Timeline: Course Introduction USHIST 1945-1974

Apr 7, 1933

Law for Restoration of Professional Civil Service goes into effect in Germany

Removes Jews from government service and bars Jewish professors from teaching in universities. Scientific exodus begins.

May 10, 1933

Nazi book burning takes place at universities throughout Germany

http://viewpure.com/4BQUiJxLINo?start=1&end=116

Nov 9, 1938

Kristallnacht, "Night of Broken Glass" occurs

Wave of anti-Jewish violence throughout Germany, annexed Austria, and in areas of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia recently occupied by German troops.

Aug 2, 1939

Albert Einstein letter to FDR

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/Begin/Einstein.shtml

Sep 1, 1939

Germany invades Poland--WWII begins

Sep 3, 1939

Great Britain declares war on Germany

Sep 27, 1940

Germany, Italy and Japan sign Tripartite Pact

Aug 14, 1941

Atlantic Conference

FDR and Churchill meet in secret; draft "Atlantic Charter", joint declaration of policy; remarkable because US was not yet in war

Sep 17, 1942

Manhattan Project begins

General Leslie Groves appointed to head secret project to build an atomic bomb.

Jan 14, 1943

Casablanca Conference

FDR, Churchill meet to plan Allied offensives aimed at 'unconditional surrender' of Axis powers. Giraud and deGaulle also present. Stalin not in attendance because of Battle of Stalingrad.

Nov 23, 1943

Cairo Conference

FDR, Churchill and Chinese President Chiang Kai-shek meet to discuss the progress of the war against Japan and the future of Asia. Talks paused to allow FDR and Churchill to travel to Tehran to meet with Stalin.

Nov 28, 1943

Tehran Conference

Stalin agrees in principle to declare war on Japan after Allied victory over Germany

Feb 4, 1945

Yalta Conference

Soviets push for US and Britain to recognize Soviet created government in Poland. Declaration of Liberated Europe issued, asserts "the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they will live." Germany divided into four zones to be controlled by US, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and France. Berlin also divided into 4 zones, despite the fact that the city was located inside the Soviet controlled zone.

Mar 6, 1945

Period of hostility between US and Soviet Union begins

US accuses Soviets of violating Declaration of Liberated Europe due to actions regarding formation of Communist governments in Romania and Poland.

Apr 1, 1945

Invasion of Okinawa

Japanese troops take up positions in mountains, rather than defending the beaches. Americans forced to fight their way up steep slopes. More than 12,000 American soldiers, sailors and marines die before Okinawa captured on June 22, 1945.