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Period: to
The Holocaust
Began when Hitler came to power. Term holocust in Greek means "Sacrifice by fire". Nazi's rounded up Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, disabled and jehovah's witnesses. Approx 11 million people were killed, 6 million jews. Nuremberg Laws were first exclusion of Jews from society then Anti-Jews Laws. -
Japan invades China
September 19, 1931, the Kwantung Army of Empire of Japan invaded Manchuria. Chinese didn't fight back because of them knowing japan wanted war. February 1932, Japanese had control in Manchuria. -
Munich Conference
Agreement which postponed Nazi's Germany annexation of Czechoslovakia and the sudenteland. Result of a chain of negotiations. Hitler demanded the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. Neville Chamberlain attempted to stop Hitler using appeasement. -
Blitzkrieg
Earliest known use of tactic sited this date German term, meant "lighting war". Germany used this tactic in Poland in 1939 before Belgium, the Netherlands and France in 1940. -
Non-Agression Pact
Signed between Germany and Russia. Pact promised German forces wouldn't invade Russia, also promised that Russia be given part of Poland. Two leaders were Hitler for Germany and Stalin for Russia. Many surprised by pact between Russia and Germany because Russia previously sided with Allies. -
Germany invades Poland
Polish army quickly defeated. Germany had massive attack on Warsaw, surrendered September 27, 1939. Britain and France declared war on Germany, Soviet Union then invaded eastern Poland. -
Battle of Britain
Started this day, between Germany and Britain. After takeover of France Germany used air war tactics on Britain. Germany kept attacking, Britain didn't fall, eventually Hitler changed tactics and decided to go after Russia. -
Lend-Lease Act
American Act aimed at Allies fighting in the war stating their neutrality and that the United States was merely "Lending" and "leasing their guns and army supplies to other nations. -
Opertation Barbarossa
Germany turns back on non- agression pact with Russia and invades the other half of Poland, causing all out war against Germany and Russia eventually leading to allignment of Russia with the allied forces. -
Pearl Harbor
Surprise attack by Japanese forces on an american naval bse, national tragedy which lead to FDR's famous "A Day Of Infamy" Speech, also lead to US involvement in World War 2 eventually lading to our support in the war in europe. -
Wannsee Conference
Confference by Nazi officials which outlined "The Final Solution" saying how jews would be rounded up, put in concentration camps until they either starved to death or were killed and "dealt with" in ways such as gas chambers and burning of the corpses. -
Bataan Death March
Largest surrender of Amercian troops in history to the Japanese forces leading to a march killing many of the survivors. -
Battle of Midway
Battle between Japan and US, US fooled Japan into leaving battleships ungaurded by planes by sacrificing some of their own planes, then swooped in and destroyed most of the Japanese battleships leading to Navsl Dominance for the US in the pacific theater. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler's biggest mistake in the war, changed original battle plan when on the offensive and decided to attack stalingrad leading to massive losses for both sides and Hitler's eventual loss in world war 2. -
D-Day
Day when Allied troops invaded the beaches of Normandy France, seen as a turning point in the war, highly unpracticle tactic that lead to eventual victory for the Allied forces. -
Battle of the Bulge
Surprise attack by German forces attempting to split allied forces in half, U.S. 106th division inexperienced and nearly wiped out, U.S. won, costliest battle in U.S. history. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
U.S captured Iwo Jima from Japanese. Iwo Jima was small island with great tactical importance One of the bloodiest battles in the pacific theater -
Battle of Okinawa
Fought on Ryukyu Islands. Allies planning to use island as base for an invasion of Japan. Last serious Japanese battle before V-J day. -
V-E Day
Stands for Victory in Europe Day when Allied forces accepted defeat from Axis Powers. -
Bombing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki
Was bombing done by the US on the Japanese which caused the eventual end of the war, bombs considered atomic grade and dropped on targets considered mostly civilian, Name of the bombs were "fat Man" and "Little boy" thought to be jokes about Stalin and Churchill. -
V-J Day
Stands for Victory in Japan Day when the war in the atlantic finally ended in US victory. -
Warsaw Pact
Soviet Union, Albania, Poland, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia signed the Treaty of friendship and mutual cooperation, causing this to eventually be made.