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End of WWI
WWI comes to an end with the surrender of Germany and the abdication of it's kaiser. An armistice between the warring countries is signed near the French city of Compiègne -
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Interwar period
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Treaty of Versailles
Peace treaty signed between the Allies and Germany, that had to accept harsh punishments such as reducing its army, the loss of its colonies and disproportionate economical compensations. This would become one of the causes of WWII as Germans (specially) would be resentful towards it and feel humilliated. -
Adolf Hitler joins the Nazi Party
Adolf Hitler joins the National Socialist Workers Party of Germany (NSDAP) and swiftly becomes its leader due to his excellent public speaking and speech abilities. -
Creation of the League of Nations
Different countries join together to create the League of Nations in order to avoid another conflict of the same magnitude as WWI -
Emergence of the Fascist Party in Italy
In 1921, Benito Mussolini creates the National Fascist Party, which is presented as the best way to stop the left-wing revolutionary movements that were appearing in Italy as a result of the triumph of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. -
March of Rome
Benito Mussolini organises this march in order to demand the king to give hime the control of the government. He demonstrates with over 300 000 "Camicie Nere" (Black Shirts)
Here you can watch a video of both the march, the causes and what he did once he seized power (until 3:03).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-USquFHZWU -
Munich Putsch
Hitler and the Nazi Party plan a coup d'etat to overthrow the government but fail. He is imprisioned and the party is banned. -
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Fascist Italy (Benito Mussolini's dictatorship)
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Publication of "Mein Kampf"
Hitler publishes "Mein Kampf" (My struggle), a book where he reflects his ideology and the foundations of Nazism, mainly influenced by antisemitism, superiority of the Aryan race, anticommunism and the need of building a great empire (Reich) -
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Stalin's dictatorship in the USSR
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Wall Street Crash
The Wall Street Crash was a result of overespeculation and overproduction in the USA. The real situation of many companies didn't correspond the high value their stock had in the market, and the value of shares was higer than their real value. Suddenly, everyone panicked and tried to sell their shares at the same time, their value plummeted and the market collapsed. This triggered a huge economic crisis that spread worldwide and lasted for over a decade. This was another of the causes of WWII. -
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Second Spanish Republic
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Hitler is appointed chancellor
In the elections of 1932, the Nazi Party won 13 million votes, and in 1933 Hitler was appointed chancellor by president Hindemburg -
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Nazi Germany/Third Reich
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Hitler declares himself Führer and Chancellor of the Third Reich
After the death of president Hindemburg, Hitler declared himself Führer (leader) and Chancellor of the Third Reich.
Here is a brief video of Hitler's rise to power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmNFbcIq23E -
Creation of the "No Intervention Committee"
Created by France with the support of Great Britain, it had the purpose of avoiding foreign involvement in the Spanish civil war and thus the internationalisation of the conflict as there was already an extremely tense international scene between democracies and dictatorships. However, of the 27 participant countries, this wasn't respected by Germany, Italy and Portugal, which helped Franco from the beginning, and the USSR, that helped the republic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Yj0VWNWWc -
The Popular Front wins the elections
The left-wing Republicans come together for the elections of 1936, creating the Popular Front. They won in the elections, and Manuel Azaña was appointed prime minister again. They reinstated the reform programme that they once begun back in 1931, during the reformist biennium. However, there was opposition from the right-wing, and militars began planning a coup d'etat. -
Military uprising in North Africa
After the assasination of the monarchist deputy José Calvo Sotelo, the forces opposing the Republic finally find the pretext for carrying out their coup. The military uprising begins in Melilla, Ceuta & Tétouan the 17 July. On 18 and 19 July it has already reached the Peninsula and both the Balearic and Canary islands. Even though it fails, it will trigger the Spanish civil war.
