we need maps for all major wwii battlefields should work with community to enumerate, vote and then do the maps
Major battlefields by theater
European Theater
Battle of Normandy: The D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, which began the liberation of France.
D-Day landing beaches
Omaha Beach: The site of the bloodiest fighting, with high casualties for American troops.
Utah Beach: The westernmost of the landing beaches, where American forces landed.
Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches: The landing areas for British and Canadian forces. Juno Beach was particularly challenging for the Canadians, who suffered heavy losses before even reaching the shore.
Other key locations
Pointe du Hoc: A dramatic cliff face that was scaled by U.S. Army Rangers.
Pegasus Bridge: A critical bridge over the Orne River that was captured by British airborne forces in the early hours of D-Day.
Falaise Pocket: The site of the final major encirclement campaign that trapped thousands of German soldiers.
Hills around Caen: Strategic high ground like Hill 103, Hill 102, and Hill 112 provided key observation points and were fiercely contested by both sides.
Arromanches-les-Bains: Where one of the Mulberry harbors, a temporary artificial port, was built.
La Cambe German War Cemetery: A solemn resting place for over 21,000 German soldiers who died in the campaign.
Battle of the Bulge: A major German offensive that occurred in the Ardennes forest, resulting in high casualties, particularly for U.S. troops.
Ardennes Forest: The battle took place on a roughly 75-mile front in this rugged, forested area.
Bastogne and St. Vith: These were two critical towns where intense fighting occurred. Allied forces, including the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, famously held Bastogne against German attacks.
Other locations: Combat also took place in Wiltz, Haltem, and along roads and river crossings in the region.
Siege of Leningrad: A prolonged and devastating siege of the Soviet city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) that lasted nearly three years.
Initial German advance and encirclement
Mga: This railway junction was a key target for the Germans, and its capture in August 1941 severed Leningrad’s last rail line with the rest of the country.
Shlisselburg: Located on Lake Ladoga, the capture of this city in September 1941 cut off the last road to Leningrad, completing the encirclement by land.
Karelian Isthmus: Finnish forces advanced from the north, creating a second front and tightening the noose around the city.
Defensive lines and breakthroughs
Pulkovo Heights: A crucial southern defensive line that saw heavy fighting as the Germans tried to push into the city.
Krasnogvardeisk Defensive Belt: A fortified zone where Soviet forces made a stand against the advancing German forces, including the site of Zinovy Kolobanov’s tank ambush.
Nevsky Bridgehead: A narrow strip of land on the eastern bank of the Neva River, this was the crucial link established by Operation Iskra, which finally broke the siege.
Other significant areas
Lake Ladoga: This lake served as a vital, albeit perilous, supply route known as the “Road of Life.” It was used to transport food, fuel, and evacuated civilians across the water, especially during the winter months when it froze over.
Narva: Although fought later in the war, the Battle of Narva in 1944 was a significant offensive launched from the Leningrad region to push German forces back further west.
Battle of Stalingrad: A brutal and decisive battle on the Eastern Front that marked a turning point in the war, as the Soviet Union defeated the German army.
Industrial District: The factories became a focus of brutal combat as the Germans tried to push to the Volga. The Red October, Dzerzhinsky Tractor, and Barrikady factories were the site of particularly savage fighting.
Mamayev Kurgan: This hill overlooking the city was a strategically vital position that changed hands multiple times.
Pavlov’s House: A heavily fortified apartment building that became a symbol of Soviet resistance after Sergeant Pavlov and his men held it against repeated German assaults for over two months.
City Center: The city’s central area was the scene of intense street-to-street fighting. The infamous Barmaley Fountain is located here and became a symbol of the battle.
Volga River Embankment: This narrow strip of land was crucial for supplying Soviet troops in the city and evacuating the wounded. The embankment was named in honor of the 62nd Army which fought there.
Battle of Berlin: The final major battle in Europe, fought from April to May 1945, which resulted in the capture of the German capital by Soviet forces.
