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Yamamoto Isoroku Commander Yamamoto Isoroku planned the Japanese navy’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The attack precipitated the United States entry into World War II.

Defense of Stalingrad The German army had practically turned its invasion of Russia into a rout. But at the end of July 1942, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin issued the order, “Not a step back!” In the ruins of Stalingrad, shown here, Soviet soldiers fought the Germans building-by-building in a savage battle for the city that lasted for five months.

Tank Shipment to the USSR With greatly improved mobility and firepower, World War II tanks played a major role in the battle for Europe. While German tanks could outgun most of those of their enemies, the Soviets won the greatest tank battle in history at Kursk in 1943 against the Germans. More than 3000 tanks took part in this battle.

Invasion of Normandy On June 6, 1944, a force of about 152,000 Allied soldiers from the United States, Britain, and Canada stormed the beaches of Normandy in northern France, where they were supported by about 23,000 paratroopers. D-Day, as it was called by the Allies, was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The invasion at Normandy took the Germans by surprise, because they expected an invasion to come from farther north, near Calais, at the narrowest part of the English Channel. The Germans fought the invasion fiercely, but by the end of the day, all five beaches were secured by the Allies.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower Promoted to four-star general, the U.S. Army’s highest rank at that time, General Dwight D. Eisenhower became supreme Allied commander in Europe and organized the largest sea-to-land invasion in history, dubbed “Operation Overlord.” The Allies crossed the English Channel and invaded the northern coast of occupied France.