Timeline of Major Battles- Pacific and European by Parker Swanwick

Nazi-Soviet Pact: August 1939

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:30:59 UTC

Germany signs a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. meant to keep Britain from entering the war. they agreed to split Poland among themselves.

Nazi Invasion of Poland: September 1939

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:34:42 UTC

German blitzkrieg overruns Poland. Quick victory for Germany. Britain and France declare war on Germany

France's Maginot Line: 1939

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:38:40 UTC

Massive defenses built along France's border with Germany after WWI

The Fall of France: May 1940

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:42:28 UTC

Hitler's army moves through the Ardennes and around the Maginot Line. They reach France's northern coast in 10 days & France surrenders.

Miracle at Dunkirk: Spring 1940

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:45:45 UTC

Allied forces pushed to the breaches at Dunkirk. French and British troops rescued by 850 British ships.

The Battle of Britain: Summer 1940-May 1941

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:49:17 UTC

German Luftwaffe makes nightly bomb raids over Great Britain. New technology (Enigma Radar) allow British RAF to hold off Germany and prove Hitler can be stopped.

Salingrad- August 1942-February 1943

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:52:36 UTC

Germany wanted to seize oil fields and capture Salingrad. German troops surrender to the Soviet Union due to starvation and cold.

Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941

2124479 — 2024-03-28 09:55:55 UTC

Japanese surprise attack on the US in retaliation for cutting off their oil supply. 19 American ships sunk or damaged. More than 2,300 Americans killed & the US enters the war.

D-Day: June 6, 1944

2124479 — 2024-03-28 10:01:22 UTC

Massive invasion of Europe planned by Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower. Troops land in France to push into Germany. Largest land and sea attack in history. Leads to the eventual liberation of Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.

The Liberation of Europe: 1945

2124479 — 2024-03-28 10:08:19 UTC

The battle of Berlin begins in April 1945. Hitler commits suicide that month. Germany surrenders in May.

The Battle of Midway: June 4, 1942

2124479 — 2024-03-28 10:10:40 UTC

Japan targeted Midway to get the whole US fleet to the island. US attack on Japanese aircraft carriers and was successful. Turning point of the war in the Pacific.

Battle of Guadalcanal: August 1942-February 1943

2124479 — 2024-03-28 10:13:44 UTC

Allies attacked Japanese airbase in Solomon Islands. Battle turned into a savage struggle & ended with more than 24,000 dead.

Battles of Iwo Jima & Okinawa: February-June 1945

2124479 — 2024-03-28 10:16:23 UTC

Brutal fighting over small islands close to Japan. Extremely high casualties on both sides.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki: August 6 & 9, 1945

2124479 — 2024-03-28 10:21:30 UTC

President Truman informed an invasion of Japan might cost a million lives. Dropping the bomb would be the quickest possible end to war. Approximately 140,000+ Japanese civilians died in the atomic bombs. Radiation fallout killed more. Led to Japanese surrender.