The major battlefields of the Battle of Berlin were the Seelow Heights, the last major German defensive line east of the city, and the city of Berlin itself, with key fighting occurring in the Reichstag, the government district, and around the Brandenburg Gate.
Other significant sites included the Friedrichstraße railway viaduct and the Battle of Halbe south of Berlin, which was an attempt by German forces to break out of the encirclement.
Outside Berlin
Battle of the Seelow Heights: This was the final major pitched battle before the city’s fall. The Red Army attacked heavily fortified German defenses located about 70 km east of Berlin, leading to intense fighting for four days before the Soviets broke through.
Battle of Halbe: Fought south of Berlin, this was a chaotic battle where German forces, particularly the 9th Army, were encircled by Soviet forces. Many German soldiers fought to escape the pocket and either reach the Western Allied lines or break through the Soviet encirclement towards Berlin.
Within Berlin
Reichstag: The building was a major objective for the Red Army and saw fierce fighting, culminating in the Soviet flag being raised over the building.
Government District: This area contained many key Nazi buildings and was a center of intense house-to-house fighting. It included sites like the Reich Chancellery and Hitler’s bunker.
Friedrichstraße: The Stadtbahn railway viaduct served as a major defensive barrier, and its control was bitterly contested by both Soviet and German forces.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church: The damaged church, located in the western part of the city, became a symbol of the war’s destruction.
Bendler Block: This location was the headquarters of the German resistance during the war and was the site of the aftermath of the failed July 20th assassination attempt on Hitler.
Karlshorst: This is where the German Instrument of Surrender was signed, ending the war in Europe.
Pacific Theater
Pearl Harbor: The surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, which led the U.S. to enter the war.
On Oʻahu
Battleship Row: The line of battleships moored along Ford Island’s eastern side was the main target for the Japanese torpedo and bomber planes.
Ford Island: The island in the middle of Pearl Harbor was the location of Battleship Row and was directly attacked.
Hickam Field: As the headquarters for the Hawaii Air Force, this Army airfield was hit by bombers and strafing fighters.
Wheeler Field: This was the principal Army Air Corps field in Hawaii and was attacked by bombers and strafing fighters.
Marine Corps Air Station Ewa: This Marine Corps air station was a major target, where incoming Japanese planes were spotted by radar for the first time during the attack.
Opana Radar Site: Located on the north shore of Oʻahu, this radar station first detected the incoming Japanese planes, though the operators were not properly trained on how to interpret the radar readings.
Other battlefields of the Pacific Theater
Ewa Plain: The Ewa Plain was the location of the air station at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, which was a key target during the attack.
Battle of Midway: This was a crucial naval battle fought at Midway Atoll in the central Pacific in June 1942.
Battle of Guadalcanal: The first major amphibious landing of the war, fought on the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in August 1942.
Battle of the Coral Sea: A major naval battle fought between aircraft carriers in May 1942 between Australia and New Guinea.
Battle of Midway: A critical naval battle in June 1942 that is considered a turning point in the Pacific, where the U.S. defeated the Japanese navy.
Battle of Guadalcanal: A six-month campaign of brutal fighting for control of the island of Guadalcanal.
Land battlefields
Henderson Field: The primary objective of the initial Allied landing, this airstrip was the site of multiple intense ground battles and was crucial for controlling the island.
Edson’s Ridge: A key land battle named after Marine Colonel Merritt A. Edson, where U.S. Marines successfully defended the airfield from a major Japanese ground assault.
Matanikau River: The area around the Matanikau River was a frequent site of offensive and defensive operations throughout the campaign.
Tulagi: An island north of Guadalcanal that was captured by Allied forces in initial operations, it was also a scene of fierce fighting and served as a Japanese seaplane base.
Naval and air battlefields
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (November 12–15): A massive, multi-day sea and air engagement fought around the island, which resulted in a decisive Allied victory.
