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The Japanese invaded China on July 7, 1937. This intitiated the war in the Pacific.
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Treaty of MunichHitler, Chamberlain, Daladier of France and Mussolini of Italy met in Munich and agreed that Hitler should have the Sudetanland of Czechoslovakia. The Czechs were not represented at the meeting and realising that no country would come to their aid were forced to surrender the Sudetenland to Germany. Hitler assured those at the meeting that this was the extent of his ambitions for expansion. Chamberlain returned to England with a piece of paper signed by Hitler, proclaiming 'peace in our time.'
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Germany formally invades Poland which is known as the beginning of the European war or European theater.
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Denmark surrenders immediately and Norway surrenders on June 9, 1940.
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blitzkrieg videoBlitzkrieg aka known in German as "lightning war" is conducted in western Europe. France and the neutral Low Countries. Luxembourg is occupied on May 10; the Netherlands surrenders on May 14; and Belgium surrenders on May 28. On June 22, France signs an armistice agreement by which the Germans occupy the northern half of the country and the entire Atlantic coastline.
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Neville Chamberlain resigns and Churchill takes over due to the unhappines by the Labour members for a more aggressive approach to the war.
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It is believed that Italy's reason for joining the Axis was the hope of rich pickings from the spoils of war. Italy was originally opposed to Nazi Germany but received support from the Germans following the opposition from the League of Nations with their war in Abbysinia.
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The Japanese officially joined the Axis powes by signing the Tripartite Act which joined them with Germany and Italy.
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Pearl Harbour documentaryJapanese bombed the Navy fleet in Pearl Harbour on the island of Hawaii. This resulted in the death of many American sailors and civilians. It was the event that marked our involvement in World War II.
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Roosevelt declaring war on Japan Roosevelt formally announces the involvement of the United States in the war against the Pacific. Germany and Italy would declare war on the U.S. on December 11. We would then be involved in the Pacific and European theaters.
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The U.S. and Britain conclude the Arcadia Conference in Washington, DC. Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to establish a Combined Chiefs of Staff and to the make defeating Germany their first priority. Winning the war in Europe would come before winning the war in the Pacific.
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Thousands of American troops arrived in Britain to help defeat the Nazi's. This would mark a turning point in the European theater.
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The U.S. Navy repels the Japanese at the Battle of the Coral Sea. This helps save Australia and blocks the Japanese juggernaut in the Pacific.
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Slideshow of Operation TorchThis was the Allied Invasion of North Africa. This was the first battle that the Germans lost and the first battle that the U.S. was involved in.
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British and American forces are able to defeat the Axis and drive them out of North Africa.
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video of German defeat in SicilyOperation Huskey is concluded with the Allies taking the city of Messina. Axis losses in the campaign were around 167,000 killed, wounded, and captured, including some 10,000 German casualties. Allied losses were 31,158.
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video on Italy's surrender to AlliesMussolini had been thrown out of office and the new government of Italy surrendered to the British and the USA. They then agreed to join the allies.
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This was the first time that Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill had met together. It was concluded on December 1, 1943 with the agreement that the Western Allies would invade France in June 1944 and that when it began the USSR would launch a new offensive from the east.
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D-Day documentaryThe allies launched an attack on Germany's forces in Normandy, Western France. Thousands of transports carried an invasion army under the supreme command of general Eisenhower to the Normandy beaches. The Germans who had been fed false information about a landing near Calais, rushed troops to the area but were unable to prevent the allies from forming a solid bridgehead. For the allies it was essential to first capture a port.
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The U.S. defeat the Japanese in a massive air battle known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The Japanese lost more than 400 planes and three carriers. This victory paved the way for eventual success in the Marianas invasion.
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Paris was finally liberated by the Allied Forces. It had been under Nazi control since June of 1940. It was the conclusion to Operation Overload. This was the Operation that had began with the invasion on the beaches of Normandy and ended with the march into Paris.
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DocumentaryThe Battle of the Bulge was Nazi Germany's last counteroffensive to try to force the Allie's into a peace settlement. It was the bloodiest battle that the American forces were involved in and ended with the defeat of the Germans and their retreat. It began on December 16,1944.
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Iwo Jima videoIwo Jima, a barren volcanic island midway between Saipan and Japan, was considered desirable as an emergency base for B-29's flying to and from Japan. Cancellation of plans to take Taiwan provided an opportunity for the Central Pacific forces to undertake the hitherto unscheduled conquest of Iwo Jima, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed Admiral Nimitz to take the island in February.
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President Roosevelt dies from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 63. Harry Truman takes over as President.
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The German leader, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bombproof shelter together with his mistress, Eva Braun, who he had, at the last minute, made his wife.
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Hitler's successor, Admiral Donitz, offerred an unconditional surrender to the allies.
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Hiroshima bombingThe first of 2 atomic bombs are dropped on Japan. The second would be dropped on Nagasaki 3 days later.
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General George McArthur formally accepts the surrender of Japan in the Pacific theater. This would officially end World War II.