https://youtu.be/nMhp8UFr_Ig?t=794 -
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Spanish Civil War
Video explaining the Spanish Civil War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj9N9DTtdas -
General Sanjurjo dies in a plane crash
General José Sanjurjo, who had to return to Spain from his exile in Portugal in order to be one of the major leaders of the nationalist troops dies in a plane crash short after its takeoff. -
The rebel troops begin the seige of Toledo's "Alcázar"
This was a battle of symbolic value. The city of Toledo was considered the cradle of Spain, and the alcázar had been the residence of the Spanish monarchy short after the Reconquista, so the victory of the nationalists here had a great symbolic and propagandistic value and it was a blow to the republicans -
Creation of the "Junta de Defensa Nacional"
It was created in Burgos and assumed all the State powers in the territory controlled by the National side. -
Franco is named head of the government and the army by the "Junta de Defensa Nacional"
Franco is appointed head of the government and army by the Junta Nacional for as long as the war continues. -
The government moves to Valencia
Due to the increasingly amount of bombings in Madrid, the republican government decides to move its headquarters to Valencia. -
European fascist leaders acknowledge legimitacy of Franco's government
Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and fascist leader Benito Mussolini acknowledge legitimacy of Franco's government. -
Battle of Madrid
Madrid became the target as if it fell it would be a decisive victory for Franco. Republican forces, (army, militia volunteers and members of the International Brigades) managed to hold off the attack. -
Battle of Malaga
This battle ended in five days with the victory of the national side, which had Italian and the Moroccan troops' help. Hundreds of people are executed in the two following days -
Battle of Guadalajara
After failing to conquer Madrid, Franco tries to enter the city by other ways. However, in this battle, the republicans manage to hold off the attack once again, so Fanco decides to abandon and move to other regions. -
Battle of the North
After being inable of conquering Madrid, Franco's troops move to the north to focus on this front, bombing important cities in the Cantabrian coast and other near areas. -
Bombing of Guernica
This is probably one of the most famous events in the Spanish civil war. On 26 April 1937, the German Condor Legion bombed the Basque city of Guernica, destroying it completely and causing a great number of civilian casualties. This was very shocking and striking, also internationally, and inspired Picasso for painting his most famous painting, which has become a symbol of the horrors of war.
Here you can find a fragment of the film "Gernika":
https://youtu.be/swEA1FH3wJo?t=94 -
The government moves again to Barcelona
The republican government moves its headquarters again, this time from Valencia to Barcelona. -
Battle of Teruel
This battle continued until february and took place under extreme wintry conditions. The city fell in boths sides' control several times. It was one of the most bloody battles of the Spanish civil war and the victory of the National side would be a turning point in the future of the war. -
Barcelona Bombings
This bombing was performed by Italian aircraft and was the second bombing which caused more deaths in only one of the incursions, surpassed only by the bombing of Guernica -
Battle of the Ebro
The battle of the Ebro was the longest and bloodiest of the civil war (25 July-16 November). Republicans had to retreat before Franco's advance, and the Republican territory got divided into two as a result of the battle. -
Catalonia Offensive
Franco's troops advance towards Catalonia for trying to conquer the city of Barcelona and the rest of the Catalonia, which had been on the Republican side since the beginning of the war. Barcelona falls the 26 of January. Thousands of refugees fled to the French border. -
France and Great Britain acknowledge Franco's government
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Madrid falls
Despite of the failed attempt of conquering Madrid back in 1936, this time the city, suffering and worn out, can't do anything to stop the advance. Madrid surrenders, a sign of the end of the war, which will not take too long. -
End of the Spanish civil war
The 1st of April 1939, after ending with the last signs of resistance in Alicante, a war communiquée by Franco announces the end of the war. -
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Franquismo
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Signing of the Pact of Steel
Hitler and Mussolini sign the Pact of Steel, a political and militar alliance between Germany and Italy. -
Signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
Hitler and Stalin, two completely opposite figures surprise the world by signing the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, which granted that none of them would attack the other in a period of 10 years. -
Beginning of WWII
Hitler invades Poland with the Blitzkrieg technique, triggering WWII. -
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WWII
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Great Britain and France declare war on Germany
Great Britain and France who had adopted an appeasement policy until that point, allowing Hitler to do wathever he wanted in order to avoid a new World War and maintain peace in Europe, declare war to Germany. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxztX0iPGeQ -
Italy declares war on Great Britain and France
Mussoliny declares war on Great Britain and France, joining Germany in WWII. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=staFolE_Ya0 -
Signing of the armistice between Germany and France
After Germany invades France, Hitler reunites with some French officers who ask for an armistice, in the same place and in the same wagon in which WWI's armistice was signed. Henceforward, France divides in two. One part which includes Paris is occupied by the Germans, and the other (Vichy France) has a collaborationist government led by Pétain. However, general Charles De Gaulle opposes immediately to the government and proclaims the "Free France" and the French resistance -
Signing of the Tripartite Pact
Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact, a military alliance which consequently stablished the Axis powers. -
Interview of Hendaye
Hitler and Franco meet in Hendaye to negociate the possible entry of Spain in the war on the side of the Axis powers. However, Spain was destroyed and going through a deep economic crisis due to the recent civil war and couldn't go on war again. Also, Franco's demands regarding the territory Spain would receive if they won the war were too much for Hitler. Even though they didn't reach an agreement , they signed a secret pact by which Spain could have entered the war when it was ready. -
The USSR joins the Allies
After Hitler breaks the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, attacking the USSR, which was his original plan, the USSR joins the allies to fight back Hitler. -
Attack of Pearl Harbor
Japan attacks the USA naval base of Pearl Harbor by surprise before declaring war. The purpose was to render the USA pacific fleet so that it wouldn't interfere with the military operations Japan was carrying out in South east Asia, conquering the colonial territories of other powers.
