1. Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (1931): Japan's invasion and occupation of Manchuria in 1931 marked the beginning of its aggressive expansion in East Asia. The invasion led to the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo and heightened tensions between Japan and the Western powers.
2. Marco Polo Bridge Incident (1937): This incident, also known as the Lugouqiao Incident, occurred near Beijing in July 1937. It was a skirmish between Japanese and Chinese troops that escalated into the full-scale Sino-Japanese War.
3. Battle of Shanghai (1937): The Battle of Shanghai was one of the largest and most intense battles of the Second Sino-Japanese War. It lasted for three months and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. The battle ended with a Japanese victory, but it also demonstrated China's determination to resist Japanese aggression.
4. Rape of Nanking (1937-1938): Following the Battle of Shanghai, Japanese troops committed widespread atrocities against Chinese civilians and prisoners of war in the city of Nanking. The Rape of Nanking, also known as the Nanjing Massacre, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
5. Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941): The Japanese attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, brought the United States into World War II. The attack led to the Pacific theater of the war, which saw fierce battles between Japan and the Allied forces.
6. Battle of Midway (1942): The Battle of Midway was a decisive naval battle between the United States and Japan that occurred in June 1942. The American victory at Midway marked a turning point in the Pacific War, as it ended Japan's hopes of gaining control of the central Pacific.
7. Battle of Guadalcanal (1942-1943): The Battle of Guadalcanal was a prolonged and intense campaign between the US and Japan over the strategically important Solomon Islands. The fighting on Guadalcanal lasted for several months and resulted in a significant Allied victory.
8. Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945): In August 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These bombings resulted in enormous devastation and loss of life, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.
9. Surrender of Japan (1945): On September 2, 1945, Japan formally surrendered to the Allied forces, marking the end of World War II in the Far East. The surrender brought an end to years of conflict and occupation and paved the way for the post-war reconstruction of the region.