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Neutrality Act
the United States Government enacted a series of laws designed to prevent the U.S from being embroiled in a foreign war by clearly stating the terms of U.S. neutrality. Many Americans had rallied to join President Woodrow Wilson’s crusade to make the world “safe for democracy” in 1917, by the 1930s critics argued that U.S. involvement in the First World War had been driven by bankers and munitions traders with business interests in Europe. -
Rise of Fascism and Nazism
The Holocaust is the greatest crime against humanity recorded in history. The huge costs of the war cause inflation. Unemployment rises to over five million in Germany. Large parts of the population live in fear of falling back into 19th-century poverty. The Nazi party under the leadership of Adolf Hitler wins the election. With the promises to "restore honor" to the Germans, to renew political order and to bring back "work and bread." The Nazis pursue their political aims with violence. -
Germany’s expansion and annexation of Austria
the territorial expansion of Germany between 1935 and 1939, which is before the beginning of the WWII .Hitler’s Germany annexed Austria and incorporated it into the Reich as the Eastern March. -
Signing of the Non-Aggression Pact (Germany and U.S.S.R.)
Sworn enemies Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact. The two countries agreed to take no military action against each other for the next 10 years. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin viewed the pact as giving him time to build up the Soviet military, German leader Hitler used it to make sure Germany was able to invade Poland unopposed. The pact also contained a secret agreement in which the Soviets and Germans agreed how they would later divide up Eastern Europe. -
Blitzkrieg attack on Poland
1.5 million German troops invade Poland all along its border with German-controlled territory. At the same time, the German Luftwaffe bombed Polish airfields, and German warships and U-boats attacked Polish naval forces in the Baltic Sea. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler claimed the massive invasion was a defensive action, but Britain and France were not convinced. On September 3, they declared war on Germany, which initiated World War I -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the Second World War air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom -
Lend-Lease Act
the principal means for providing U.S. military aid to foreign nations during World War II. It allowed the president to transfer arms/any other defense materials for which Congress appropriated money. By allowing the transfer of supplies without compensation to Britain, China, the Soviet Union and other countries, the act permitted the United States to support its war interests without being overextended in battle. -
Liberation of Madjdanek (concentration camp)
camp began in October 1941 with the arrival of about 2,000 Soviet prisoners of war. Most were too weak to work, basically all were dead by February 1942. The SS also detailed Jewish forced laborers from the Lipowa Street camp. The SS rounded up more than 300 Jews in the streets of Lublin and selected 150 of them as the first Jewish prisoners to be in Majdanek. During January and February 1942, the SS and police selected Polish Jews from the Lublin ghetto and brought them to the camp. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military attack. Started by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack led to the United States' entry into World War II. -
Liberation of Madjdanek (concentration camp)
camp began in October 1941 with the arrival of about 2,000 Soviet prisoners of war. They were too weak to work, basically all were dead by February 1942. On December 11-12, 1941, the SS rounded up more than 300 Jews in the streets of Lublin and selected 150 of them as the first Jewish prisoners to be incarcerated in Majdanek. During January and February 1942, the SS and police selected Polish Jews from the ghetto and brought them to Majdanek for forced labor. -
Battle of Midway
Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S defeated Japan in a naval battle of World War II. Due to major advances in code breaking, the U.S was able to preempt and counter Japan’s planned ambush of its few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on the Japanese Navy. An important turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position. -
invasion of Africa by Eisenhower
Major General Dwight D. Eisenhower takes command of U.S. forces in Europe. Eisenhower had never seen combat during his 27 years as an army officer, his knowledge of military strategy and talent for organization were so great that Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall chose him to lead U.S. forces in the war against Germany. After proving himself on the battlefields Eisenhower was appointed supreme commander. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was the successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad in the U.S.S.R. during World War II. "It stopped the German advance into the Soviet Union and started the turning of the tide of war in favor of the Allies." The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the bloodiest battles in history. In the Battle of Stalingrad, Soviet forces surrounded and crushed an entire German army under General Friedrich Paulus. -
Transition of the US home front to War production (1939-45)
World War II (1939–45) was still going on abroad. In 1943 full industrial and agricultural war production had been achieved. While war production did not slow down or cease, special emphasis on war mobilization was no longer needed. Congress passed the War powers act, granting wide authority to the President to start/lead the war effort. It was up to the armed forces on the battlefield to achieve victory. -
D-Day
"160,000 Allied troops landed along a French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe." The lives lost on D-Day was immense, more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded. -
The Battle of the Bulge
Adolph Hitler attempted to split the Allied armies in northwest Europe by a surprise blitzkrieg thrust through the Ardennes to Antwerp. American units fought hopeless battles to stem the German advance at St.-Vith, Elsenborn Ridge, Houffalize and Bastogne. Lt. General George S. Patton’s successful maneuvering of the Third Army to Bastogne was key to the Allied defense, leading to the neutralization of the German counteroffensive. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The American amphibious invasion of Iwo Jima during World War II stemmed from the need for a base near the Japanese coast. Following elaborate preparatory air and naval bombardment, three U.S. marine divisions landed on the island in February 1945. Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, who fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations. -
V-E Day
VE Day officially announced the end of World War Two in Europe. German General Jodl signed the unconditional surrender document that formally ended war in Europe. While no public announcements were been made, large crowds gathered outside of Buckingham Palace and shouted: “We want the King”. -
Battle of Okinawa
Last of the Pacific island battles of World War II, the Okinawa campaigN. involved the 287,000 troops of the U.S. Tenth Army against 130,000 soldiers of the Japanese Thirty-second Army. At stake were air bases vital to the projected invasion of Japan. By the end of the 82-day campaign, Japan had lost more than 77,000 soldiers and the Allies had suffered more than 65,000 casualtied, including 14,000 dead. -
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
A U.S B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion took out 90% of the city and killed 80,000 people, tens of thousands later died of effects of the bomb. Three days later, another B-29 dropped a second A-bomb on Nagasaki, killing about 40,000 people. Japan’s Emperor Hirohito announced his country’s unconditional surrender in World War II. -
V-J Day
Japan had surrendered to the Allies, ending World War II. Since then, both August 14 and August 15 have been known as “Victoryover Japan Day,” or “V-J Day.” Coming several months after the surrender of Nazi Germany, Japan’s capitulation in the Pacific brought six years of hostilities to a final and highly anticipated close. This day is also known as saying goodbye to WWII.
