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Rise of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini, known as Il Duce, was the dictator of Italy. He founded the Fascist party in 1921. He pledged to make Italy an imperial power of the world. -
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Hacha WWII Timeline
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Rise of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin came to power after Vladimir Lenin's death. He ruled the Soviet Union with a government similar to Communism and Fascism. He turned the Soviet Union into a totalitarian country with the five year plan. -
Japan Invades Manchuria
Japan's military leaders invaded Manchuria for natural resources. The Leauge of Nation's failed to react effictively. They denounced Japan, but they used no military action, so Japan did not listen and they got away with their attack. Hitler observed this and was ready to go on the move. -
Rise of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and the leader of the Nazi Party in 1933. He ruled the country with a Totalitarian government and eliminated his political opponents. He violated the Treaty of Versailles by secretly building up Germany's military, militarizing the Rhineland, reuniting with Austria (Anschluss), and gaining control of the Sudetenland. -
Nuetrality Act is Signed
The Neutrality Act of 1935 was enforced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to reflect our country's hopes for peace. It prohibited the sale of arms to warring nations, stated that other nations must transport their own goods, and that no one could travel on warring country's vessels. -
Italy Invades Ethiopia
Italy wanted to expand and invaded Ethiopia. The League of Nations failed to punish Mussolini, so the League was challenged. -
Rape of Nanjing
Late in the year of 1937, over a period of just six weeks, Imperial Japanese forces brutally executed 200,000 to 300,000 soldiers and civilians of Nanjing, China. The Japanese forces left the city in ruins. -
Munich Conference
Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France came together at the Munich Conference. The other European leaders opted opt for appeasement and gave into Hitler's demands for the Sudetenland. They wanted to prevent a needless war. Later, Hilter gained control over the rest of Czechoslovakia and established an Alliance with Italy. -
Kristallnacht
This was known as "the night of broken glass." On this night, thousands of Jewish businesses and synagogues were damaged. 100 Jews were killed and 26,000 were sent to concentration camps. Jews were fined 1 billion marks, and were blamed for the damage. German Jews frantically tried to leave the country, but it was difficult. -
Nazi Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
This was an agreement made between Germany and the Soviet Union not to fight each other. This shocked many people in Europe. Germany secretly agreed to give the Soviet Union parts of the land that they would conquer. This led Germany and the Soviets into invading Poland. -
Official Start of WWII
Germany invaded Poland. Germany used the war tactic of blitzkrieg with airplanes and tanks and came out with a victory by the end of the month of September. -
Britain and France Enter the War
In response to Germany's invasion of Poland, Poland's allies, Great Britain and France, declared war on Germany. -
Germany Attacks France, then Netherlands and Belgium
Germany attacked France through the Ardennes Forest in Northern France. The Netherlands and Belgium fell to Germany. By the end of June, France surrendeed to Germany. -
Battle of Britain
Britain was the only country that challanged Germany. Germany wanted to destroy the British Royal Airforce (RAF) and bomb London. However with radar and new technology, and the help of the United States, this battle became Hitler's first defeat after three months and a half months of battle. -
Tripartite Pact is Signed, Axis Powers Are Formed
Japan formed a military alliance with Germany and Italy. -
Election of 1940
President Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for an unprecedented third term and won. He declared the United States an "arsenal of democracy" and enforced the Lend-Lease Act. The Lend-Lease Act allowed the United States to send weapons to Great Britain regardless of their abilitay to pay right away. -
Operation Barabarossa
Hitler broke the nonagression pact that Germany shared with the Soviet Union by attacking the Soviet Union. As a result of this, the Soviet Union decided to join the Allies. In this attack, Joseph Stalin was unable to stop the blitzkrieg carried on by the Germans. However, as winter approached, German attack began to slow down. -
Engima Broken by Allies
The Allies broke the secret code used by the German army to direct ground-to-air operations on the Eastern front. This allowed them to gain vital information about German U-boat formations. The United States finally started to take control over the seas as 70% of the men serving on the U-boats were dead by the war's end. -
Rise of Hideki Tojo
General Hideki Tojo becomes the prime minister of Japan. -
Neutrality Act is Revised
After the invasion of Poland, Congress revised the Neutraltiy Act and established the Cash-and-Carry plan. Other countries, most importantly Great Britain, could buy goods with cash and pick them up in American ports. -
United States enters WWII
Japan bombed the United States' naval base, Pearl Harbor. The Japanese were trying to cripple the United States for at least six months so they could go into the Pacific and invade other lands for resources. They destroyed twenty warships, two hundred aircraft, sunk the USS Arizona, and killed nearly 2,400 Americans. This was "a date which will live in infamy." -
Bataan Death March
United States soldiers were forced to walk 65 miles in hot weather and with no food or water. At the beginning, there were 60,000 troops. Two thirds of the troops didn't even make it to the camp. Those who made it, stayed there for several years. This was the largest surrender in United States' history. -
Doolittle Raid
