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The Persecution Begins
Hitler ordered all "non-Aryans" to be removed from government jobs. This was one of the first events that led to the Holocaust-the systematic murder of 6 million jews across Europe. -
Austria and Czechoslovakia Fall
Hitler met secretly with his top military advisers to declare that to grow and prosper Germany they had to get more land. He decided that he needed to absorb Austria and Czechoslovakia. -
Hitler goes after Austria
Hitler went after Austria first. German troops marched into Austria, and the next day Germany announced that their "union" with Austria was complete. -
Munich Agreement
Edouard Daladier and Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement, which turned the Sudetenland (western border regions of Czechoslovakia) over to Germany without a single shot fired. -
Kristallnacht
Nazi storn troopers attacked Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues across Germany and Austria. Around 100 Jews were killed, and hundreds more were injured. About 30,000 Jews were arrested. -
Hitler was not finished expanding
German troops poured into what remained of Czechoslovakia. After that Hitler gloated, "Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist." -
Fate Of Poland
Fascist Germany and Communist Russia now committed to never attack each other after Stalin signed a nonaggression pact with Hitler. Germany and the Soviet Union also signed a second, secret pact, agreeing to divide Poland between them. -
Blitzkrieg in Poland
The German air force roared over Poland, raining bombs on military bases, airfields, railroads, and cities. German tanks races across the Polish countryside, spreading terror and confusion. This was the first test of Germany's newest military strategy, the blitzkrieg. -
War on Germany
Britain and France declared war on Germany. Major fighting was over in three weeks. In the last week of fighting, the Soviet Union attacked Poland from the east, grabbing some of its territory. By the end of the month, Poland had ceased to exist and World War II had begun. -
Surprise Invasion
Hitler launched a surprise invasion of Denmark and Norway in order "to protect freedom and independence." But he actually planned to build bases along the coasts to strike at Great Britain. -
The Battle of Britain
Britain's Royal Air Force shot down over 185 German planes. Six weeks later, Hitler called off the invasion of Britain. -
Axis Powers
Germany, Italy, and Japan had signed a mutual defense treaty. They were known as the Axis Powers. They aimed at keeping the United States out of the war. -
A. Philip Randolph's March
Randolph called on African Americans everywhere to come to the capital and march under the banner "We Loyal Colored Americans Demand the Right to Work and Fight for Our Country." -
Japan attacks the U.S.
The prime minister of Japan, Hideki Tojo, ordered the Japanese navy to prepare for an attack on the United States. The U.S. military learned that Japan was preparing for a strike. They waited for Japan to make the first move. -
Roosevelt Declaires War
Roosevelt received a decoded message that instructed Japan's peace envoy to reject all American peace proposals. "This means war," declared Roosevelt. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese threw their bombs all over Pearl Harbor. The Japanese had killed 2,403 Americans and wonded 1,178 more. Congress approved Roosevelt's request for war against Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. -
War Plans
Prime Minister Churchill arrived at the White House and spent the next three weeks working out war plans with President Roosevelt. Churchill convinced Roosevelt to strike first against Hitler. -
WAAC
The bill establishing the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps became law. Women volunteers would now serve in noncombat positions. -
The End of the Battle Of Stalingrad
The German commander surrendered. Two days later, his starving troops also surrendered. -
99th Pursuit Squadron
The first group of African American pilots trained at the Tuskegee institute arrived in North Africa. They fought in Italy and had many strategic strikes against the German forces. -
The Italian Campaign
King Victor Emmanuel III summoned II Duceto his palace, stripped him of power, and had him arrested. Italians began celebrating the end of the war. -
D-Day
The first day of the invasion. Shortly after midnight, three divisions parachuted down behind German lines.Many people died and were injured on that day. -
The Allies Gain Ground
General Omar Bradley unleashed massive air and land bombardment against the enemy at St. Lo, providing a gap in the German line of defense through which General George Patton and his Third Army could advance. -
Battle of the Bulge
Eight German tank divisions broke through weak American defenses along an 80-mile front. Tanks drove 60 miles into Allied territory, creating a bulge in the lines. -
The Flag of Iwo Jima
70,000 marines converged on the tiny, Japanese-controlled island of Iwo Jima. Four days later, they had captured Mount Suribachi, the island's highest point, but the battle for Iwo Jima would rage on for four more weeks. -
Roosevelt's Death
While posing for a portrait in Warm Springs, Georgia, the president had a stroke and died. Vice President Harry S. Truman became the nation's 33rd president. -
Soviet Army and Berlin
The Soviet army had stormed Berlin. As Soviet shells burst overhead, the city panicked. -
Hitler Got Married
Hitler married Eva Braun because he knew the end was near. The same day he wrote out his last address to the German people. The next day he shot himself while his new wife swallowed poison. -
V-E Day
The Allies celebrate Victory in Europe day. The war in Europe was finally over. -
The Battle for Okinawa
The fighting ended. More than 7,600 Americans had died. 110,000 Japanese died defending Okinawa.
