World War II By kallioinada85 Jul 11, 1921 Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the Nazi Party Oct 31, 1922 Benito Mussolini appointed Prime Minister of Italy Dec 18, 1929 Josef Stalin sole dictator of the Soviet Union (USSR) Jan 30, 1933 Hitler is named Chancellor of Germany Aug 31, 1935 Neutrality Act passed by US Congress Mar 7, 1936 Militarist take control of Japanese Government Mar 7, 1936 Hitler sends troops into Rhineland of Germany in violation of the Versailles Treaty Apr 26, 1938 Nazis begin rounding up Jews for labor camps Aug 23, 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin May 23, 1940 Germany invades France and forces it to surrender Jun 22, 1941 Hitler breaks Pact with Stalin’s Russia and invades -USSR now joins England in fighting the Germans Aug 14, 1941 Churchill and FDR issue the Atlantic Charter Dec 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor in Hawaii attacked by Japanese Naval and Air forces, US declares war on Japan, Germany and Italy declare war on the US Jun 5, 1942 Battle of Midway, turning point of war in the Pacific Jul 25, 1943 Italy surrenders, Mussolini dismissed as Prime Min. Apr 16, 1945 FDR dies, Harry S. Truman becomes President May 8, 1945 V-E Day, war ends in Europe Aug 14, 1945 V-J Day, Japan surrenders to Allied Forces May 3, 1946 War Crimes Trials held in Nuremburg Germany; Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan