World War II

Manchuria

Sep 19, 1931

Japan invades China.

Rhineland Invasion by Germany

Mar 7, 1935

It was when Germany took over the demilitarised land that they already had political control over, but was not allowed under the Treaty of Versailles to take complete control of. He went against that treaty and brought Nazi troops in to reopen the land.

Invasion of Ethiopia

Oct 3, 1935

Italy invades Ethiopia as a way to test Britian and France to see if they would do anything to stop Italy.

Spanish Civil War

Mar 21, 1936

Francisco Franco comes into power. Ends in 1939.

Anschluss Invasion by Germany

Mar 12, 1938

Hitler annexs the smaller nation, Austria, into Germany. He tries to reunite the German people in his former city.

Munich Conference

Sep 29, 1938

Britian and France surrender Sudetenland in Czechoslovia to Germany as honor of the peace treaty, Treaty of Versailles.

Kristallnacht

Nov 9, 1938

A night where thousands of Jewish businesses were ruined and over 100 Jews died.

Invasion of Poland

Sep 1, 1939

Germany iniates the invasion of Poland with bombs and tanks, which leads to the Soviet Union, USSR, following. Britian and France don't do anything to stop them, and it marks the start of World War II.

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Japan invades U.S. naval area, Pearl Harbor. This is what lead the U.S. to enter World War II.

Battle of Midway

Jun 7, 1942

The first battle against Japan and the allies won. They broke the Japanese code and crippled their navy. This was planned by Chester Nimitz.

Stalingrad

Aug 23, 1942

Germans push through Soviet Union violating Nazi-Soviet Pact. Capture Stalingrad and oil reserves.

Operation Torch

Nov 8, 1942

Invasion of North Africa in 1942. The U.S. pushes from the West, and the British push from the East trying to get the Germans out of Africa. Lead by Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Invasion of Sicily

Jul 9, 1943

This was the first fight against an axis power in Europe for the allies. They meet with Germany but the damage is already done; allies get a win.

Italy Surrenders

Jun 4, 1944

Mussolini was recently deposed and Italy surrendered shortly after. This was the first Axis Power to surrender after the allies entered Rome.

D-day, Operation Overlord

Jun 6, 1944

An enormous opperation led by General Dwight Eisenhower. Allied invasion of Normand, France.

Battle of Leyte Gulf

Oct 23, 1944

Largest and last battle the U.S. fought against Japanese. It was the most decisive naval engagement in the Pacific.

Battle of the Bulge*

Dec 16, 1944

This was HItler's last major offensive. He enters France from the Western Front to stop the U.S, USSR, and Great Britain.

Iwo Jima

Feb 3, 1945

It was a six week struggle for the allies to gain an island in the Pacific. Very bloody!

Yalta Conference

Feb 4, 1945

This was a one week conferene with FDR, Churchill, and Stalin devises a post war plan for the reorganization of Europe.

Okinawa

Apr 1, 1945

The bloodiest battle fought in the Pacific. Took Japan five days before they attacked the U.S; resulted in 49,000 Japanese dead.

V-E Day

May 8, 1945

German government announces they are done with the war. This day is now known as V-E (Victory in Europe) Day; there is much rejoices in the allied countries.

Potsdam Conference

Jul 17, 1945

This lasted to the first week of August. This was basically the continutation of the Yalta Conference. Instead of FDR, Harry S Truman was there because FDR died.

V-J Day

Sep 2, 1945

This is known as Victory in Japan Day, which is the day that formally ended the war with Japan against the U.S.. Official surrender ceremonies were lead by General MacArthur.