-
FDR declines London Economic Conference
On this day in 1933, FDR rejected the London Economic Conference due to the fact that their goal was to stablize exchange rates. The techniques that they planned on using however, would undo much of the work that FDR had done domestically to stimulate the American economy. -
US recognizes the Soviet Union
Despite the protests of many American Catholics, FDR recognized the Soviet Union nearly sixteen years after its establishment. This was done in the bid to gain an ally between the growthing threat of Germany and the constant threat of Japan. -
FDR declares Good Neighbor Policy
FDR reestablishes America as a strong regional power by reaffirming the Good Neighbor Policy. FDR hoped to gain allies if the war in Europe would spread into the Americas. -
Tydings-McDuffie Act
The Tydings-McDuffie Act guranteed independce to the Phillipines by 1946. Many Americans supported this act due to the competitive nature of the Filipino sugar market. -
Reciprocal Trade Agreements
Secretary of State Hull and President Roosevelt created a deal that would help create more American exports as well as lower the tariffs. This policy was highly popular among the New Dealers and embraced many of their policies. -
US Neutrality Act of 1935
The Neutrality Act of 1935 imposed a general embargo on trading arms and war materials with belligrents of the war. It also declared that American citizens traveling on foreign ships traveled at their own risk. The act was set to expire after half a year. -
Mussolini invades Ethiopia
Italy, being left out of the scramble for Africa, sought to gain an African empire of their own and quickly invaded the poorly armed Ethiopians. -
US Neutrality Act of 1936
The Neutrality Act of 1936, renewed the Neutrality Act of 1935 for another 14 months. With that it also renewed America's isolationist stance on the war. -
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War served as a rehearsal for World War Two. The fascist revolutionaries were mainly funded by Mussolini and Hitler. While the pro-Western democratic government received only minimal support from the Soviet Union. The result of the Spanish Civil War also served as a bad omen for the western democracies. -
US Neutrality Act of 1937
This provision to the earlier made America's isolationist policies very clear. While extending the provisions dictated in earlier statements, it also banned any sale of arms to belligrents of the Spanish Civil War. -
Japan invades China
On this day in 1937, Japan sparked off their invasion of China at the Marco Polo Bridge. FDR responded by saying that this invasion of China was not a declared war in order to keep funneling supplies to the desperate Chinese. -
Panay Incident
On December 12th, 1937, the Japanese gunned down the American ship called the Panay. While under previous circumstances, America would call for war in such a situation, they decided not to after a quick apology from the Japanese government and thus held off America's war with Japan for just under another three years. -
Hitler invades Austria
This warning of Hitler's empirical intentions demonstrated what Germany was capable off. Austria wasa swiftly invaded by their German-speaking cousins, however, this prompted no military action from the Allies. -
Munich Conference
At this conference, the Western democracies sought to appease Hitler's blood lust by giving him the German-speaking Sudetenland. By doing so however, they sentenced Czechoslovkia to death and ended up not truly appeasing Hitler. -
Hitler seizes all of Czechoslovakia
After gaining the Sudetenland the year before, Hitler went behind the backs of the Western democracies and proceeded to invade the rest of Czecholovakia. Yet again, the western democracies did nothing to stop Hitler's campaign. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Stalin stunned the world on this day by agreeing to a nonagression pact with Hitler. This pact allowed Hitler to wage war on Poland and the western democracies without fear of having to wage a two front war. -
WWII begins in Europe with Hitler's invasion of Poland
On this historic day, Hitler invaded Poland and thus kicked off WW2. In this invasion Hitler demonstrated his famous blitzkrieg techniques. Two days later Great Britain declared war on Germany following a previous alliance that they had made with Poland. -
US Neutrality Act of 1939
In this Neutrality Act, FDR was able to end the arms embargo by instilling the cash-and-carry policy. This allowed America to be able to give weapons to the Allies while still maintaining their neutral position due to the fact that Germany could buy arms but were unable too because of Great Britain's iron grip on the North Atlantic. -
Fall of France
This signifcant blow to the Allied cause took Great Britain's most important ally, France, out of the game. The German's were able to invade the French by going around their Maginot Line and forcing the government to flee to Bordeaux. -
Battle of Britain
This month long battle featured no real land threat from Germany, however, their air prescence of deeply felt. The German's bombed many cities, but focused many of their air raids on London very late at night. However, the British were able to valiantly beat the Germans back and defend their island nation. -
Destroyer deal with Britain
This deal that FDR arranged without the consultation of Congress agreed to give Great Britain 55 warships that were left over from WW1. In exchange Great Britain gave America control of strategic military bases around the globe for the next 99 years. -
US invokes first peacetime draft
As a precautionary measure to prepare America for the inevitable was with either Japan/Germany/both, America established its first ever first time draft and confirmed beliefs that America would soon play a significant role in the war over the coming years. -
Lend-Lease Act
What Adolf Hitler called "an unofficial declaration of war", the Americans gave supplies and munitions to the Allies with the agreement that they would be returned after the conclusion of the war. -
Hitler attacks Soviet Union
