Life in the UK Test
Sign in
Back to A Long and Illustrious History

D-Day and the end of the Second World War

Study note

D-Day was one of the most important days of the Second World War. On 6 June 1944, Allied forces landed in Normandy, in northern France, to begin the liberation of Europe from German control. The date to remember is 6 June 1944, which is different from 11 November 1918, the end of the First World War, and from 1 September 1939, the start of the Second.

After the Normandy landings, the Allies pushed forward, and Germany finally surrendered in May 1945. The war against Japan continued for a few more months. It ended in August 1945, after atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These were the cities bombed, not Tokyo and Osaka, Berlin and Hamburg or Dresden and Cologne. Remember D-Day on 6 June 1944, with Germany surrendering in May 1945 and Japan in August 1945.

Memory tip: D-Day = 6 June 1944 (Normandy); Germany surrenders May 1945; Japan August 1945.

Practise this topic

Question 1 of 2

On which date did Allied forces land in Normandy on D-Day?

Score so far: 0 / 0
Show all questions and answers for D-Day and the end of the Second World War(2 questions with explanations)

D-Day and the end of the Second World War: questions, answers and explanations

  1. 1. On which date did Allied forces land in Normandy on D-Day?

    • 6 June 1944
    • 1 September 1939
    • 8 May 1945
    • 11 November 1918

    Correct answer: 6 June 1944

    D-Day, the Allied landings in Normandy, took place on 6 June 1944.

  2. 2. The war against Japan ended in 1945 after atomic bombs were dropped on which cities?

    • Berlin and Hamburg
    • Tokyo and Osaka
    • Hiroshima and Nagasaki
    • Dresden and Cologne

    Correct answer: Hiroshima and Nagasaki

    Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

Back to A Long and Illustrious History, or try a mock test or timed exam.