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Treaty of Versailles is Signed
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the more famous peace treaties drawn up after World War I. The Allied powers (England, France, and the U.S.), were harsh towards the Central Powers. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire were broken up into smaller countries. Germany also had to accept the blame for starting the war under the "War Guilt Clause," pay reparations, and were forbidden to have an army over 100,000 soldiers. The Treaty was a major spark of WWII. -
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Washington Naval Conference
The world's nine largest naval powers gathered in Washington DC for a conference to discuss the world's naval interests. The Five-Power treaty (US, UK, Japan, France, Italy) was put in place to maintain a balance of naval power. The Four-Power Treaty (US, UK, Japan, France) was signed as a promise for these countries to consult each other in the event of a crisis in East Asia. Lastly, the Nine-Power Treaty was to recognize the territorial integrity in China and to keep Japan from dominating. -
Mussolini Becomes Prime Minister
Benito Mussolini, soon to become Fascist dictator in Italy, was elected the Prime Minister of Italy after being appointed by King Victor Emmanuel III. -
Beer Hall Putsch
The Beer Hall Putsch was a failed coup attempt by the Nazis to seize control of Munich. The aim was to seize control of the state, march on Berlin, overthrow the national government, and establish a new government in its wake. Despite the failure of the Putsch, Hitler still used it as a positive in propaganda. -
Dawes Plan
The Dawes Plan, created after it was seen the Germany could not meet the harsh economical demands of the Treaty of Versailles, was created as a means to get Germany out of debt, stop the hyperinflation and return the economy to a more stable grounds. -
Death of Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik party in Russia, died of a stroke on the 21st of January, 1924. His death marked the beginning of the power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin, and Stalin's eventual rise to power. -
Mein Kampf Published
Hitler's memoir, Mein Kampf ("My Struggle"), which outlined Hitler's political views, was published in 1925. It was later banned in Germany after Hitler's death. -
Hirohito Becomes Emperor of Japan
Hirohito, soon to be known as Emperor Showa (meaning "Bright Peace"), became Emperor of Japan following his father's death on the 25th of December, 1926. -
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The First 5 Year Plan
The first of multiple Five Year Plans implemented in the USSR by Joseph Stalin was a list of economic goals including the collectivization of peasant farms and rapid industrialization. -
Wall Street Crash
The Stock Market Crash in New York City marked the beginning of the Great Depression. The Crash occured since everyone was buying stock on credit... which meant that the stock system was backed on nothing. As people began to realize this, they went into a panic, and flooded into banks, trying to withdraw their money or sell their stocks that were becoming worthless. The result was a nationwide economic crash. -
Dachau is Built
Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp. It was set up in Munich, Germany, and was orginally to hold political prisoners. However, eventually, it also held Jewish people, German and Austrian criminals, and opposition from countries Germany invaded. The prisoners of the concentration camps faced many evils daily. It was a miserable place to be. -
First Neutrality Act is passed
On this date, Congress passed the first Neutrality Act, which prohibited export of "arms, ammunition, and implements of war" from the US to foreign nations at war. It also required arms manufacturers to apply for an export license, so these "Merchants of Death" could no longer benefit off of warfare. -
Signing of the Rome-Berlin Axis
This pact was formed between Italy and Germany, and later came to include Japan. It was formulated by Italy's foreign minister Galeazo Ciano, and was informally agreed upon on the above date. However, it wasn't formalized until the Pact of Steel in 1939. -
Signing of the Anti-Comintern Pact
This pact was originally between Germany and Japan (and Italy, in 1937) and directed vaguely against the "Communist International" (Comintern), but was implied to be against the USSR. -
Hitler Annexes Austria
On this date, Hitler invaded Austria and declared the country to be a part of the Third Reich. -
Munich Conference
During this conference, Adolf Hitler met with representatives from France, the UK, and Italy. They came to an agreement that Hitler could have the Sudetenland if he promised to not invade anywhere else. -
German troops invade Czechoslovakia
This invasion marks the end of attempts at appeasement, as it became clear that Hitler was not complying with the terms of the Munich Pact. -
Mussolini Invades Albania
Mussolini, after seeing Hitler invade Austria and Czechslovakia without consulting Mussolini first, sends his troops into Albania. Despite some opposition, the Italians were successful. The Albanian royal family fleed, and a fascist government was set up in Albania. -
German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Signed
In a act that shocked the world, Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact where the two leaders promised not to attack each other. In a secret clause of this pact, Hitler and Stalin agreed to split Poland and other parts of north Europe. -
Germany Invades Poland
