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Period: to
World War II Era
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Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the Nazi Party
Adolf Hitler, an extreme natioanlist, was among many angry Germans for the payments forced upon them. He soon beame the leader of a small orginization known as the National Socialist, or the Nazi Party, when he realized he had many beliefes in common with them. -
Benito Mussolini appointed Prime Minister of Italy
Many economic issues occured in Italy after the first World War. Many citizens were becoming restless, and Benito Mussolini promised to regain order through strong leadership. -
Josef Stalin sole dictator of the Soviet Union (USSR)
Josef Stalin turned the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state. He was a very brutal leader, and took strong measures in order to inforce his commands. -
Japan’s Army seizes Manchuria, China
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Hitler is named Chancellor of Germany
Hitler gained much popularity due to the Great Depression. Once named, he soon created a totalitarian state. All other parties were outlawed. Loyalty was strictly enforced by Hitler's secret police. -
Neutrality Acts passed by US Congress
It was the first of many laws that attempted to keep the United States at peace. This act did not allow the President form selling arms, making loans, or giving any oher type of assistance to any nation involved in the war. -
Italian Army invades Ethiopia in Africa
Italy invaded Ethiopia because they were trying to build a colonial empire, due to all of Europes main powers having one. -
Militarist take control of Japanese Government
Just like the Nazi's, Japanese militarists believed in racism. The Japnese believed they were superior to non-asians. -
Hitler sends troops into Rhineland of Germany in violation of the Versailles Treaty
Hitler wanted to creat an empire, linking all German-speaking people together. Even if they were outside of Germany, he was determined. He continued to deny the Treaty and sent troops to Rhineland. -
Japan’s army pillages Nanjing, China; massacre a quarter of a million people.
For six weeks, Japanese forces pillaged Nanjing. The Japanese treated the Chinease brutally. -
Munich Pact signed giving the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to Germany
Britain and France agreed to allow Germany to occupy Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia. In return, Germany had to agree to no longer seek further territory. -
Nazis begin rounding up Jews for labor camps
After much discrimination, Jews were beginning to be rounded up for labor camps. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin
Surprising the world, these two countries signed a Nazi-Soviet nonaggression pact. Both countries agreed to not take military actoin against one another over the next 10 years. -
Nazis invade Poland; Britain and France declare war on Germany
16 days later, the Soviet Army then seized Poland. France and Britain then declared war on Germany. This was the beggining of World War II. -
Nazis invade Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium – take control
Germany had many reasons for invading these contries. The main one was power. Hitler wanted control over everything. He wanted to power over these lands, and the advantages that come with them. -
Germany invades France and forces it to surrender
Hitler was eager to gain more power, and so he pushed towards France. Many people fled, including refugees. The Armistice is signed on June 22. Now, two thirds of France is to be controlled by the Germans. The French army is to be disbanded. Also, France must indure the cost of the German invasion. -
Battle of Britain – Royal Air Force defeats German Air Force to prevent invasion of their island
Britain defeated Hitler's plan to gain air superiority. With this loss, he was forced to postpone, then eventually cancel, an airborne invasion of Britain. Not being able to destroy Britain's air defences, or even negotiating with Britain, was a major loss for Germany. This was a huge turning point in the war. -
First time Peacetime Draft in US
This act was passed in order to draft men into the war. -
Hitler breaks Pact with Stalin’s Russia and invades - USSR which now joins England in fighting the Germans
Looking for more power, Hitler broke his pact whith Stalin. This act forced Stalin into joining forces with England, in order to take Hitler down. -
Japanese invade French Indochina (Viet. Laos, Cambodia)
This was in order to try to prevent the Republic of China from importing arms and fuel through French Indochina. -
Churchill and FDR issue the Atlantic Charter
The Hitory Place
The U.S. president met with Britain's prime minister and discussed what they were fighting for. -
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii attacked by Japanese Naval and Air forces, US declares war on Japan, Germany and Italy declare war on the US - Dec. 9
Hoping to destroy U.S. warships and supplies, the Japanese sent fighter planes to Hawaii, and bombed it. Very stratigically planned and thought out, the U.S. was caught off gaurd, and was not prepared. War was declared. -
Philippines fall to Japanese – Bataan Death March
76,000 prisoners made up of Phillipinos and Americans fell under the command of the Japanese due to their surrender. They were forced to walk many miles under harsh conditons. Many died, or were killed. -
Battle of Midway, turning point of war in the Pacific
June 4-7, thanks to code breaking, the U.S. were able to give a major defeat to the Japanese navy, allowing the Allies to fall into an offensive position. This was a major turning point for these very reasons. -
Japanese Americans interned in isolated camps
Due to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. citizens were on edge and fearful for another attcack. So, Japanese-Americans were sent to "isolation camps" in order to lesson the worry. -
Russians stop Nazi advance at Stalingrad save Moscow
During this battle there were many casualties. Hitler was trying to gain the resources, the weak, Russia had. The Russians put everything into this battle, and come out with a win. -
Zoot Suit Riots – Los Angeles, CA
Young Mexican Americans dressed in "Zoot Suits". Sailors attacked these people and caused several days of rioting. -
British and US forces defeat German and Italian armies in North Africa
Due to this battle, and the victory for the Allies, the Axis powers in North Africa retreat to Italy, and it was the fall of the Italian empire. -
Italy surrenders, Mussolini dismissed as Prime Min.
Mussolini was voted against by the Grand Council of Fasicism, soon after the start of the Allied invasion of Italy. He was arrested the next day. -
D-Day invasion of France at Normandy by Allies
American, British, and Canadien forces land on the sandy beaches of Normandy, a stretch of about 50 miles. This was a huge invasion, and required much presision and planing. -
Paris retaken by Allied Forces
The French forces of the interior staged on uprising again the German garrison. Later on, the U.S. joined in to aid the French, until finally the Germans surrendered, and Paris was liberated. -
Battle of the Bulge – last offensive of German Forces
This battle was a major surprise German offensive launch through the Ardennes mountain region. Though at first successful, the battle ended up being an Allied victory, making Germany even weaker due to valuable reserves and equipment loss. -
US forces return to recapture the Philippines
After the Japanese took control in 1941, America was eager to fix this worng. They were successful, this was a decisive victory. -
FDR dies, Harry S. Truman becomes President
Nearing the end of the war, FDR dies suddenly. He led America through the Great Depression and much of World War II, many were devastated. Truman takes his place in office. -
V-E Day, war ends in Europe
"Victory in Europe Day" marks the surrender of Nazi Germany's armed forces to the Allies. -
First Atomic Bombs Dropped
In an effort to save more lives, America makes the decision to drop 2 bombs on enemy territory, to try to stop further casualties. -
V-J Day, Japan surrenders to Allied Forces
V-J Day!!!!!A formal surrender, to the Allies, of Japan was held on the USS Missouri. -
War Crimes Trials held in Nuremburg, Germany; Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan.
These trials were held by the Allied forces after the end of World War II. They were meant to punish those who commited acts that were uncivil, or acts of unordinary warfare.