Battle of Savo Island: An early and devastating night battle on August 8 where Japanese naval forces surprised and routed Allied naval screening forces.
Battle of Cape Esperance: A night battle on October 11–12 where U.S. forces intercepted an approaching Japanese supply and reinforcement convoy.
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands: An aircraft carrier battle fought on October 26, where both sides inflicted heavy damage on the other’s carriers.
Battle of Tassafaronga: Another night naval battle on November 30–December 1 where U.S. forces employed a new tactic.
Battle of Iwo Jima: A major battle fought on the island of Iwo Jima, known for its ferocity and the iconic image of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi.
Mount Suribachi: The volcanic cone at the southwestern tip of the island was a primary objective. The capture of its summit and the iconic raising of the flag there symbolized the battle’s progression.
Airfields: The two airfields in the central part of the island, South Field and Central Field, were a key strategic goal for the U.S. forces.
Motoyama Plateau: Located in the northeastern section, this area served as a heavily defended stronghold with numerous rock outcroppings and crevices.
Inland defensive strongholds: Japanese forces, led by General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had created an extensive network of tunnels, bunkers, and pillboxes throughout the island, which they used to create deadly kill zones and strongpoints with names like the “Meat Grinder” and “Bloody Gorge”.
“Sandy Beach”: This was the location of the initial U.S. Marine landing on February 19, 1945, along the southeastern coast.
Battle of Okinawa: The largest amphibious assault in the Pacific theater, and one of the bloodiest battles of the war, which served as a prelude to the invasion of the Japanese home islands.
Key battlefields
Shuri Line: A series of defensive strongholds, including Shuri Castle, running across the island’s south. It was the keystone of Japanese resistance and saw some of the most intense fighting.
Hacksaw Ridge (Maeda Escarpment): A 400-foot vertical cliff that was heavily defended by Japanese forces in a network of caves and dugouts. The battle for this position was brutal and characterized by hand-to-hand combat.
Sugar Loaf Hill: Located southwest of Hacksaw Ridge, this strong defensive position was taken by U.S. forces after a week of fighting, which resulted in significant American casualties and battle fatigue.
Kakazu Ridge: The first major defensive position the U.S. forces encountered when advancing south, leading to a stalled and bloody offensive.
Naha: The capital city of Okinawa, which the U.S. forces captured after breaking through the Shuri Line. Fighting occurred house-to-house as U.S. forces moved through the city and secured the airfield.
Motobu Peninsula and Cape Hedo: Key locations in the northern part of the island. U.S. forces fought to secure the peninsula and reach the northernmost point, Cape Hedo.
Ie Shima: A small island off the western coast of Okinawa that the U.S. forces assaulted to secure Japanese airfields and radar equipment.
also
Events Leading to the War
Japanese Invasion of Manchuria (1931): Japan invaded northeastern China (Manchuria) as an initial act of aggression, predating the 1939 start date often cited for the European theater.
Second Sino-Japanese War (1937): Full-scale war began with the Battle of Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge Incident). This conflict was a major theater of war in the East for years before Pearl Harbor.
Italian Annexation of Albania (1939): Italy, under Mussolini, annexed Albania in April 1939, a key step in Axis expansion before the invasion of Poland.
Invasion of Poland (1939): Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, prompting Britain and France to declare war, marking the generally accepted start of the war in Europe.
Battlefields in China and East Asia
Battle of Shanghai: One of the earliest and largest battles, capturing a key commercial hub but meeting fierce Chinese resistance.
Nanjing Massacre (1937): Following the capture of the Chinese capital Nanjing, Japanese forces committed horrific atrocities against soldiers and civilians.
Battle of Wuhan: A very costly battle for both sides; though Japan captured the city, the heavy losses limited their ability to expand further inland.
Battles of Changsha (1939, 1941, 1942): Japanese attempts to push westward into China were defeated three times at Changsha, marking the limit of their expansion in China.
