World War II Timeline By kelseymplatt Nov 11, 1918 End of WWI Jan 19, 1919 Hitler joins the Nazi Party Jan 19, 1921 Fascist Party established under Mussolini in Italy Jan 19, 1922 Establishment of the USSR Oct 19, 1922 Mussolini takes over Italy Jan 19, 1924 Death of Vladimir Lenin; control of USSR to Joseph Stalin; deaths of 8-13 million Russians Jan 19, 1928 US and 61 other countries sign Kellogg- Briand Pact Jan 19, 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria Aug 23, 1931 Non-aggression pact; Germany and Rusia; divide Poland Jan 19, 1933 Roosevelt takes office Jan 20, 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor Germany, establishing the Third Reich Jan 19, 1935 US begins passing Neutrality Acts Jan 19, 1935 Hitler begins military buildup Jan 19, 1936 Civil War begins in Spain under Francisco Franco Jan 19, 1936 German Troops invade Rhineland May 19, 1936 Italian troops conquer Ethiopia Jan 19, 1937 Japan invades China Nov 5, 1937 Hitler announces secret plans for lebensraum Mar 12, 1938 Hitler takes Austria Sep 30, 1938 Munich Agreement; Sedetenland to Germany Jan 20, 1939 Franco is successful in Spain Jan 20, 1939 Totalitarian government established in USSR Jan 20, 1939 Russian army into Finland (Finns surrender in three months) Mar 15, 1939 Czechoslovakia falls to Hitler Sep 1, 1939 German invasion of Poland; blitzkrieg Apr 9, 1940 German invasion of Denmark and Norway May 20, 1940 Defeat of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg May 22, 1940 British and French defeat at Dunkirk Jun 20, 1940 Itlay enters the war on the side of Germany and invades France Jun 22, 1940 France surrenders to Germany Aug 15, 1940 Plans for an invasion of Great Britain; beginning of the Battle of Britain