On this day, sixteen American bombers attacked Tokyo, Japan. They did not do major damage to Japan, but it gave the Americans something to celebrate. This did cause the Japanese leaders to worry about future attacks. -
Battle of Coral Sea
Pacific Fleet Commander, Chester Nimitz used aircraft carriers as an advantage. He send the fleet's two aircraft carriers that were not present at the attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan attempted to invade New Guinea, but was stopped by the Allies. Joint British-United States naval forces stopped Japan from advancing on Australia. -
Battle of Midway
Following the Doolittle Raid, the Japanese were skeptical about future attacks by the United States. In result of this, the Japanese came up with a plot to lure the United States fleet into into the open and destroy it. They planned to attack the island of Midway. However, the United States intercepted messages from Japan about the attack and became aware of every detail. The United States were ready and destroyed four of Japan's carriers. This balanced the Power in the Pacific. -
Zoot Suit Riots
The "Zoot Suit Riots" broke out in Los Angeles, California in August of 1942. These were a series of Riots between white sailors and Mexican workers. Economic tensions were beginning to rise. -
Battle of Guadalcanal
This was the United States' first offensive. The Marines lead an amphibious assault on one of the Solomon Islands. The Japanese chose not to surrender and fought until the very end. After six months, though, the United States came out with a victory. -
Battle of Stalingrad
This battle lasted about five months and was the last German offensive in the East. It was between the Germans and the Soviets. The soviets used a new tactic called the scorch earth technique, which involved retreating and burning nearly everything. This put the enemy at a disadvantage by having no resources. During the battle, 250,000 Axis forces were trapped. Of these 250,000, 200,000 die and the remainder surrender. -
Operation Torch
Joseph Stalin wanted the United States to invade Europe to push Erwin Rommel out of North Africa. In Operation Torch, the British were pushing from one side, and the Americans were pushing from the other side. This was the first time North Americans saw combat. The United States were under the direction of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. In May of 1943 Rommel's forces were defeated. 20, 000 United States' soldiers were killed or wounded in just six months. -
Operation Overlord: D-Day
On D-Day, the Allies moved in to invade France. 150,000 Allied troops, led by Omar Bradely, were carried across the English Channel. Hitler refused to send in back up for days because he feared that the invasion was a trick. The Allies gained control of a sixty mile strip of land after a week of fighting. By July, the Allies had broken through the German lines. By August, Paris was liberated, and Hitler's war machine retreated. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
This was the largest naval battle, and the most decisive naval engagement in the Pacific. The Japanese lost four aircract carriers, three battleships, and other vessels. Here, the Japanese used a new weapon called the Kamikaze attack. Eventually, the Allies entered Manila in February of 1945. -
Election of 1944
President Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for an unprecedented fourth term and won. He still remains as the only president to serve more than two terms. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was the last major German offensive. Their plan was to send in a number of regiments in and try to push through the Allied forces. The Germans managed to push the Allies back sixty miles, but the Allies did not break. The offensive eventually failed. -
Yalta Conference
President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin met to plan for postwar peace. Europed becomes a divided continent and friction occurs between the Allies. -
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima was a volcanic island 750 miles south of Tokyo. This was a battle with very bloody fighting. It is known for the flag raising on the top of Mount Surbachi. This was done by United States soldiers following their victory. -
Okinawa
This was the bloodiest battle in the Pacific war and the largest landing force in Pacific History. Okinawa was an island 350 miles from Japan. At first, the Japanese did not challenge the landing of the Allies and retreated to the South. Five days later, Japan attacked. This was a tough battle for both sides and there were many casualties. -
Death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a brain hemrage and died suddenly. Vice President, Harry Truman, took over. -
Benito Mussolini is Executed
Benito Mussolini and his mistress were shot by Italian rebels. Following his death, his body was dragged through the streets where people humiliated him and spit on him. -
Death of Adolf Hitler
Hitler commited suicide along with his wife. Their bodies were burned so the same thing wouldn't happen to them as it did to Mussolini and his mistress. -
VE Day
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VE Day
This day marked the formal end of the war in Europe. The Axis powers, specifically Germany, surrendered to the Allies. -
Demand Japanese Surrender
The United States demanded the surrender of the Japanese and threatened with "prompt and utter destruction." -
Hiroshima
The United States bombed the Japanese city of Hiroshima and killed 80,000 people. -
Soviets Against Japan
The Soviets join the United States in the war against Japan. -
Nagasaki
The United states bombed the Japanese city of Nagasaki and killed over 40,000 people. -
VJ Day
Emperor Hirohito of Japan surrendered over the radio to the Allies. -
Potsdam Conference
This was a conference of Allied Leaders in the German city of Potsdam to address the issues about post-World War II Europe. Americans were concerned about the spread of communism and Stalin keeping his promises from the Yalta Conference. -
Japanese Surrender
End the war in the Pacific -
Creation of the United Nations
Fifty countries met in San Fancisco to discuss the creation of the United Nations. This was meant to encourage cooperation among the nations and to prevent future wars.
