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Vladimir Lenin dies and a troika, including Joseph Stalin, comes into power.
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Period: to
Joseph Stalin claims supremacy after eliminating the other members of the troika.
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Germany and the USSR signed a secret non-agression pact. This pact divides Poland between the Soviets and the Germans.
This pact divides Poland between the Soviets and the Germans. -
Germans invade their portion of Poland, beginning World War II. The Polish army was defeated within a few weeks.
The Polish army was defeated within a few weeks. -
Period: to
World War II
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USSR invades eastern Poland, a mere 16 days after the Germans.
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Russo-Finnish war begins when the USSR invades Finland. About one million men attacked on several fronts.
About one million men attacked on several fronts. -
USSR invades the Baltic states, after giving each state an ultimatum of forming a new pro-Soviet government or going to war.
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USSR signs neutrality pact with Japan. This was to last for 5 years.
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Germany invades Russia. The plan was called Operation Barbossa.
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Finland declares war on USSR, initiating the Continuation War.
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Hungary and Slovakia declare war on USSR. They then began to contribute to the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
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Germany begins the Seige of Leningrad. This occurred as a result of German failure to capture Leningrad.
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U.S. begins supplying USSR under the Lend-Lease Act, which was signed by Roosevelt on March 11th, 1941.
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USSR evacuates seat of government from Moscow to Kuibyshev, as the Germans advance. Only Stalin stayed in Moscow.
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Germany abandons attack on Moscow.
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German troops surrender to Soviets at Stalingrad.
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Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill meet for the first time in Tehran.
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USSR bombs Stockholm, Sweden.
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USSR bombs Helsinki, Finland.
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USSR invades Romania, occupied by the Germans.
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Romania surrenders to the USSR, cutting off Germany's last natural oil source.
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Bulgaria and Finland surrender to the USSR.
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Russians liberate Auschwitz.
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Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill meet again for the Yalta Conference.
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Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill meet a final time for the Potsdam Conference.
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USSR declares war on Japan.