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Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany and assumes dictatorial powers. -
Period: to
SECOND WORLD WAR
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Kristallnacht
The night of November 9–10, 1938, when German Nazis attack Jewish persons and property. The name Kristallnacht refers ironically to the litter of broken glass left in the streets after these pogroms. The violence continues during the day of November 10, and in some places acts of violence continue for several more days. -
Germany invades Poland. World War II begins
Germany invades Poland, marking what many regard as the start of the war, though Japan invaded China on July 7, 1937. Two days later, France and the United Kingdom declare war on Germany. -
The Soviet Union invades Poland
Working together with Hitler, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin orders the invasion of Poland, securing a share of Polish territory. -
Warsaw surrenders to German troops.
Warsaw is captured. Poland holds out for another 9 days before capitulating. -
Germany invades Norway
Germany invades Norway, ending a 6-month period of inactivity and limited land operations called the “Phony War.” -
Churchill becomes Prime Minister
Winston Churchill replaces Neville Chamberlain as British Prime Minister. The same day, Germany invades Belgium. -
Evacuation of Dunkirk
Operation Dynamo, the evacuation from Dunkirk, involved the rescue of more than 338,000 British and French soldiers from the French port of Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June 1940. The evacuation is sometimes referred to as the "Miracle of Dunkirk". -
Paris falls to the Nazis
Germany takes control of much of Western Europe, including France. Paris falls to German forces and France capitulates 11 days later. -
The Blitz - Germany launches air war against Britain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLauvpD9pH0 Germany launches an air war, known as the Battle of Britain, against the United Kingdom. German bombers target major cities in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, killing over 40,000 civilians and leveling over a million homes. -
The Tripartite Pact
Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact. -
The "Desert Fox" arrives in North Africa
In February 1941, Rommel was appointed commander of the German troops dispatched to aid the Italian army in Libya which had been defeated by British forces. In the North African theatre of war, the “Desert Fox,” as he came to be called by both friend and foe because of his audacious surprise attacks, acquired a formidable reputation. -
Hitler launches Operation Barbarosa
Massive German armies invade the Soviet Union starting what will become the bloodiest front of World War II. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor - U.S joins the war
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, starting war with the US. Sensing weakness, Hitler declares war on America 4 days later. -
The Wannsee Conference and the Final Solution
On January 20, 1942, 15 high-ranking Nazi Party and German government officials gathered at a villa in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee to discuss and coordinate the implementation of what they called the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question." -
The Battle of Midway
The U.S. Navy defeats the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway. Japanese expansion in the Pacific is thwarted as US dive bombers sink four Japanese aircraft carriers. -
America joins the war in North Africa
US troops land in French North Africa as part of Operation Torch, designed to support British forces in the region. -
Italy surrenders to the Allies
Italy surrenders to the Allies, but German forces occupy northern Italy. -
D-Day Operation
The D-Day operation of June 6, 1944, brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. -
Liberation of Paris
Allies take control of Paris. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The United States invade the island of Iwo Jima as part of its Pacific campaign against Japan. The battle is one of the bloodiest in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps and is cited as proof of the Japanese military’s willingness to fight to the last man. -
U.S 3rd Army enters Germany
The U.S. 3rd Army crosses the Rhine River in Germany. -
The Soviet Army enters Germany
The Soviet army encircles Berlin and links up with the Americans on the Elbe River. -
Victory in Europe Day or V-E Day
Germany surrenders to the Allies, marking V-E Day. On May 8, 1945 - known as Victory in Europe Day or V-E Day - celebrations erupt around the world to mark the end of World War II in Europe. -
Hiroshima
The U.S. drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. -
Nagasaki
The U.S. drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. -
V-J Day or Victory over Japan Day
Japan formally surrenders to the Allies, marking V-J Day, although the initial announcement of surrender was made Aug. 15, 1945.