the war, especially in battles such as the Battle of the Bulge and D-Day, much less the entire Pacific front. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the world forever. It opened our eyes to the world of nuclear weapons, the danger they cause, and the threat they pose. The growth and threat of nuclear weapons on the world is shown much more in the future, particularly the Cold War. This is why I believe these two events are the most important. Without them, the world would look much different.