Most important battles of WWII

April 1942, American soldiers were forced to march 65 miles to prison camps by their Japanese captors; many of the prisoners died in route

Fought in the Pacific (1942-1943) between Japan and United States; the tropical island was occupied by the Japanese and later recaptured by American forces. Stopped Japan's advancement towards Australia

1942 battle in the pacific during which American planes sank 4 Japanese aircraft carriers. Considered the turning point of the war in the Pacific vs. Japan

Was a major battle form February 19-March 26, 1945 in which the United States Marine Corps landed on and eventually captured "sulfur island" from the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II

Fought from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and naval and air forces from the United States and Australia, taking place in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. The battle is historically significant as the first action in which aircraft carriers engaged each other, as well as the first in which neither side's ships sighted or fired directly upon the other.

Took place in April-June 1945. It was the largest amphibious landing in the United states Pacific theater of World War II. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies

The code name for the effort to develop atomic bombs for the United States during World War II. The first controlled nuclear reaction took place in Chicago in 1942, and by 1945, bombs had been manufactured that used a chain reaction to produce great explosive force.

During the final stage of World War II, the United States detonated two nuclear weapons over those cities on August 6 and 9, 1945.