Burma Campaigns: British, Chinese, and later American forces fought grueling jungle campaigns in Burma (Myanmar) to open supply routes to China.
Campaigns in North Africa and the Middle East
Western Desert Campaign (Egypt and Libya): This campaign featured a series of back-and-forth battles for control of the Suez Canal and Middle Eastern oil access.
First and Second Battle of El Alamein: Two pivotal battles in Egypt. The Second Battle, in October 1942, was a major Allied victory that stopped the Axis advance into Egypt and forced a permanent retreat across North Africa.
Operation Torch (Morocco and Algeria): Allied amphibious landings in November 1942, bringing American forces into the African theater and trapping Axis forces between two fronts.
Tunisian Campaign: The final phase in North Africa, culminating in the surrender of over 250,000 German and Italian troops in May 1943.
Middle East: While not a primary battlefield for major ground invasions, the region was strategically important for oil access and communication lines. Allied and Vichy French forces clashed in Syria and Lebanon, and the British intervened to stabilize Iraq and secure Iran, preventing German influence.
Battlefields in Italy
Italian Campaign (1943–1945): After securing North Africa, Allied forces invaded Italy, leading to some of the most difficult fighting of the war.
Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky): The initial Allied invasion in July–August 1943 successfully captured the island, leading to the overthrow of Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime in Italy.
Salerno Landings (Operation Avalanche): Allied forces landed on the Italian mainland in September 1943. Despite Italy’s surrender a day earlier, they faced fierce German resistance and intense counterattacks that nearly pushed them back into the sea.
Battle of Monte Cassino: A series of four brutal assaults occurred between January and May 1944. The campaign involved intense fighting to break through the German Winter Line, culminating in the capture of the fiercely defended abbey by Polish troops.
Anzio Beachhead (Operation Shingle): In an effort to outflank German defenses, Allied troops landed at Anzio in January 1944. Poor leadership and a swift German response led to a prolonged and bloody stalemate for 125 days.
Gothic Line: After the liberation of Rome, Allied forces faced the last major German defensive line in northern Italy. The mountainous terrain made for fierce, month-long battles to break through the fortifications.
Battlefields in the Balkans
Balkans Campaign (1940–1941): The Axis invasion began with Italy’s failed invasion of Greece.
Greco-Italian War (1940): Italian forces invaded Greece in October 1940. Greek resistance proved stronger than expected, and a Greek counter-offensive pushed the Italians back into Albania.
German Invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia (1941): In April 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia and then Greece to bail out its Italian ally. German forces rapidly advanced, capturing Belgrade and Athens despite Allied support for the Greeks.
Battle of Crete (1941): In May 1941, Germany launched a massive airborne invasion of Crete. The battle was a difficult and costly victory for the Germans, but it highlighted the vulnerability of large-scale paratrooper operations.
Other Major Global Events
Soviet Invasion of Hungary and Romania (1944): As the war turned, Soviet forces invaded Axis-aligned Romania and Hungary, leading to their surrender and subsequent occupation. In Hungary, a pro-Axis government was installed before the Soviets eventually surrounded and captured Budapest.
Pacific Islands Campaign (Various): Beyond the well-known battles of Midway and Iwo Jima, fierce fighting took place on numerous islands across the Pacific, such as Tarawa, Wake Island, and Peleliu.
Pacific Theater (Extended)
Battle of Tarawa: Fought in November 1943 on the heavily fortified atoll of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands. This was one of the costliest amphibious assaults for the US Marines due to the formidable Japanese defenses and logistical challenges with the tides.
Battle of Peleliu: A controversial and bitter battle fought from September to November 1944 in the Palau Islands. US forces faced innovative and deeply entrenched Japanese cave defenses, resulting in the highest casualty rate of any amphibious operation in the Pacific War. The island’s strategic value was highly debated.
