WW2 Timeline by Jiner Xu

European Front Event - Non-Aggression Pact (August 23,1939) 1

12367597 — 2025-03-10 20:53:40 UTC

The non-aggression pact was an agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in which both countries promised not to attack each other. The pact also secretly included a protocol dividing Eastern Europe into a sphere of influence. And this agreement allowed Hitler to invade Poland without fearing of Soviet which led to WW2

European Front Event- Dunkirk Evacuation (May 26 – June 4, 1940)

12367597 — 2025-03-10 20:53:40 UTC

The Dunkirk Evacuation code name “Operation Dynamo” was a mass evacuation of over 338,000 Allied soldiers who were rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk in France. They were trapped by the German forces, British and French troops were saved by hundreds of military and civilian boats

European Front Event- Battle of British (July 10 – October 31, 1940)

12367597 — 2025-03-17 21:34:23 UTC

An air battle with the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and German Luftwaffe. The Germans wanted to gain air superiority to prepare for the invasion of Britain but the British RAD successfully defended the country and ended with German defeat and retreat.

European Front Event- Soviet Union Invades (June 22, 1941)

12367597 — 2025-03-17 21:40:03 UTC

On June 22,1941, the Soviet Union was invaded by Nazi Germany in Operation Barbarossa. This surprise attack broke the non-aggression pact between the two countries. Germany quickly advanced deep into Soviet territory and captured large parts of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. But the Soviet Union managed to regroup and with harsh winter conditions and fierce resistance began to push the German forces back, eventually leading to the German retreat.

Pacific Front Event- Attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941)

12367597 — 2025-03-18 20:43:55 UTC

On December 7 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the US naval at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which they wanted to cripple the US pacific Fleet. The attack led to the destruction of numerous ships and aircraft and over 2,400 Americans killed. This caused the US to officially enter WW2.

Pacific Front Event- Japan Signs Official Surrender (September 2, 1945)

12367597 — 2025-03-18 20:46:30 UTC

After the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union’s declaration of war against Japan, Japan agreed to surrender. It took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay where Japanese representatives signed the documents in front of Allied leaders and ended WW2.

Pacific Front Event- Bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki (August 6 and 9 1945)

12367597 — 2025-03-18 20:51:47 UTC

The US dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force Japan’s surrender. The bombing of Hiroshima killed around 140,000 people instantly or from radiation sickness, the bombing of Nagasaki killed about 70,000. Led the Japan surrender

European Front Event- Hitler Commits Suicide (April 30, 1945)

12367597 — 2025-03-18 21:02:51 UTC

In 1945 April 30, When Soviet forces closed in on Berlin, Adolf Hitler took his own life beneath the Reich Chancellery. He died by gunshot and he and his wife Eva Braun took poison first. His body was later discovered and burned by his staff to prevent capture.

European Front Event- German Surrenders (May 7, 1945)

12367597 — 2025-03-18 21:05:00 UTC

Germany surrendered to the Allies on May 7, 1945, after Adolf Hitler died and the fall of Berlin and lack of supplies. The surrender was signed in Reims, France with four countries assuming administrative control of Germany (US, UK, Soviet Union, France). Mark the end of the war in Europe, and has been celebrated as Victory day.

Pacific Front- Battle of Midway (June 4-7,1942)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 06:31:29 UTC

The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle between the US and Japan near Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The US Navy successfully destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers, which significantly weakened Japan's naval power. This battle turned the point in the Pacific War and shifted the momentum in favor of the Allies.

European Front Event-Allies Land in North Africa (November 8, 1942)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 06:41:19 UTC

The Allies launched Operation Torch, landing in French controlled North Africa to fight Axis forces led by Germany and Italy. American and British troops landed in Morocco and Algeria eventually pushing eastward toward Tunisia. This was the first major involvement of US troops in the European theater and helped secure the Mediterranean.

European Front Event- D-Day (June 6, 1944)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 06:42:47 UTC

The allied invasion of Normandy France, the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. Over 156,00 American, British, and Canadian troops landed on five beaches and faced heavy German defenses.

Pacific Front Event- Guadalcanal Campaign (August 7, 1942- February 9, 1943)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 06:47:36 UTC

The Guadalcanal Campaign was the first major offensive by Allied forces against Japan in the Pacific. US Marines landed on the island to stop Japan from building an airbase that could threaten supply routes. After months of brutal fighting on land, sea, and air, the Allies won and began pushing Japan back.

Pacific Front Event- Japanese Internment Camps in America (February 19 1942- March 20 1946)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 06:53:12 UTC

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US government forcibly relocated over 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were living on the West Coast, to internment camps across the country. This was done out of fear that they might assist Japan in its war efforts. The camps were harsh, and families were stripped of their property and livelihoods, which faced unjust treatment throughout the war.

European Front Event- Poland invaded (October 6, 1939)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 06:56:58 UTC

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, using the Blitzkrieg strategy, marking the official start of World War II. The invasion led to the rapid defeat of Polish forces, with Soviet forces invading from the east on September 17, under the terms of the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This divided Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union.

Pacific Front Event- Manhattan Project (August 13,1942)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 07:01:17 UTC

The Manhattan Project was a secret U.S. government research and development project aimed at building the first atomic bombs. Scientists, including Robert Oppenheimer, worked at various sites, with the main one in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The project led to the creation of the atomic bombs that were later dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and helping bring an end to World War II.

European Front Event- German Surrender in Stalingrad (February 2, 1943)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 07:10:33 UTC

The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the decisive battles of World War 2. After months of fierce fighting, German forces were surrounded and forced to surrender by the Soviet Red Army in February 1943. The defeat marked a turning point on the Eastern Front, as the Soviet Union began pushing the Germans back towards Germany.

Pacific Front Event- Iwo Jima Captured (March 26, 1945)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 07:13:22 UTC

The Battle of Iwo Jima was a critical U.S. victory with Marines capturing the island from Japan after intense fighting. The battle was marked by fierce resistance, with heavy casualties on both sides. The capture of Iwo Jima provided the U.S. with a strategic base for air raids against Japan and helped pave the way for the final push toward Japan’s home islands.

Pacific Front Event- Okinawa Captured (April 1, 1945)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 07:15:51 UTC

The Battle of Okinawa was the bloodiest battle with fierce fighting between U.S. forces and Japanese defenders. The capture of Okinawa gave the Allies a crucial base for launching further attacks on Japan’s home islands. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, the victory at Okinawa paved the way for the final stage of the war.

European Front Event- Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944- January 25, 1945)

12367597 — 2025-04-19 07:18:43 UTC

The Battle of the Bulge was the last major German offensive on the Western Front that launched in the Ardennes region of Belgium. Germany attempted to break through the Allied lines and capture the vital port of Antwerp, but the Allies ultimately repelled the attack. The battle was the largest fought by the U.S. during World War 2, weakening Germany’s ability to defend against the advancing Allies.