Iwo jima flag raising wwii

World War 2 Timeline

  • The Start of the Second Sino-Japanese War

    The Start of the Second Sino-Japanese War
    Japan invades the republic of China
  • Hitler Appointed Chancellor

    Hitler Appointed Chancellor
    Leader of the Nazi party, Adolf Hitler, is given the power of Chancellor of Germany by President Paul Von Hindemburg.
  • The Reichstag is Set on Fire

    The Reichstag is Set on Fire
    Germany's parliament building is set on fire, the culprits are never found but plenty of people are blamed.
  • Reichstage Proclamation

    Undesirable people blamed for the fire and as a result, several civil liberties are disposed of by Hitler.
  • FDR Elected

    FDR Elected
    Franklin Delano Roosevelt is inaugurated as the President of the US
  • Hitler Gains Power

    Hitler becomes the Dictator of Germany.
  • Night of the Long Knives

    The night of the long knives happens, in which many high ranking officers in Hitler's former bodyguard unit are assassinated.
  • Hitler becomes Fuhrer

    Hitler becomes Fuhrer
    Adolf Hitler becomes Fuhrer in Germany as well as supreme chancellor.
  • Italy Invades Ethiopia

    Italy Invades Ethiopia
    Italy invades Ethiopia to show it's power. Most of the world is unimpressed as Ethiopia is a very weak nation to begin with.
  • Hitler occupies the Rhineland

    Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles and occupies the Rhineland, France is angry but does nothing.
  • Kristallnacht Occurs

    Kristallnacht Occurs
    After the assassination of a German ambassador in France by a Jewish exile, thousands of Jewish shops and Synagogues are vandalized and destroyed by Nazi supporters in what is known as Kristallnacht or the "Night of Broken Glass"
  • The War Begins

    Germany Invades Poland. Great Britain and France declare war.
  • Stalin Joins the Fight

    The USSR invades Poland from the east.
  • Hitler Invades Czechoslovakia

    Hitler Invades Czechoslovakia
    Germany invades Czecholovakia and takes control of it.
  • Poland Surrenders

    The last of Poland's military surrenders to Germany.
  • Start of the Holocaust

    Polish Jews are forced to wear the star of David in order to identify that they are Jewish. This marks the start of a more sinister plan for Jewish citizens.
  • Germany Invades Norway

    Germany Invades Norway
    Germany invades Norway to secure it's iron supplies and for several naval bases on the coast to harass England.
  • The Fall of France

    Germany invades France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands.
  • Netherlands Surrender

    Netherlands Surrender
    The Netherlands surrenders after a short battle at Grebbeberg.
  • France Surrenders

    France Surrenders
    France surrenders to Germany, Great Britain sets up a defense in preparation of the German invasion.
  • Battle of Britain

    Battle of Britain
    Battle of Britain begins, Germany bombs England constantly. British mount a valiant defense.
  • North Africa Campaigns

    British and German troops meet for the first time in North Africa.
  • Operation Barbarossa

    Operation Barbarossa
    Germany invades the USSR with Operation Barbarossa. They are met with little resistance.
  • Pearl Harbor

    Pearl Harbor
    Japan launches an attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The United States enters the way on Dec. 8th 1941.
  • Singapore Falls

    Singapore Falls
    Japan captures Singapore. One of the worst defeats in British history.
  • Battle of Midway

    Battle of Midway
    Battle of Midway happens. Japan loses much of it's fleet and a vital airbase in the middle of the pacific.
  • Battle of Stalingrad begins

    Battle of Stalingrad begins
    German forces attack Stalingrad. They have trouble fighting the Russian forces here.
  • Battle of El Alamein

    Battle of El Alamein
    German forces lose the battle at El Alamein and are forced to retreat. British forces begin the pursuit across the desert.
  • End of Stalingrad

    End of Stalingrad
    German forces surrender after a grueling battle with Russian forces in Stalingrad. It is the beginning of the end for Germany.
  • War in North Africa over

    German forces in North Africa surrender to the allies and the battle for North Africa is over.
  • Battle of Palermo

    Battle of Palermo
    Allied soldiers invade Sicily and occupy Palermo. Italian citizens hold a coup de'tat against Mussolini.
  • Battle for Italy

    Mainland Italy is invaded by Allied soldiers. Italy surrenders and German soldiers are left as the only defenders against the allies.
  • Red Army enters Poland

    Red Army enters Poland
    After several successful battles throughout Eastern Europe, Russian soldiers enter Poland for the second time, this time in an attempt to invade Germany.
  • Invasion of France

    Invasion of France
    The Allied invasion of France begins. British, American and Canadian troops land at beach heads in Normandy, France while British and American paratroopers land earlier in the day to surround the German defenders.
  • France is Liberated

    France is Liberated
    American and British troops hand over control of the country to the French government under Charles De Gaulle.
  • Operation Market Garden

    Operation Market Garden
    Operation Market Garden begins, the Allied invasion of Holland with the plan to "end the war by christmas time". It eventually becomes a failure as the Allies weren't prepared for the experienced German divisions.
  • Battle of the Bulge

    Battle of the Bulge
    German troops stage a desperate counter attack in the Ardennes Forest. They succeed in holding them off for a short time in the brutal winter before succumbing to the large amount of Allied soldiers.
  • Russia invades Germany

    Russia invades Germany
    Russian forces enter Germany over the Oder river. They meet heavy German resistance and casualties on both sides are very high.
  • Iwo Jima

    Iwo Jima
    American Marines invade Iwo Jima and experience heavy fighting. After 4 days, Marines raise the American flag on top of the mountain on the Island.
  • Allied forces invade Germany

    Allied forces invade Germany
    British and American forces cross the Rhine river and Germany begins to realize they are surrounded by enemies.
  • Battle of Okinawa

    Battle of Okinawa
    American Marines invade Okinawa and plan to use it as a base to assault mainland Japan. Some of the heaviest fighting of the war happens here.
  • Battle of Berlin

    Battle of Berlin
    Russian forces invade Berlin, Germany mounts a half hearted defense mostly full of injured men, old men and teenagers.
  • Germany's Last Days

    Germany's Last Days
    Russian forces hoist the Russian flag over the reichstag and declare themselves victors in the Battle of Berlin. Hitler commits suicide and his personal guards cremate his body so it cannot be taken by the Russians.
  • V-E Day

    V-E Day
    Germany surrenders unconditionally to the Allies. It becomes known as Victory in Europe day.
  • First Atomic Bomb

    First Atomic Bomb
    American aircraft, the Enola Gay drops the atomic bomb on Hiroshima killing about 80,000 people. 3 days later, they drop another bomb on Nagasaki killing an additional 70,000 people.
  • The End of World War 2

    The End of World War 2
    Emperor Hirohito declares the surrender of Japan through a radio broadcast. Victory in Japan day is celebrated and this marks the official end of World War 2.