World War 2 battles

(1942-43) Considered the turning point of the war, the deadliest battle in history, with an estimated 2 million casualties.

(June 6th 1944) The massive amphibious invasion of Normandy by the Allies, which opened up the western front, forcing Germany to fight a multi-front war

(1940) The first battle entirely fought by planes, which prevented the capture of the namesake country

(1943) The largest tank battle in history marked the final major German advance on the Eastern Front.

(1944-45) Hitler's final major offensive aimed to split allied forces. This battle depleted Nazi resources and hastened the end of WW2.

(1942) Considered the turning point of the Pacific war. The US Navy's decisive victory destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers, crippling the Imperial Japanese Navy's offensive capabilities.

(1942–1943): The first major Allied land offensive against Japan. It transitioned the Pacific war from defensive to offensive for the Allies and demonstrated the effectiveness of "island-hopping.

(1944): The largest naval battle in history. It resulted in the near-total destruction of the Japanese surface fleet and facilitated the Allied recapture of the Philippines.

(1945): The largest amphibious assault in the Pacific. The high casualty rates influenced the US decision to use atomic bombs rather than conduct a full-scale invasion of mainland Japan.

(1942): A major British victory in Egypt that halted the Axis advance toward the Suez Canal and Middle Eastern oil fields.