pacific time line By Masonpelle Sep 18, 1931 Japan invades Manchuria Aug 9, 1935 The Soviet Union declares war on Japan and invades Manchuria Mar 11, 1938 Japan invades China, initiating World War II in the Pacific Sep 27, 1940 Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact Dec 7, 1941 japan bombs pearl harbor Dec 8, 1941 The United States declares war on Japan, entering World War II Mar 11, 1942 MacArthur ordered out of the Philippines May 8, 1942 British and US navies halt the Japanese naval advance in the central Pacific at Midway Nov 5, 1942 US troops halt the Japanese island-hopping advance at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands Mar 9, 1945 Firebombing raids of Tokyo and other Japanese cities begin Apr 1, 1945 Allied troops conquer Okinawa, the last island stop before the Japanese islands Jul 16, 1945 manhattan projects launches Jul 30, 1945 uss indianapolis sunk Aug 6, 1945 The United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima Aug 9, 1945 The United States drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki Sep 2, 1945 Japan formally surrenders, ending World War I Aug 5, 1963 Trinity test- Atomic Bomb