World War II Timeline By eyespy Nov 11, 1918 End of WW I Jan 24, 1919 Hitler joins the Nazi party Jan 24, 1921 Fascist Party established under Mussolini in Italy Jan 24, 1922 Establishment of the USSR Jan 24, 1922 Mussolini takes over Italy Jan 24, 1924 Death of Vladimir Lenin; control of USSR to Joseph Stalin; deathsof 8-13 million Russians Jan 24, 1928 US and 61 other countries sign Kellogg-Briand Pact Jan 24, 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria Jan 24, 1933 Roosevelt takes office Jan 24, 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, establishing the Third Reich Jan 24, 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, establishing the Third Reich Jan 24, 1935 US begins passing Neutrality Acts Jan 24, 1935 Hitler begins military buildup Jan 24, 1936 Italian troops conquer Ethiopia Jan 24, 1936 Civil War begins in Spain under Francisco Franco Jan 24, 1936 German troops invade Rhineland Mar 12, 1937 Hitler takes Austria Jul 24, 1937 Japan invades China Nov 5, 1937 Hitler announces secret plans for Lebensraum Sep 30, 1938 Munich Agreement; Sudetenland to Germany Jan 24, 1939 Franco is successful in Spain Jan 24, 1939 Totalitarian government established in USSR Jan 24, 1939 Russian army into Finland Mar 15, 1939 Czechoslovakia falls to Hitler Aug 23, 1939 Non-Aggression Pact; Germany and Russia; divide Poland Sep 1, 1939 German invasion of Poland; Blitzkrieg Jan 25, 1940 British and French defeat at Dunkirk Jan 25, 1940 Italy enters the war on the side of Germany and invades France Jan 25, 1940 France surrenders to Germany Jan 25, 1940 Plans for an invasion of Great Britain; beginning of the Battle of Britain Apr 1, 1940 German invasion of Denmark and Norway May 25, 1940 Defeat of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg by Germany
