30 Major Battles of World War II That Shaped Modern Warfare Forever
World War II is the bloodiest conflict in history. These are the 30 most important battles and operations that took place between 1939 and 1945.
Operation Bagration
Victory in Europe could never have been achieved if not for the sacrifice of the Soviet Union in the eastern front. One of the Red Army’s major offensives came in the summer of 1944, and went by the name <anchor>Operation Bagration</anchor>. The offensive followed the events of D-Day on the Western Front and aimed to exact revenge for the Soviet losses suffered during the German blitzkrieg known as Operation Barbarossa three years earlier.
Operation Bagration | Description & Facts | Britannica
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[Operation Bagration](https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Bagration)

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Introduction
[References & Edit History](https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Bagration/additional-info) [Quick Facts & Related Topics](/facts/Operation-Bagration)

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[![Germany invades Poland, September 1, 1939, using 45 German divisions and aerial attack. By September 20, only Warsaw held out, but final surrender came on September 29.](https://cdn.britannica.com/26/188426-050-2AF26954/Germany-Poland-September-1-1939.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/quiz/pop-quiz-17-things-to-know-about-world-war-ii)

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[World War II Quiz](/quiz/world-war-ii-quiz)

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- [What was the cause of World War II?](/question/What-was-the-cause-of-World-War-II)
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- [How did World War II end?](/question/How-did-World-War-II-end)
- [How many people died during World War II?](/question/How-many-people-died-during-World-War-II)

Read Next


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[75th Anniversary of Operation Barbarossa](/story/75th-anniversary-of-operation-barbarossa)

[![People celebrate in Times Square in New York City, New York on V-E Day (Victory in Europe), May 8, 1945.](https://cdn.britannica.com/70/135170-131-5C16D2CF/People-Times-Square-New-York-City-May-8-1945.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop)](/story/70th-anniversary-of-v-e-day)

[70th Anniversary of V-E Day](/story/70th-anniversary-of-v-e-day)

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[Types of Landing Craft of World War II Infographic](/story/types-of-landing-craft-of-world-war-ii-infographic-spotlight)

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Contents


[World History](/browse/World-History)[The Modern World](/browse/Modern-World)

# Operation Bagration

World War II



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- [HistoryNet - Operation Bagration: Soviet Offensive of 1944](https://www.historynet.com/operation-bagration-soviet-offensive-of-1944/)
- [Warfare History Network - Soviet Operation Bagration Destroyed German Army Group Center](https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/soviet-operation-bagration-destroyed-german-army-group-center/)

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- [Warfare History Network - Soviet Operation Bagration Destroyed German Army Group Center](https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/soviet-operation-bagration-destroyed-german-army-group-center/)


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[Nick Hewitt\
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Nick Hewitt is a naval historian with numerous publishing and broadcasting credits.](/contributor/Nick-Hewitt/9837575)

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Table of Contents


Date: June 23, 1944 - August 19, 1944 _(Show more)_

Location: [Belarus](/place/Belarus)_(Show more)_

Participants: [Germany](/place/Germany)[Red Army](/topic/Red-Army)[Soviet Union](/place/Soviet-Union)_(Show more)_

Context: [World War II](/event/World-War-II)_(Show more)_

[See all related content →](/facts/Operation-Bagration)

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**Operation Bagration**, large-scale Soviet offensive against Nazi [Germany](https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany) that occurred from June 23 to August 19, 1944, on the Eastern Front during [World War II](https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II). It was launched in support of the [Normandy Invasion](https://www.britannica.com/event/Normandy-Invasion).

By mid-1944, the Nazis’ military power was in irreversible decline, and Germany’s allies were increasingly unreliable. The Soviet [Red Army](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Red-Army) intended to take advantage of this situation by inflicting a [catastrophe](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catastrophe) on the Germans that matched the scale suffered by the Soviets in [Operation Barbarossa](https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa).

