The Events of WWII

By rflores5124

  • Treaty of Versailles

    The German economy was devasted from the terms in this agreement. (hyperinflation of the German mark) By 1924, a new agreement had been created to allow Germany to recover.

  • The beginning of the Soviet Union

    Through the Russian civil war, the communists emerged and brought with them government control of the economy and one-party rule.

  • Mussolini become Prime Minister of Italy (dictator)

    Mussolini and his Fascist Party promise to end corruption, bring order to the country and revive Roman greatness. By 1926, he holds total power and governs the country as its "Duci."

  • Attempted Overthrow of the Weimar Republic in Germany by Hitler

    This event is called "Beer-Hall Putsch." Hitler is arrested and is incarcerated for 5 years. During this time, he writes his autobiography in which he details his ideology and his plans to unite all germans into one master race.

  • The Great Depression

    This was the longest, most severe economic downturn to strike the industrialized world. Begins in the US and spreads to the rest of Europe. Japan was also affected by this.

  • Franklin Roosevelt wins the presidential election.

    He starts the "New Deal" and promised government intervention in the economy and help to the unemployed.

  • The First Concentration Camp Opens

    The first concentration camp was called Dachau and it opened 7 years before the notorious Aushwitch in 1940.

  • Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany (dictator)

    The popularity of the Nazi Party was on the rise by 1930 and in 1932 they became the greatest party in the German Parliament.

  • The Night of Shattered Glass

    "Kristallnacht," saw a Nazi-led rampage against Jewish-owned businesses and synagogues.

  • Hitler invades Austria

    He later allies with Stalin to help him invade Poland. This invasion of Poland is said to be what begun the war.

  • Nazi Germany invades Poland

    At this, Britain and France declare war on Germany. The Soviet Union attacks Finland and so Britain/France take over Norway in an attempt to take over Germany's supply of iron ore. But Germany forces Britain/France to retreat until France falls. The last of the English troops escape at Dunkirk. (Just before France falls, Italy joins the Axis powers and declares war on the Allies.

  • The English Channel

    With the fall of France, Hitler had hopes Britain would fall as well, but they didn't. So he planned to do this by invading Britain. He needed atrial superiority over the English channel to do this and so Churchill orders the bombing of Berlin, making Hitler furer-ous. This leads to Hitler bombing London. English children are sent to the countryside and British morale remains high. They end up winning atrial superiority.

  • Tripartite Act

    The Tripartite Pact was essentially the forming of what we call the Axis powers. (Hungary and Romania also join, mainly for protection)

  • Turing cracks the Enigma Code

    Alan Turring was a British mathematician who cracked the Enigma code, a code used by the Germans which helped make U-boats less of a threat to American-British trade of supplies in the Atlantic.

  • Hitler attempts to invade the Soviet Union

    Stalin is unprepared for this attack and so his troops are easily surrounded and outnumbered. Until winter arrives and Hitler's troops must stop. Stalin calls in troops from the Siberian front trained to fight in the cold and this is the beginning of the end for the Nazi reign.

  • Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor

    Japan bombed the American base of Pearl Harbor in an attempt to take out American ships in order to invade Southeast Asia (colonized by the US and Britain at the time). Due to this Roosevelt declares war on Japan. Britain also declares war on Japan, and Germany declares war on the US. The mainly European war has now turned global.

  • Soviet Union defends Stalingrad

    This buys time for more of their troops to gather and eventually push Germany out of France and Belgium.

  • Germany Falls

    This is the end of the Nazi reign of terror and the beginning of the end of WWII.

  • The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

    Hiroshima and Nagasaki were Japanese cities that were bombed with nuclear bombs.

  • Japan's Surrender

    Japan surrendered shortly after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.