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Stalin Takes Power
When Lenin died, Stalin was promoted from General Secretary of the Communist Party to leader of all of the USSR even though Lenin specifically said that Stalin should not be trusted with power. -
Japan invades Manchuria
In 1931, the Japanese Kwangtung Army attacked Chinese troops in Manchuria, this is known as the Manchurian Incident. It was an attempt by the Japanese Empire to gain control over the province, which would lead to their control of all East Asia. -
Hitler takes power in Germany
In January of 1933 Hitler becomes the Chancellor of Germany after his 6 year rise to power he was sworn in on the 30th of January. -
Germany sends troops to Rhineland
Hitler sends German troops to Rhineland, which was a part of Germany, but Germans were not allowed to go there due to the Treaty of Versailles and by sending troops there Hitler broke the treaty. -
Spainish Civil War begins
On July 17th 1936 the military, led by Francisco, rebelled against President Manuel Azana and started a civil war. -
Mussolini takes power in Italy
Benito Mussolini changes his official title from Prime Minister to "His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of Government, Duce of Fascism, and Founder of the Empire" in 1936. -
Neutrality Act 1937 "Cash and Carry"
U.S. ships were prohibited from transporting any passengers or articles to axis powers, and U.S. citizens were forbidden from traveling on ships of axis powers. The "Cash and Carry" meant the President could permit the sale of materials and supplies to axis powers in Europe as long as the recipients arranged for the transport and paid immediately in cash, with the argument that this would not draw the U.S. into the conflict. -
FDR's "Quarantien Speech"
The speech FDR gave in Chicago calling for the international quarantine of agressive nations. He suggested that the US used economic pressure to be forcefull but less direct than attacking. -
Rape of Nanjing
Japanese troops capture the city of Nanjing and begin raping women, looting the city and murdering civilians. -
Hitler sends troops to Austria and announces Anschluss
Anschluss means, in German, to link up. The Anschluss of Austria was when Hitler provided support for the Austrian National Socialist Party to seize power from the Austrofascist leadership and made Austria a part of Nazi Germany. -
Munich Conference
The purpose of the conference was to discuss the future of the Sudetenland who was in the middle of territorial demands made by Adolf Hitler. The agreement was signed by Nazi Germany, France, Britain, and Italy. -
Germany and USSR sign the Soviet Pact
The Government of the German Reich and the Governement of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic sign a non-agression pact stating they will not attack eachother. -
Germany Invades Poland
The invasion began on September 1st 1939, after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed, and lasted until October 6th 1939 when Germany divided it with the USSR and together they annexed all of Poland. -
War is declared on Germany, WWII begins
Great Brittan and France sent Hitler an ultimatium saying he needed to either withdraw all German forces from Poland, or Britain and France would go to war with Germany. After two days with no responce, they officially declared war on Germany and WWII began. -
France Surrenders to Germany
After Germans had pushed French government out of Bordeaux and taken control of Paris, an armistance was signed between France and Germany and France was divided into a German occupation zone in the north and west, and Italian occupation zone in the south and east. -
Tripartite Pact
A pact signed in Berlin Germany which established the Axis powers of World War II, signed by representatives from Germany, Italy and Japan. -
Lend-Lease Act
An act that said the US would provide Great Britain, The Soviet Union, China, France, and other Allied Nations with lots of war materials during the war, even though this did not formally enter the US into the war, it ruined its state of neutrality. -
Germany Invades USSR
Nazi Germany invaded the USSR, this was the biggest German military invasion in all of WWII. -
The Atlantic Charter
An agreement between Great Brittain and the United States that said their goals for the war such as; no territorial changes made against the wishes of the people; restoration of self-government to those deprived of it; free access to raw materials; reduction of trade restrictions; global cooperation to secure better economic and social conditions for all; freedom of the seas; and abandonment of the use of force, as well as disarmament of agressive nations -
Attack of Pearl Harbor
The surprise attack of the Japanese military on the Hawaiian military base, Pearl Harbor. It was a premptive attack on the US pacific fleet to keep them from attacking the Japan Empire during the war. -
The Allies declare war on Japan
After Pearl Harbor, the US officially joins the war and declares war on Japan. FDR signs the official declaration of war on Japan -
Germany and Italy declare war on the US
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Internment of Japanese Americans begins
The government said that the Japanese Americans on the West coast must be relocated and put into internment camps. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they thought anyone of Japanese decent would turn against them and attack their west coast cities next. over 110,000 Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes in 1942 -
Zoot-Suit Riots
A series of Riots in 1943, the European-American sailors and marines stationed in L.A. and southern California attacked Mexican and Latino men wearing Zoot-suits and resulted in murder. -
FDR elected for a fourth term
In 1944 FDR was elected for his 4th term as persident of the United States, this caused the 22nd amendment to be passed which stated that no person can run for office for more than two terms.
