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World War II
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Germany Invades Poland
Germany invaded Poland on this day, This was the beginning of World War II. -
Peace Demonstration in Pittsburgh
Thousands of people of all faiths, attended the county fair, joined in a peace demonstration as Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany -
Planning Mobilization for the Nation's Defense Program
Industrial leaders met with public officials to plan mobilization of Pittsburgh district resources for the nation's defense program. This defense program costed $5,000,000,000. -
France Surrenders to Germany
France surrenders to Germany. They were forced to do this after Germany invaded them. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan had a surprise attack on the U.S. This attack left 2,403 people dead. -
Pittsburgh Volunteers
In one day, more than 1,200 Pittsburgh young men volunteered for enlistment in the armed services. This involvement of Pittsburgh and many other cities made up the army. -
Philip Murray elected President of the United Steel Workers of America
The United Steel Workers of America, follower to the Steel Workers Organizing Committee, in a convention at Cleveland, elected Philip Murray its first president. He was to make $20,000 a year. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was one of the most decisive victories for the U.S. The U.S. pacific fleet was very outnumbered, yet they were still able to defeat the Japanese. -
The Battle of Stalingrad.
The Battle of Stalingrad was the most important turning point of World War II and is considered the bloodiest battle in human history. It consisted of more casualties then any battle before. -
Steel Train
The Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad began razing its huge steel train shed behind the old Wabash Station. They consigned it to the Pittsburgh scrap drive. -
D Day
D Day is the military lingo for the day or operation will take place. on this day the allied powers crossed the English channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy. -
Rally outside the East Pittsburgh plan of Westinghouse
In a mass rally outside the East Pittsburgh plant, 20,000 employees of Westinghouse confirmed a no-strike pledge for duration of the war. -
Pittsburgh District Plants
A survey showed that war contracts completed to date or underway in Pittsburgh district plants totaled $903,398,644. Delivered to its front lines was $322,000,000. -
Pittsburgh Realty Values Drop
Pittsburgh realty values dropped to $980,000,000, which was the lowest point in 25 years. And about $30,000,000 under the 1941 assessment. -
Battle of the Bulge
This brutal battle in the Ardennes Forest becomes the last major German offensive of World War II. Hitler did this because he hoped to change the direction of the war with this surprise attack. -
Heavy Production Losses
Heavy production losses occured and 25,000 people in industry were abandoned. This was because of the flooding rivers which rose to a height of 33.4 feet. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The invasion of Iwo Jima was sparked by america's desire for B-29 Bombers. The Marines had success at the start, but that did not last the entire time. -
Mourning for President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The city and county governments, business, schools, and all other activities were suspended. All churches scheduled special prayer services, and Mayor Scully asked all amusement places to close in mourning for President Franklin D. Roosevelt -
FDR dies, Truman becomes president
FDR dies during his reign as President. Vice President Harry Truman takes over as President. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
Warned by officers that the Russians were only a day or so from overtaking the chancellery and urged to escape to Berchtesgarden, a small town in the Bavarian Alps where Hitler owned a home, he instead chose suicide.It is believed that both he and his wife swallowed cyanide capsules. -
VE Day
The news flash reached Canada at 9:36 p.m. This was great news because it was true this time, unlike the two previous announcements that were both incorrect. -
Dr. Paul R. Anderson elected President of Pennsylvania College for Woman
Dr. Paul R. Anderson, dean of Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin, was elected president of Pennsylvania College for Women. He took the place of Dr. Herbert L. Spencer. -
George E. Evan died
Councilman George E. Evan died at the age of 69. He was the chairman of the Pittsburgh Housing Authority and a pioneer in slum-clearance planning. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
Hiroshima was no military base. So when this atomic bomb was dropped, it killed many innocent civilians. -
Russian labor leaders arrived to tour the district's steel mills.
Russian labor leaders arrived to tour the district's steel mills. Pittsburgh wives start to prepare for an end to the war by spoiling themselves to cakes. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki
This bomb was more powerful then the one dropped on Hiroshima. About 40 percent of the city's buildings were completely destroyed or severely damaged. -
VJ Day
on this day, it was announced that Japan surrendered to the Allies. This ended World War II. -
Laying off of Workers
Pittsburgh district industries laid off 7000 workers as the first cancellation of a war contract became effective. -
Governor Ridge was born
Born Aug. 26, 1945, in Pittsburgh's Steel Valley, Gov. Ridge was raised in a working class family in veterans' public housing in Erie.