World War II Events

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[![Samuel Bak: Smoke](https://cdn.britannica.com/71/67871-004-331F7D7D/Smoke-Samuel-Bak-oil-linen-Holocaust-1997.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Holocaust\
\
1933 - 1945](/event/Holocaust "Holocaust") [![Invasion of Poland](https://cdn.britannica.com/39/185239-050-ACC5D1A6/soldiers-German-vehicles-Poland-September-1939.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Invasion of Poland\
\
September 1, 1939 - October 5, 1939](/event/Invasion-of-Poland "Invasion of Poland") [![default image](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-124/images/shared/default-rectangle.jpg?v=3.124.78)\
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Battle of the Atlantic\
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September 3, 1939 - May 8, 1945](/event/Battle-of-the-Atlantic "Battle of the Atlantic") [![Dunkirk evacuation](https://cdn.britannica.com/13/130313-050-06B17D56/British-troops-water-ships-Allied-France-Dunkirk-1940.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Dunkirk evacuation\
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May 26, 1940 - June 4, 1940](/event/Dunkirk-evacuation "Dunkirk evacuation") [![North Africa campaigns of World War II](https://cdn.britannica.com/82/220182-050-87393CE5/British-Axis-campaigns-in-North-Africa-World-War-II.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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North Africa campaigns\
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June 1940 - May 13, 1943](/event/North-Africa-campaigns "North Africa campaigns") [![the Blitz](https://cdn.britannica.com/79/142179-050-CB131A12/Smoke-air-raid-London-Docklands-capital-British-Sept-7-1940.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Britain\
\
July 1940 - September 1940](/event/Battle-of-Britain-European-history-1940 "Battle of Britain") [![Vichy: Battle of France](https://cdn.britannica.com/22/205622-050-BC257C58/Vichy-France-Germany-June-1940-armistice-map.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Vichy France\
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July 1940 - September 1944](/event/Vichy-France "Vichy France") [![German bombing of London during the Blitz](https://cdn.britannica.com/81/142181-050-F07B28D6/dome-smoke-fire-bombing-raid-St-Pauls-Cathedral-1940.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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the Blitz\
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September 7, 1940 - May 11, 1941](/event/the-Blitz "the Blitz") [![aftermath of the Battle of Crete](https://cdn.britannica.com/69/209369-050-4D3C6015/Battle-of-Crete-World-War-II-Heraklion-Crete.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Crete\
\
May 20, 1941 - June 1, 1941](/topic/Battle-of-Crete "Battle of Crete") [![German soldiers during Operation Barbarossa](https://cdn.britannica.com/01/150101-050-810CE9A9/soldiers-German-part-Soviet-Union-Operation-Barbarossa-1941.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Operation Barbarossa\
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June 22, 1941](/event/Operation-Barbarossa "Operation Barbarossa") [![German troops at the Battle of Moscow, 1941–1942](https://cdn.britannica.com/10/254310-050-7D9DC675/Battle-of-Moscow-Undated-image-of-the-World-War-II-campaign-against-the-Soviet-Union-German-units-marching-just-ahead-of-Moscow.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Moscow\
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September 30, 1941 - January 7, 1942](/event/Battle-of-Moscow "Battle of Moscow") [![Pearl Harbor attack](https://cdn.britannica.com/81/71381-050-0042470B/battleship-attack-Pearl-Harbor-Japanese-Hawaii-December-7-1941.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Pearl Harbor attack\
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December 7, 1941](/event/Pearl-Harbor-attack "Pearl Harbor attack") [![Wake Island](https://cdn.britannica.com/06/64306-050-D63C593C/Wake-Island.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Wake Island\
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December 8, 1941 - December 23, 1941](/event/Battle-of-Wake-Island "Battle of Wake Island") [![U.S. troops advancing on Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, in 1943](https://cdn.britannica.com/74/71374-050-F1F8607D/troops-Tarawa-Gilbert-Islands-World-War-II-1943.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Pacific War\
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December 8, 1941 - September 2, 1945](/topic/Pacific-War "Pacific War") [![Bataan Death March](https://cdn.britannica.com/58/166758-050-0BA34030/Prisoners-Bataan-Death-March-March-1942.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Bataan Death March\
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April 9, 1942](/event/Bataan-Death-March "Bataan Death March") [![eastern New Guinea, from the 10th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica, c. 1902](https://cdn.britannica.com/28/131728-050-25E197B7/Map-10th-edition-New-Guinea-Encyclopaedia-Britannica-1902.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Kokoda Track Campaign\
\
July 1942 - January 1943](/event/Kokoda-Track-Campaign "Kokoda Track Campaign") [![Battle of Stalingrad](https://cdn.britannica.com/54/199954-050-51845DAC/soldiers-Soviet-offensive-troops-German-Battle-of-February-1943.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Stalingrad\
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August 22, 1942 - February 2, 1943](/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad "Battle of Stalingrad") [![Warsaw Ghetto Uprising](https://cdn.britannica.com/66/67966-050-D3BCF511/family-marching-Jews-head-column-way-Warsaw-1943.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Warsaw Ghetto Uprising\
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April 19, 1943 - May 16, 1943](/event/Warsaw-Ghetto-Uprising "Warsaw Ghetto Uprising") [![Allied decoy tank](https://cdn.britannica.com/90/234790-050-A1BEF706/Dummy-tank-decoy-world-war-II.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Operation Fortitude\
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1944](/event/Operation-Fortitude "Operation Fortitude") [![Normandy Invasion](https://cdn.britannica.com/52/81352-050-1E8B816B/assault-troops-American-landing-craft-Normandy-Invasion-June-6-1944.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Normandy Invasion\
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June 6, 1944 - July 9, 1944](/event/Normandy-Invasion "Normandy Invasion") [![U.S. Marines on Saipan, Mariana Islands, 1944](https://cdn.britannica.com/71/71371-050-72483477/US-Marines-fire-Saipan-Japanese-World-War-1944.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Saipan\
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June 15, 1944 - July 9, 1944](/event/Battle-of-Saipan "Battle of Saipan") [![default image](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-124/images/shared/default-rectangle.jpg?v=3.124.78)\
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Operation Bagration\
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June 23, 1944 - August 19, 1944](/event/Operation-Bagration "Operation Bagration") [![Cowra, New South Wales, Australia](https://cdn.britannica.com/57/167057-050-4307A65D/Cowra-New-South-Wales-Australia.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Cowra breakout\
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August 5, 1944](/event/Cowra-breakout "Cowra breakout") [![default image](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-124/images/shared/default-rectangle.jpg?v=3.124.78)\
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Operation Market Garden\
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September 17, 1944 - September 27, 1944](/event/Operation-Market-Garden "Operation Market Garden") [![Battle of the Bulge](https://cdn.britannica.com/92/122492-050-91C1B938/soldiers-American-Ardennes-Battle-of-the-Bulge.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of the Bulge\
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December 16, 1944 - January 16, 1945](/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge "Battle of the Bulge") [![Yalta Conference](https://cdn.britannica.com/99/118399-050-5D3B61A2/Winston-Churchill-Franklin-Roosevelt-Joseph-Stalin-Yalta-1945.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Yalta Conference\
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February 4, 1945 - February 11, 1945](/event/Yalta-Conference "Yalta Conference") [![Battle of Iwo Jima](https://cdn.britannica.com/35/10735-050-C7D46C6C/US-Marines-flag-Mount-Suribachi-Iwo-Jima-February-1945.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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Battle of Iwo Jima\
\
February 19, 1945 - March 26, 1945](/topic/Battle-of-Iwo-Jima "Battle of Iwo Jima") [![default image](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-124/images/shared/default-rectangle.jpg?v=3.124.78)\
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Battle for Castle Itter\
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May 5, 1945](/event/Battle-for-Castle-Itter "Battle for Castle Itter") [![Atomic bombing of Hiroshima](https://cdn.britannica.com/34/76534-050-EE7422B0/mushroom-cloud-aircraft-Hiroshima-Japan-people-city-August-6-1945.jpg?w=500&h=500)\
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atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki\
\
August 6, 1945 - August 9, 1945](/event/atomic-bombings-of-Hiroshima-and-Nagasaki "atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki")