Clip from the movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqTImGcQZpc -
The United States and Great Britain declare war on Japan
Following the Attack of Pearl Harbor, the United states declare war on Japan and join the Allies in the war.
https://youtu.be/nhCfGva5laY?t=14 -
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States
Four days after the Attack of Pearl Harbor and the United States declaration of war to Japan, Hitler and Mussolini declare war to the United States. -
Battle of Stalingrad
It is considered the bloodiest battle of the history of mankind. Hitler needed to conquer Stalingrad but the Soviets fought fiercly for five months. Hitler's defeat at this battle was a turning point in the war and is considered the beginning of the end of Nazism. -
Benito Mussolini is arrested
Mussolini is voted out of power by his own council and arrested after having a meeting with the king of Italy Vittorio Emmanuele. -
Italy joins the Allies
After the liberation of Rome by the Allies the 4 July, Italy switches sides and joins them against Germany in the war. -
Normandy's landing
The Allies land in a naval operation to the beaches of Normandy for freeing France from the Nazis.
Clip from the movie "Saving Private Ryan"
https://youtu.be/RYxrKhyhDRc?t=59 -
Battle of Berlin
The last of the European battles. The Soviets reach Berlin and after 16 days of battle Germany surrenders. The war is over in Europe. -
Execution of Benito Mussolini
Mussolini was executed and then taken to the Piazzale Loreto with his lover and other fascist leaders, where they were hung upside down. Their bodies were beaten, shot and hit. -
Hitler commits suicide
The critical situation of Germany , which was on the verge of total military collapse, and the approaching Soviet army, which was fighting in the Battle of Berlin, marked the end of his empire. Hitler commited suicide with his wife in his bunker in Berlin. -
WWII finishes in Europe
After his suicide, Hitler names the admiral Karl Dönitz new president of Germany, but there is no future for the Third Reich. Berlin falls and Germany surrenders, the war has ended in Europe. -
Atomic bombing of Hiroshima
The USA drops the first atomic bomb in a war over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Over 160 000 people died.
https://youtu.be/3wxWNAM8Cso?t=63 -
Atomic bombing of Nagasaki
As Japan wouldn't surrender, the USA drops the second atomic bomb in the Japanese city of Nagasaki. Over 80 000 people died -
Japan surrenders
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The United Nations offically comes into existence
In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. Those delegates deliberated on the basis of proposals worked out by the representatives of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States at Dumbarton Oaks, United States in August-October 1944. -
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
It is the ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the mid-20th century.
The origins to the conflict can be traced back to the end of WWII. After WWII, due to the shock caused by the holocaust, the partition of what had been the British Mandatory Palestine into a jewish part so that the Jews could settle in Israel and an arab part was approved. Both parts have been in conflict since then. -
Death of Franco, end of Franquismo
The 20 November 1975, Franco dies and thus Franquismo ends. Spain will begin a period of transition to democracy after 36 years of dictatorship. -
Afganistan war
It was part of the War against Terrorism. It began in 2001 when the USA invaded Afganistan after the 11-S terrorist attacks in order to dismantle Al Qaeda terrorist network and eliminate the Talibans of Afganistan. The USA led an international coallition with the members of the NATO, who later retired from the conflict in 2014. -
Iraq war
The Iraq War was a long armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein. The conflict continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post-invasion Iraqi government. -
Syrian civil war
The Syrian civil war, which started in 2011 and is still taking place, is an an armed conflict that began after the anti-government protests of 2011 which resulted in confrontations between the Syrian armed forces and the Syrian Opposition, which includes several terrorist groups. It is considered the second deadliest war of the XXI century.
