World War 2 By kehley Sep 18, 1936 Japan invades Manchuria. Nov 25, 1936 Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan sign the Anti-Comintern Pact, directed against the Soviet Union and the international Communist movement. Jul 7, 1937 Japan invades China, initiating World War II in the Pacific. Sep 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland, initiating World War II in Europe. Sep 3, 1939 Honoring their guarantee of Poland’s borders, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany. Jun 10, 1940 Italy enters the war. Italy invades southern France on June 21. Dec 7, 1941 Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. Dec 8, 1941 The United States declares war on Japan, entering World War II. May 7, 1945 Germany surrenders to the western Allies. Sep 2, 1945 Having agreed in principle to unconditional surrender on August 14, 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II.