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Mao Zedong Heads the Long March
During the Chinese civil war, the nationalists went up to the Communist base in the hills of South-Central China. The Communists fled and began a 6,000 mile journey to the mountains in the North. The Communists successfully escaped, but thousands died from starvation, cold, exposure, and battle wounds. -
Germany Invades Poland; France and Great Britain declare war on Germany
This event is considered by most as the beginning of World War II. One of Hitler's main ideas was the idea that Germany needed more living space, and to do that, they needed to take over most of Eastern Europe. After taking over the Rhineland, the Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia, Hitler aimed to take over Poland. After seeing this, the British and French decided to finally take action by declaring war on Germany. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
On the early morning of December 7th 1941, the Americans at Pearl Harbor awoke to a raid of bombs from the Japanese. Japan's emporer saw Hawaii as a dagger pointed at Japan and looked to take it out. By doing this, Japan finally brought the U.S. into the war. -
United Nations Form
The League of Nations had not worked, and change was needed. The United Nations were formed to replace the League of Nations and to prevent another World War. -
Germany Surrenders
In May of 1945, the war in the European theater finally ended as Germany surrendered. After losing at the Battle of the Bulge, the British and Americans were coming from the west, and the Soviets from the east. After the surrender of Germany, many officers were tried for their crimes at the Nuremberg Trials, and most were sentenced to death. -
US Drops Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The war in Europe was over, but it was not in the Pacific. The Japanese had shown that they would not surrender and they would fight to the death. The US had been developing nuclear weapons in the top secret Manhattan Project. The US was finally ready to use them to finally defeat the Japanese and end World War II.
