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WWI: The Great War
WWI began in Europe between the Allies (Russia, France, Great Britain) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey). WWI was the first time chemical weapons and air attacks occurred.
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Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British ocean liner. In May of 1915, it left New York for England. On the way, it was torpedoed by a German submarine. 1,198 passengers died in the attack. 128 were American citizens. This severed relationships between the United States and Gernany.
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US enters WWI
On April 6, 1917, the United States officially entered WWI on the side of the Allies. The US entered the war for several reasons. -
Camp Funston at Fort Riley
In July of 1917, construction began on Camp Funston at Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas. So many Kansas men enlisted in the army that a new training facility was needed.
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Win the War With Wheat
On July 19, 1917, the Topeka Daily Capital ran a front page story called "All Kansas into Fight to Win the War With Wheat." This became Kansas' slogan during WWI as farmers were asked to grow more food to support our European allies. Information Source
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Great Depression Starts
In October of 1929, the stock market crashed, sparking what became known as the Great Depression. The Great Depression affected the entire nation, and lasted until the 1930s. During this time, 1/4 of all Americans were out of work. The aviation industry in Kansas was almost wiped out, and farmers were paid little for their crops. Most families in Kansas faced difficult times.
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The Start of the Dust Bowl (Dirty Thirties)
(NOTE: The Dust Bowl has no exact start or end date. It lasted almost the entire decade of the '30s) During the 1930s, throughout Kansas and other states, severe droughts and strong winds caused soil erosion which created black dust storms. These storms could turn the daytime sky black, blind people and cattle and bury farm equipment. Dust storms could last for days and reach up to 8,000 feet high. Inhaled dust could even lead to death by suffocation for people and animals.
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The New Deal
During the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, Americans were experiencing terrible economic times. In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president and introduced his New Deal. This series of programs helped people who were unemployed by providing them with government-paid jobs such as planting trees and building infrastructure. In Kansas, it helped farmers with subsidies (government money given to help with expenses).
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WWII Starts
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. This is when many believe WWII actually started.
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Attack on Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7th, 1941, Japan led a secret attack on the United States' naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. President Roosevelt refered to the event as "a date which will live in infamy." The United States entered WWII the next day.
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United States Joins WWII
The day after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) by the Japanese, the United States officially entered WWII. More than 215,000 Kansas men and women served in the military during WWII. The role of working women expanded during this time period as women were called upon to do factory work to support the war effort. In fact, 80% of the riveters at Beech Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas were women.
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D Day
On June 6th, 1944, American troops invaded the beaches of Normandy, France to fight the German army during WWII. This invasion, which led to the eventual surrender of the Germans, was led by General Dwight D Eisenhower. Eisenhower was raisedin Abilene, Kansas and went on to become the 34th president of the United States.
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Germany Surrenders
After Berlin, Germany is invaded and taken over by the Allied Powers (United States and Russia), Germany surrenders WWII.
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Atomic Bomb
The first Atomic bomb was used by the United States on Hiroshima, Japan. The second was used two days later in Nagasaki. 140,000 people died in Hiroshima & 80,000 in Nagasaki. The radiation later caused the deaths of thousands more.
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Japan Formally Surrenders
After the United States drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasake, Japan surrenders WWII.
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