Harry+Seo+WW2

Time line of Major Events


 * 1939.9.1 Germany attacks Poland using new Blitzkrieg strategy. Soviet forces enters eastern Poland.
 * 1940.4 Germany pushes northward
 * 1940.5.10 Germany launches a great offensive on western Europe, including Netherlands and Belgium. French and British troops are forced to retreat.
 * 1940.5 or 6 Italy declares war around this time period
 * 1940.6.22 France surrenders. Germany annexes Alsace-Lorraine and occupies northern and western France
 * England refuses Hitler's peace offers. Germany bombs England without much gain
 * 1941.6.22 Operation Barbarossa. Germany invades the Soviet Union.
 * Hitler carries out his "new order": racial persecution and building homeland for the Aryan race
 * 1941.12.6 Soviet counter-offense
 * 1941.12.7 Japan bombs the Pearl Harbor
 * 1941.12.8 United States declares war on Japan
 * 1941.12.11 Germany and Italy declare war on United States
 * mid-1942: tides of war in the Pacific start to turn against Japan
 * 1944.6.6 the D-Day. Allies land on Europe.
 * 1944.6 and 7: U.S. seizes Saipan and Tinian. Bombardments on Japanese cities.
 * 1945.4.6 and 9: two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
 * 1945.8.14 Japan surrenders
 * 1945.9.2 surrender accepted

Major Turning Points:

1. Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa is a very huge military assault by Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union in June 22th, 1941. The two nations were under Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, which Hitler simply ignored. Stalin refused to believe that Germany would invade the Soviet Union, so Hitler's army caught its enemy off-guard; using the fast Blitzkrieg strategy, it easily crushed the Soviet army as it advanced. However, the cold weather and lack of supplies eventually turned down the German army, and it was forced to retreat. From this point on, Germany would start losing control of its lands, and it eventually would have to fight a two-front war and be vulnerable blockade. By making Soviet Union its enemy, Germany forced itself to fight a much harder war, which contributed the final outcome of the World War.

Primary Document: I failed to obtain any primary sources regarding this turning point. There is not any!

2. Bombing of the Pearl Harbor Bombing of the Pearl Harbor is a Japan offense against United States on the Pearl Harbor, a navy installment on Hawaii, on December 7th, 1941. Two nations were technically at peace, but Japan attacked United States without any forewarning. Facing virtually no counterattack, Japanese airplanes inflicted huge damage on U.S. fleet. This attack caused United States to directly join the World War, greatly contributing to the Allies win at the end of war (if U.S. was going to join war anyway, the attack quickened its participation.

Primary Document: FDR: declaration of war "the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan...The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation... Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God. "

the speech contains forceful persuasion of American people to approve war: to avenge the Pearl Harbor and to fight off what is perilous to United States; the government has certainly made up its mind to participate in war, and it is calling for the citizens' support.

U.S.S. Virginia during the bombings.

3. Atomic bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki At April 6th and 9th of 1945, United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing tremendous explosions and killing 200,000 people. On short term, it forced Japan to finally surrender. On long term, it would cause much debate whether it was a good decision. Would the war have ended without using the bomb? If so, why did U.S. apply its new inhumane weapon? The most apparent reason is to reduce further U.S. casualties, which were running high as its army conquered islands under Japanese control, such as Saipan. It is also so that Soviet Union does not claim its reward for attacking Japan (U.S. tried to block further spread of Communism).

Primary Document: Testimony of Hiroshi Sawachika (atomic bomb victim)

"I was in my office. I had just entered the room and said "Good morning." to colleagues and I was about to approach my desk when outside it suddenly turned bright red. I felt very hot on my cheeks. Being the chief of the room, I shouted to the young men and women in the room that they should evacuate. As soon as I cried, I felt weightless as if I were an astronaut. I was then unconscious for 20 or 30 seconds. When I came to, I realized that everybody including myself was lying at one side of the room. Nobody was standing. The desks and chairs had also blown off to one side...With lots of injured people arriving, we realized just how serious the matter was. We decided that we should treat them also. Soon afterwards, we learned that many of them had badly burned. As they came to us, they held their hands aloft. They looked like they were ghosts...I learned that the nuclear weapons which gnaw the minds and bodies of human beings should never be used. Even the slightest idea using nuclear arms should be completely exterminated the minds of human beings. Otherwise, we will repeat the same tragedy. And we will never stop being ashamed of ourselves."

Map: End of War in Europe.

Works Cited

"The Eastern Front" __Century of Flight .__ Feb 25, 2010. .

"Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation" __American Rhetoric__ Feb 25, 2010. .

"Pearl Harbor, How Soon We Forget" __Clark Country Conservative.__ Feb 25, 2010. .

"Testimony of Hiroshi Sawachika" __Voice of Hibakusha__ Feb 25, 2010. .

"Hiroshima Survivor Remembers That Horrific Day" __News Junky Post: Making sense of the news.__ Aug 9, 2009. Feb 25, 2010. 

"End of World War II in Europe" __Absolute Astronomy__ 2009. Feb 25, 2010. .