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World War II
World War II began September 1st, 1939, with Hitler's invasion of Poland, and ended on September 2nd, 1945 with Japans surrender. This war saw the death of over 6 million people -
Atlantic Charter
After a secret meeting on August 5th President Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill issue the Atlantic Charter. The Atlantic Charter outlines 8 goals for the world after World War II. It would also serve as a blueprint for the United Nations. -
Japanese internment camps
President Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066 authorizing the removal Japanese-Americans to designated "exclusion zones" also know as internment camps. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway took place six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. With the United States claiming the victory Japan's hopes of neutralizing the United States were gone. This battle served to show the U.S.'s naval superiority. -
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was the code name give to the American effort to develop atomic weapons in WWII. After getting a tip for theoretical physicist Albert Einstein that Germany might have nuclear weapons. -
Allied forces invade Sicily
Allied forces invade Sicily in an attempt to provide safer passage for allied ships in the Mediterranean, which would later aid in the invasion of the mainland. -
Benito Mussolini resigns
The Italian king Victor Emmanuel forces Mussolini to resign. Mussolini's resignation officially marks the end of Italy's role as an Axis power. Italy will surrender on September 8th but fighting will continue as German troops continue to pour in. -
Quadrant Conference
The Quadrant Conference took place in Quebec, Canada. Here the Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, or the "big three" meet to discuss plans for the future invasion on France. -
D-Day
Also known as Operation Overload, 4,000 invasion ships, 10,000 planes, 600 warships , and around 176,000 troops are deployed at the beaches of Normandy. -
France is liberated
Two months after the Normany invasion France is finally liberated from Nazi Germany occupation. -
Battle of the Bulge
As Allied forces get closer Germany launches their last offensive effort of the war. Germany launches a surprise attack on the Allied forces in the Ardennes Forest. Allied forces will respond two weeks later. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugurated
Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated again stating his fourth term as president -
Yalta Conference
At the Yalta conference the Big Three meet to discuss the final assault on Germany. They also agree to meet in San Francisco in April to talk international peace organizations. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
As part of the U.S's island hoping campaign the U.S. invaded the Island of Iwo Jima. The battle would last 5 weeks. After the battle was won the strategic value of the island was questioned. -
Okinawa is captured
The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. The battle lasted 82 days. Okinawa was 340 miles from the mainland, so capture was essential to the U.S. taking the mainland. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt dies
While of vacation in Warm Springs, Georgia, President Roosevelt dies after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. -
Harry Turman sworn in
Following the death of President Roosevelt Harry Truman is sworn in becoming the 33rd President of the United States -
Adolf Hitler dies
On April 30th Adolf Hitler and his Wife Eva Braun were discovered in an underground bunker dead. Hitler died from a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head. -
Germany surrenders
Germany officially surrenders to Allied forces ending their participation in World War II. The war however would continue in the Pacific theater until Japan's surrender to the United States in September. The Nuremberg trials, persecuting Nazi war crimes would begin in November. -
Nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima
In an attempt to end the war in the Pacific theater on August 6th the United States dropped the first, of two atomic bombs. This was the first use of atomic bombs. Truman warned Japan of the conitued destruction that would occur if they did not surrender. -
Nuclear bomb dropped on Nagasaki
After Japan failed to surrender after the bombing of Hiroshima the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. -
Japanese surrender is announced
Japan surrenders to the United States officially ending World War II. -
Japan surrender formally signed
Almost a month after announcing their surrender Japan formally signs a peace agreement on the USS Missouri. -
The Nuremberg Trails
Following the end of World War II the Nuremberg Trails began. The trails were a series of 13 trails with the intent to bring Nazi war criminals to justice. -
United Nations
The first United Nations meeting was held in London and comprised of 51 nations. -
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The Cold War
The Cold War was a time on intense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. During this time period their would several anti-communist actions, international incidents and both countries being on the brink of nuclear war. The Cold War would last until the 1990 when the Soviet Union would eventually dissolve. -
22nd Amendment ratified
The 22nd Amendment set presidential term limits to two. -
Jackie Robinson integrates baseball
Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-America Baseball player. Playing for the LA Dodgers. -
The Marshall Plan
Initially announced on June 5th, 1947 by Secretary of State George Marshall, The Marshall Plan was a plan to provide economic assistance to European nations after World War 2. President Truman hoped the plan would help economic and political stability in Europe which would then prevent the spread of Communism. The plan was passed on April 2nd, 1948 as the European Recovery Act. -
Soviet Blockade of West Berlin
After World War 2 half of Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union the rest was controlled by the United States, Britain, and France. Berlin was on of the cities divided. On June 24th, 1948 the Soviet Union created a blockade preventing transportation into the areas of Berlin that were controlled by the U.S., Britain, and France. The board between the two areas would eventually be reopened on March 12th, 1949. The Two areas would be official divided Two months later. -
Harry Truman inaugurated
Harry Truman is inaugurated starting his first full term as president of the United States -
NATO
Twelve nations from Europe and North America came together and signed the North Atlantic Treaty forming what is known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. -
Germany divided
Germany became divided. The western half would be called the Federal Republic of Germany and the eastern half was the German Democratic Republic. Germany would stay divided until the fall of the Berlin Wall in the 1990s -
Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism
Senator Joseph McCarthy gave a speech at Wheeling, West Virginia. In his speech accused the State Department of employing 205 known Communist. The term McCarthyism would later be used to describe the actions of falsely accusing someone of treason, most commonly coming in the form of being a communist. -
North Korea invades South Korea
North Korea launched a surprise attack on South Korea were they are able to capture the capital city of Seoul. -
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Korean War
Starting on June 28th, 1950 with North Korea invading South Korean. The Korean War served to show America's effort to fight back and prevent the spread of Communism. The Korean War would end on July 27th, 1953 when a final peace agreement was signed. -
Seoul taken back
In a combination of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and UN troops the two groups are able to push back the North Korean forces and take back the city of Seoul. -
Crossing the 38th Parallel
Continuing on after successfully taking back the capital city of Seoul ROK and UN forces cross the 38th parallel, which served as the boarder between North and South Korea. -
Yalu River
Troops reach the Yalu river, next to the North Korea China boarder, where they are met by 300,000 Chinese troops. After being overwhelmed, troops would begin the retreat back to the 38th parallel. -
General MacArthur dismissed
After criticizing President Truman's decision to seek peace with the Chinese, President Truman removed General MacArthur from command. -
Cease Fire
On June 23rd a cease fire is called. Peace talks will go on for the next two years. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated
Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated becoming the 34th president of the United States. -
Joseph Stalin dies
Joseph Stalin dies ending his reign in the Soviet Union. -
Armistice agreement
Two years after the cease fire is called an armistice is signed ending the Korean War. -
McCarthy hearings begin
The McCarthy hearings were a series of hearing involving Joseph McCarthy and the U.S. Army. The Army accused Chief Committee Chairman of pressuring the Army to give special treatment to David Schine, a friend of McCarthy. McCarthy responded by saying that the accusation were false and only made as a reaction to McCarthy's accusations of Communism within the Army. The hearings resulted in McCarthy's censure by the Senate and eventually the end of the McCarthy era. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education found that segregation violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. Separate but equal is no longer constitutional