Battle of Iwo Jima: A major battle from February to March 1945 for the control of Iwo Jima, an island vital for US long-range bombers. The fight, particularly for Mount Suribachi, was exceptionally bloody, with nearly all Japanese defenders killed and heavy US casualties.
Battle of Okinawa: The last and bloodiest major battle of the war, lasting from April to June 1945, located just 350 miles from the Japanese mainland.
Hagushi Beaches: The initial, surprisingly unopposed landing site for the U.S. 10th Army.
Shuri Line: The main, heavily fortified Japanese defensive line across the southern part of the island, which became the focus of prolonged and brutal fighting.
Maeda Escarpment (Hacksaw Ridge): A key elevated position along the Shuri Line that was the site of intense combat.
Kerama Islands: Captured prior to the main invasion to establish a secure anchorage for the massive Allied fleet.
East Asia Mainland (Extended)
To encompass the full global scope, the list should also include major areas in the Second Sino-Japanese War, which raged from 1937:
Battle of Shanghai (1937): The first major engagement, a brutal urban battle for control of the key port city.
Wuhan: The site of a major and costly battle in 1938 as the Japanese attempted to capture the temporary Chinese capital.
Burma Road: The critical supply route through Burma into China, for which major campaigns were fought by British, Indian, Chinese, and American forces.
The video game Enlisted features several major historical campaigns and specific battle locations from your list, while others are not represented.
Battlefields Present in Enlisted
The game covers the following major theaters and specific locations mentioned in your list:
Battle of Normandy: The game includes the D-Day landings with specific maps like the one based on Omaha Beach (“D-Day (Invasion)”).
Battle of the Bulge: This campaign in the Ardennes forest region is available in the game.
Battle of Stalingrad: The game features intense urban combat maps within the city, including areas like the Volga River embankment, Central Station, and various streets and factories (“Red October” factory area is generally represented by the industrial district maps).
Battle of Berlin: Maps focus on the final push into the German capital, including the Reichstag building, the government district, and the Seelow Heights defensive lines.
North African Campaign (Tunisia): The game features maps based on the fighting in Tunisia, including locations like the Kahif Cave Village, representing the broader North African theater.
Pacific War: The game’s Pacific campaign is focused primarily on the Solomon Islands and locations like Guadalcanal (including maps like Tenaru River and Alligator Creek) and the Gavutu Islands.
Battle of Moscow: While not explicitly on your extended list, the battle for the Soviet capital is one of the game’s core campaigns, featuring snow-covered villages and fortified districts.
Burma Campaign: Mentioned as a potential campaign in development or planned in some sources, though details are less prominent than the main campaigns.
Battlefields Not Present in Enlisted
The following major battlefields and specific locations from your list are currently not available in Enlisted as dedicated campaigns or maps:
Battle of Britain: The game does not feature a dedicated air combat campaign over Britain.
Kursk: While on the Eastern Front, the specific battlefield of the largest tank battle is not a core campaign map.
Pointe du Hoc, Pegasus Bridge, Falaise Pocket (specific detailed locations beyond the D-Day beach landing itself are less likely to be dedicated maps, though represented abstractly in the wider Normandy theater).
Siege of Leningrad: While a major Eastern Front event, it is not a primary campaign like Moscow or Stalingrad, though user-created mods might exist.
Pearl Harbor: The game is a ground and air combat simulator and does not feature the specific naval/air attack on the harbor itself.
Battle of Midway: No major naval surface battle campaigns are in the game.
Iwo Jima & Okinawa: These critical late-war Pacific battles are a requested feature by the community but are not currently in the game; the Pacific maps are limited to the Solomon Islands.
Chinese Battlefields (Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, etc.): While the Chinese army is a minor faction under the US tree, there are currently no maps set on mainland China in the game.
Italian Campaign (Sicily, Monte Cassino, Anzio, Gothic Line): The game does not currently feature maps from the Italian mainland or Sicilian campaigns.
Balkans Campaign (Greece, Yugoslavia, Crete): These areas are not featured as playable maps.