After signing the Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin, Hitler could invade Poland without worrying about Soviet intervention. The Polish army was quickly defeated, but the invasion sparked World War II, provoking Great Britain and France into motion. -
The Soviet Union attacks Finland
Under the terms of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, where Germany and the USSR, among other things, divided up North Europe between the two countries. Finland fell under the USSR's claim, which was the reason for the invasion. -
Germans inade Denmark and Norway
German troops came in from major Norwegian ports, occupying the country, while other German troops were occupying major Danish cities. Ultimately, both nations surrendered to the Nazis. -
Germany invades the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg
Germany invaded the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg on this date, which marks, following the surrender of these nations a few days later, the begining of German occupation of these countries for the next few years. -
Winston Chruchill is named Prime Minister
On the 10th of May, 1940, Winston Churchill was named the Prime Minister of Breat Britain following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. -
Dunkerque Evacuation
The Dunkerque Evacuation, also known as Operation Dynamo, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbor of Dunkerque, France. Naval vessels and hundreds of civilian boats ferried 198,000 British soldiers and 140,000 French and Belgian soldiers across the English Channel to safety, -
Mussolini Declares War on Great Britain and France
After previously withholding any formal allegiance to either side, Mussolini joins Hitler and declares war on Great Britain and France. -
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Battle of Britain
After Winston Churchill publically refused to give in to Germany, Germany began an assault on Great Britain. During the Battle of Britain, Germany and England were locked in a battle of the skies. The British civilians were forced underground, and as a result, the city of London went dark, making it harder for the German Luftwaffe to hit their targets. The British Royal Air Force eventually defeated the German Luftwaffe due to the use of radar. -
Japan forms an alliance with Germany and Italy
On the 27th of September, 1940, Japan, Germany, and Italy signed the Tripartite Pact and, from then on out, became known as the Axis Powers -
German Invasion of the Soviet Union
Hitler, violating the Non-Aggression Pact between the USSR and Germany, invaded the Soviet Union in late June of 1941. The Soviet Union ultimately won, due to the harshness of the Russian winter. -
Roosevelt and Churchill sign the Atlantic Charter
In response to the pending threat of Nazi Germany in Europe, the United States and United Kingdom met to sign the Atlantic Chrater, which outlined eight common principles these nations would be willing to support after the war ended. -
Pearl Harbor is Attacked
The Japanese bombing of the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was the direct cause of the US entry into World War II. 353 Japanese fighter planes came in two waves, destroying all 8 of the US Navy battleships, along with 8 other ships. The Japanese losses of 64 men, 29 aircraft, and 5 submarines seem extremely light compared to the death of 2,403 Americans, injuring of 1,178 others, loss of 16 US ships, and 188 US aircraft. -
US Congress declares war on Japan
Following the Japanese attack on the US Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. -
Wannsee Conference
During this conference, the Nazi Party and other German officials got together to discuss the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question," which was code for the systematic, deliberate annihilation of European Jews which would soon be known as the Holocaust. -
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the transfer of 60,000-80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war from a Saisaih Point and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, done by the Japanese. Many prisoners died on the 60 mile march, and it was later judged by the Allies to be a Japanese war crime. -
Battle of Midway
This battle, won by the United States on the 7th of June, marked when the nation was able to move into an offensive position against Japan. -
Erwin Rommel takes control of Libya
Following the victory at the Battle of Tobruk on this date, Erwin Rommel, a German field marshal, took control of Libya. -
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Battle of Stalingrad
During this major battle, Germany fought the USSR over control of Stalingrad, which was located in southern Russia. -
D Day
More than 160,000 Allied troops, backed by at least 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft, landed in Normandy, France to fight Nazi Germany. The Allies lost more than 9,000 soldiers but were victorious nonetheless. -
MacArthur lands in the Philippines
General Douglas MacArthur led American troops into the Philippines on this day in an attempt to expel the Japanese forces that were occupying the islands. -
V-E Day
Also known as Victory In Europe Day, this marks the date the Allies formally accepted Germany's surrender of troops. -
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Potsdam Conference
Jospeh Stalin of the USSR, Winston Churchill (replaced by Clement Attlee on 26 July 1945) of Great Britain, and Harry Truman of the USA met in Potsdam, Germany to negotiate the terms for the end of World War II during the Potsdam Conference. -
V-J Day
Also known as Victory Over Japan day, this is the date of Japan's formal surrender, done aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
