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Mao Zedong heads Long March
Before the Long March, Communists were surrounded by the Nationalists in their main mountain stronghold. In order to escape, the Communists journeyed 6000 miles to northwestern China. Although many of the marchers perished, the Communists gained many new peasant followers along the way. -
Germany invades Poland; France and Great Britain declare war on Germany
Following WWI, the Allies took land with sea access from Germany and gave it to Poland. Stalin and Hitler's nonaggression pact promised to divide Poland between them. After this was signed, Hitler attemped to conquer Poland. In response to this, France and Great Britain declared war, but Hitler succeeded in annexing Polad before the other two countries could act because of his blitzkrieg tactics. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
In its plan for conquest, Japan planned a surprise attack on the US. Japanese bombers damaged 19 ships and killed 2300 people. Although the US had already cracked Japanese code and knew about the attack, they allowed it to happen anyways without alerted the sailors at Pearl Harbor. It has been speculated that the US did this in order to have incentive to enter a war. -
Germany surrenders
After the Battle of the Bulge, Allies surrounded Berlin. Knowing defeat was near, Hitler and his new wife committed suicide. Germany then surrendered. -
Allies use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
When the Japanese refused to surrender, Harry Truman threatened to use the atomic bomb. When Japan did not give in, an atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. Three days later, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. After the death of over 140,000 civilians and the radiation poisoning of many others, Japan finally surrendered. -
United Nations formed
After WWII, 50 countries joined to form the United Nations. The peacekeeping organization voted on a variety of issues facing the world. 11 countries made up the Security Council that settled disputes.
