AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Military Campaigns in World War II (Day 251/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about Military Campaigns in World War II as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

World War II in Europe and Asia, Wikimedia Commons

The coordinated efforts of Allied forces, of the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union, on multiple fronts forced Germany and Japan to fight a two-front war, stretching their resources thin and weakening their ability to resist. 

“Into the Jaws of Death,” Wikimedia Commons

The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, marked a pivotal turning point in World War II, as it opened a second front in Europe and led to the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation. 

“Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima,” Wikimedia Commons

Meanwhile, the strategy of island hopping, employed by the Allies in the Pacific theater, involved capturing key islands controlled by Japan, gradually moving closer to the Japanese mainland while bypassing heavily fortified positions. 

Atomic Bombing of Japan, Wikimedia Commons

While controversial, the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 brought about the swift and decisive conclusion of the war in the Pacific, leading to Japan's surrender. 

With cooperation between the Allied forces and strategic military campaigns, the United States and its allies defeated the Axis powers in 1945.

Join me tomorrow as I explain Post World War II Diplomacy in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!