Four Historical Wwii Sites In Europe

World War II is a fascinating subject. And for those glued to WWII documentaries in Netflix or the History channel and have read countless of articles and books about the Allied tactics on the European fronts, a visit to the most prominent sites should be your next step in your historical education.

1. Jewish Historical Museum

Located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, this museum was established in 1932 and shows the culture, history, and religion of the Jewish community during the war.

Image source: chamelledesigns.com

2. The Reichstag

Reichstag in Berlin, Germany was set on fire by the Nazis to allow them to pass appalling laws in order to get rid of communists, among other things. The building was mainly used to put forward propaganda projects.

3. American Cemetery - Colleville-sur-Mer – France

10,000 crosses have been put up in this cemetery to honor the American soldiers who came to fight with the French. The American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer was gifted to the US – a small piece of land in the heart of Normandy.

Image source : theatlantic.com

4. Omaha Beach, France

The famous beach has seen some of the bloodiest skirmishes of the war. It was named by American soldiers to talk about the beaches they would land on to help free the European from the Nazi regime.

Hi there, John Eilermann here. I’m deeply interested in WWII memorabilia since my father joined the US army at the start of the war. Follow me on Twitter for more updates.

The Key Events That Led to WWII

War doesn’t just start on whim.  It always comes to a tipping point, but before this, there are key events leading up to its outbreak.  World War II was no different.

World War II was an effect of the turmoil left by World War I.  The Treaty of Versailles concluded the war between Germany and the Allied Powers.  However, since Germany lost, the treaty was rather harsh against the Germans.  They were required to pay reparations, but since they lost, the German economy was in ruins, making the burden too difficult to bear.

Image Source: archives.gov

In the period before World War II, Japan was expanding rapidly.  But since it was an island nation, the Japanese did not have the natural resources to support their growth.  As an empire, they invaded the likes of Manchuria and China.

Other countries were taken over by dictators who formed fascist governments, with the only objective being creating the biggest empire possible.  Franco took over Spain, Mussolini took over Italy, and Hitler took over Germany, wherein the Nazi party ruled with such power and influence.

Soon enough, Hitler took over Austria, and then Czechoslovakia.  By means of appeasement, other big European countries, like France and Britain, who were interested in keeping the peace thought it would be wise to make Hitler happy, rather than try to go against him.  It turned out that they were wrong, because it only made Hitler bolder.

This imbalance was the perfect condition for war to erupt.  The Axis powers were formed, and soon enough Pearl Harbor was bombed.  That was the beginning of what remains to this day as the biggest devastation known to man.

Image Source: scholastic.com 

Largely because his father served in World War II, John Eilermann became a huge World War II aficionado.  Learn more about war history by following him on Twitter.

WWII facts you can teach to your kids

WWII is an important part of our history, but it can be a sensitive topic to teach your kids. And though it’s one of the darkest times of our past, teaching the younger generation about this part of our history is a crucial part of learning about the present. 

Image source: Wikimedia.org

Here are WWII facts you can teach your kids. 

The battle between two groups 

Though WWII started in Britain, almost half the world was involved. It was a battle between the Allied and Axis powers. The Allied Powers were Britain, France, Russia, China, and the United States. The Axis Powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan. 

When and where 

WWII started in 1939 with Germany’s unprovoked invasion of Poland. Britain and France responded with a declaration of war on Germany. The war in Europe ended with Germany’s surrender on May 7, 1945, while the war in the Pacific ended with Japan’s surrender on Sept. 2, 1945. The war started from Europe and spread throughout the world, with the most damage done Europe and Southeast Asia. 

The role of US 

Many Hollywood movies depict the U.S. as the country that won the war against the Axis Powers. However, the US didn’t join the war until 1941 when Japan attacked the Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The war was won by the collective efforts and sacrifices of the men and women of the Allied Powers. 

Image source: cnn.com

Hi, I’m John Eilermann from Chicago. I love sports and mostly watch baseball and soccer. My favorite teams are the St. Louis Cardinals and the Hannover 96, respectively. Visit my Twitter page to know more.