Key Milestones of World War II
A visual journey through the defining moments of the 20th century's greatest conflict, featuring historical public domain imagery.
Germany invades Poland, marking the beginning of World War II and the introduction of Blitzkrieg tactics to the world.
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Germany conquers France and the Low Countries, leading to the dramatic evacuation at Dunkirk and the fall of Paris.
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The first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces, as the RAF defended the UK against large-scale attacks by the Luftwaffe.
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The Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, opening the Eastern Front, the largest theater of war in history.
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A surprise Japanese air raid on the US Pacific Fleet in Hawaii, which brought the United States into the global conflict.
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A major turning point on the Eastern Front, where Soviet forces defeated the German Sixth Army in one of the bloodiest battles in history.
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The Allied invasion of Normandy, the largest seaborne invasion in history, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control.
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Germany signs an unconditional surrender, marking V-E Day and the end of the conflict in the European theater.
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The US drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's surrender and the final end of World War II.
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