In this backstabbing maneuver, Hitler decided to crush Stalin in order to control the Balkans as well as Soviet oil. By doing this he also hoped to be able to not have too worry about a two front war in order to focus all of his attention on Britain. However, as history has proven many times, the Russians do not take invasion well and were able to beat back the Germans at Stalingrad, the bloodiest battle in human history. -
Fair Employment Practices Comission established
This precursor to the Civil Rights Movement allowed for a nondiscimantory policy when giving out war jobs. This allowed for many blacks to employed at factories that produced weapons. This prompted them to call for the "Double V", victory in the war and in the battle for Civil Rights at home. -
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was an agreement between FDR and Churchill that if they were to win the war there would be no imperiialistic policies and that they would allow for self-determination for affected countries. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
On this infamous day, Japan launched an attack on Pearl Harbor. This attack on American soil prompted an American declaration of war the following day. This then prompted Germany and Italy declaring war on the US. -
Japan conquers Philippines
The Japanese invasion of the American-owned Philippines served as a wake up call for America. This Japanese victory had many American's calling for a larger scale campaign in the Pacific. -
US declares war on Japan
Following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress quickly voted for a declaration of war on Japan for this unforigivable act on their part. -
Germany declares war on US
A few days after America's declaration of war on Japan, Germany rose to aid their ally Japan. In unision with Italy, Germany then declared war on America on this day. -
Japanese-Americans interned
Given the general suscpision of Japanese-Americans, FDR authorized executive orders for concentration camp-like set ups to be made. These camps were declared constitutional by the Supreme Court later that year. -
Battle of Coral Sea
At this battle, America was able to check Japan's increasing momentum in Asia in this crucial naval victory. This is considered by many to be a turning point in the Pacific campaign. -
Battle of Midway
After Japan invaded the island of Midway in the Pacific many American alarms went off. This island was only about 1,000 miles from Pearl Harbor and America was very aware of the damage that Japan could do there. The naval victory at Midway as well as the win at Coral Sea was a turning point in the war. -
US invades North Africa
The US invasion of North Africa, also known as Operation Torch, was able to turn the tides in the African theater of war and ended the chances of an Axis victory there. Also, it served as a debut of sorts for Dwight D. Eisenhower who would then be given control of more significant missions in the war. -
Casablanca Conference
At this historic conference in Morrocco between FDR and Churchill, the two "agreed to step up the Pacific war, invade Sicily, increase pres-sure on Italy, and insist upon an “unconditional surrender” of the enemy". -
Japanese driven from Guadacanal
By forcing the Japanese from Guadacanal, America was able to gain an important hurdle between the Japanese and precious Australia. The battle ended with over 20,000 Japanese soldiers killed and was a major victory for the Allies. -
Allies Invade Italy
Following the Italian people overthrowing their dictator Benito Mussolini, the Allies launched a very long campaign to invade Italy. The Germans were able to defend various parts of peninsula to the last whistle to little effect but the Allies were able to gain control of the majority of the country. -
Tehran Conference
At this highly significant meeting between FDR, Churchill and Stalin (some of history's most important men), they decided upon launching a cross channel invasion of France. This plan came to fruition on D-Day. The Big Three also agreed upon a Soviet attack on Germany from the east. -
D-Day Invasion of France
This cross-channel invasion was staged on June 6, 1944. On this day the Allies landed on Normandy, one of the less well defended areas of France and descended upon the German soldiers. After a great deal of resistance, the Allies were able to regain France and turn the tides of the war. -
Battle of Marianas
This slaughter of the Japanese air force spelled doom for Hirohito and his men. In all this battle close to Guam destroyed 250 Japanese aircraft, with a loss of only 29 American planes. -
Battle of the Bulge
The last ditch effort on Hitler's behalf was ended by the Allies when their forces crushed the Axis warriors in the bulge that they had created in their defenses. Ultimately, the Battle of the Bulge ended Hitler's thousand year Reich. -
Korematsu vs US
In this highly controversial Supreme Court case, the highest court in America declared that the Japanese-American internment camps were constitutional. Years later reparations were paid in the sum of 20,000 dollars to those who were affected. -
Roosevelt dies: Truman assumes presidency
Following a massive stroke, FDR died on this sad day. Assuming the presidency was his highly uninformed Vice President Harry S. Truman. -
Potsdam Conference
At this conference Truman and the other Allied leaders agreed that the Japanese should be dealt with swiftly so as to not prolong the war. This meant that they would have to use atomic force to end the war once and for all. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
The first nuclear attack in world history, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on this day despite many warnings to the Japanese people. Around 166,000 thousand people were killed as a result of the bombing. -
Atomic bombing of Nagasaki
The second and most recent nuclear attack in history, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days after the bombing off Hiroshima after the Japanese government failed to surrender. In total, 80,000 people were killed as a result of the bombing. -
Japan surrenders
On this day known as V-Day, the last of the Axis powers surrendered to the Allies. Following the annihilation of two major Japanese cities, the former Axis power was able to secure the life of their god-emperor Hirohito who died nearly 40 years later in the 80's.