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Security was tight, and the Red Army assembled 166 divisions on the Belorussian front, completely surprising German forces, which expected an assault farther south. Attacking on a 450-mile (724 km) front, within five days the Red Army had killed and captured tens of thousands. They went on to [Minsk](https://www.britannica.com/place/Minsk), where, despite desperate German efforts, including laying 4,000 booby traps, another 100,000 soldiers were killed or captured, several thousand being paraded in humiliation through [Moscow](https://www.britannica.com/place/Moscow). This left the road open to [Poland](https://www.britannica.com/place/Poland) and [Lithuania](https://www.britannica.com/place/Lithuania). Soviet troops were advancing up to 15 miles (24 km) a day and had entered and liberated all of [Belorussia](https://www.britannica.com/place/Belarus) before the end of July.

As the Red Army advanced, it [encountered](https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/encountered) grim evidence of the horrors of Nazi occupation. Mass graves of some of the one million murdered civilians were uncovered; crops and livestock had been destroyed, towns and villages razed, all of which served to infuriate the Soviet soldiers. By the end of the campaign, only the most fanatical Nazi or self-deluded German could fail to recognize that the war was lost. However, the losses on both sides during Operation Bagration were significant: an estimated 350,000 to 670,000 German soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured, and more than 750,000 Soviet soliders died or were wounded. And as the campaign ran out of momentum, a final tragedy occurred: the [Warsaw Uprising](https://www.britannica.com/event/Warsaw-Uprising).

[Nick Hewitt](/contributor/Nick-Hewitt/9837575)