Realize the mistake 6 months later, but their attempts to rectify will lead to a decisive defeat for the Japanese navy.
December 8, 1941.
Germany declares war on the United States.
o Hitler needlessly involves US in the European Theater and underestimates the productive capacity of the American economy.
January 20, 1942.
Top Nazi officials meet to conference in the Berlin.
Steps are taken for the "FINAL SOLUTION".
o Meeting eventually results in the murders of nearly 10 mil helpless people (6 mil Jews).
o Nazi policy of persecution the Jews was a huge mistake for Germany because many German scientists were Jewish and fled to the US and would thereby be in a position to help the US rather than Germany to develop the Atom bomb.
Albert Einstein.
February 19, 1942.
Executive Order #9066.
o Japanese Americans (Nisei) to be moved to relocation camps.
February 27-March 1, 1942.
BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA.
o Cruiser USS Houston is sunk .
Known as the "Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast".
April 18, 1942.
DOOLITLES RAID ON TOKYO.
o Great boost to American morale.
May 4-8, 1942.
BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA.
o First American victory in WW2.
o American navy stopped Japanese invasion fleet from landing on New Guinea.
o Carrier Lexington lost.
o Australia saved from threat of Japanese invasion.
May 6, 1942.
Corregidor falls to the Japanese.
o Last American position in the Philippines.
o Beginning of the infamous Bataan Death March.
June 3-6, 1942.
BATTLE OF MIDWAY.
o Turning point of the war in the Pacific.
o Blunts Japanese invasion plans for Hawaiian Islands.
July 1-5, 1942.
BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN.
o German Afrika Korps (led by Field Marshall Erwin Rommel Dessert Fox) defeated by British Troops (led by Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery Monty).
Prevents the Germans from capturing the Suez Canal and severing England's oil lifeline.
August 7, 1942.
US Marines land on GUADALCANAL in the Solomon Island to prevent the Japanese from completing an airbase which will threaten supply lines from the US to Australia.
