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Weimar Republic Established in Germany
Weimer Republic is the name given to the era of parliamentary government established after the imperial form of government previously used. -
Washinton [Naval] Conference
Called by the United States, this conference was an attempt to limit the naval arms race and hammer out Pacific security agreements; several treaty agreements were drafted and signed during this conference (12 Nov 1921-6 Feb 1922). -
Four-Power Treaty
Signed by the United States, Great Britain, France, and Japan, this Treaty was an agreement to respect Pacific territorial holdings of other countries signing the Treaty. -
5 Power Treaty
This treaty. between the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, and France, created a ratio of capital ships. -
9 Power Treaty
At the Washington Naval Conference, nine countries (United States, Belgium, China, France, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, and Great Britain) signed a treaty to protect relations with China. -
Joseph Stalin Becamse Leader of USSR
Although this date is the death date of Lenin, it was after Lenin's death that the rebellious, Communism-obsessed Stalin came to power. -
Dawes Plan
Although not officially adopted until August of 1924, the Dawes Plan was an attempt to allow Germany to become more economically stable and remove themselves from hyperinflation. -
Benito Mussolini Became Leader of Italy
After become Prime Minister of Italy in October the previous year, Mussolini, with support from Italy's fascists, declared himself dictator if Italy on this date. -
Adolf Hitler Became the Leader of the Nazi Party
On this date, Hitler declared himself as the ruler of the reformulated Nazi Party. -
Adolf Hitler Wrote Mein Kampf
While in Landsberg Prison, Hitler penned his book, translated to "My Struggle" which discusses his political and social ideas for the future of Germany. -
Hirohito Became the Emperor of Japan
Following the death of his father, Hirohito became Emperor. -
Kellogg-Briand Pact Signed
This pact, also called the Pact of Paris, was an agreement to outlaw war in an attempt to prevent another World War; however, it proved unsuccessful with the resurfacing militarism in the following decade. -
Stock Market Crash in the United States
After the bull market in the 1920s and buying on margin, the stock market crashed on what is known as Black Tuesday. -
Japan Invaded Manchuria
On this day, Japan invaded Manchuria and proceeded to gain several points in South Manchuria; these actions fell under non-recognition. -
Stimson Doctrine
This doctrine by the United States federal government, was officially declaring non-recognition of international changes in territory that were brought about by force, i.e. Japan's seizing of Manchuria. -
Adolf Hitler Became the Chancellor of Germany
Paul von Hindenberg named Adolf Hitler, then only the leader of the Nazi party, as chancellor. -
Good Neighbor Policy
During Franklin D Roosevelt's inaugural address, he mentioned the fact that the United States needed to respect the rights of other countries and not involve herself in the interventionist tendencies of before. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) became President of the U.S.
This day marked FDR's first inaugural address of his four terms as President of the United States. -
The New Deal Started
Five days after his inaugural address, FDR enacted the Emergency Banking Act, which became known as a New Deal program. -
The Holocaust Began
The first official racist action towards the Jewish people occurred on this day when Jewish-owned shops were boycotted; more devastating discrimination was to come. -
London Economic Conference
Running until July 27, this conference consisted of 66 nations meeting to discuss measures to take regarding global depression, international trade, and currency exchange rates. -
U.S. Formally Recognized the Soviet Union
After breaking off relations with Russia in 1917 and not recognizing them for sixteen years, President Franking Roosevelt formally recognized the Soviet Union on this date. -
Pan-American Conference
At the Seventh Pan-American Conference in 1933, the United States agreed to not intervene in the affairs of another country. -
Tydings-McDuffie Act
Named after Maryland Senator Millard E. Tydings and Alabama Representative John McDuffie, this act was a federal law that provided self-government and freedom for the Philippines. -
Reciprocal Trade Agreement
This act granted the President the power to levy tariffs and negotiate trade agreements without Congressional approval. -
Neutrality Acts
The first Neutrality Act was passed on this date; these acts were an attempt to keep the United States out of the European war. -
Italy Invaded Ethiopia
In an attempt to boost Italian prestige and morale, Mussolini had troops invade Ethiopia claiming the country was expanding like other powers controlling Africa. -
Adolf Hitler Defied Treaty of Versailles
Although Hitler had defied the Treaty before, the glaring defiance towards the Treaty of Versailles was in 1936 when the Rhineland was remilitarized. -
Germany Reoccupied the Rhineland
Germany reoccupied and remilitarized the Rhineland. -
Francisco Franco Led a Fascist Revolt in Spain
Contacted with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, Franco played a large role in the uprising that put military officers in control of almost half of the country. -
Rome-Berlin Axis
On this day, a speech given by Benito Mussolini officially used the word "Axis" to describe the alliance between Germany and Italy; this admittance of alliance set the stage for World War II. -
Japan Invaded China
On this day, a Sino-Japanese conflict occurred near Peiping in northern China. -
Quarantine Speech
In this speech, FDR mentioned the "aggressor nations", seen as Japan, Italy, and Germany; as an alternative to war, Roosevelt suggested that other nations use economic pressure to "quarantine" those countries. -
Rape of Nanking
Japanese forces moved into the Chinese city of Nanking and destroyed it; the city was burned and over 200,000 people were killed. -
Anschluss
Adolf Hitler announced an official Anschluss (union) between Germany and Austria; a plebiscite was held on April 10 and their was overwhelming support for annexation. -
Hitler Hosted Munich Conference
Spanning two days, this conference included officials from Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany; it allowed Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. -
Adolf Hitler Took the Sudetenland
At the Munich Appeasement in September 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain agreed to give Hitler the Sudetenland in exhange for reassurance that he would not try to make any more land demands in Europe. -
Kristallnacht
On this night, going into the morning of November 10, Jewish businesses and homes in Germany, Austria, and other German territories were ransacked. -
Hitler Took Czechoslovakia
During a meeting with Czech President Emil Hacha, Hitler demanded free passage into Czech borders or else Prague would be bombed. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact Signed
German and Soviet officials met and signed this pact which protected Germany from having to fight a two-front war; the pact was broken when Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941. -
Germany Invaded Poland
Germany's invasion of Poland marked the beginning of WWII because of Britain and France's loyalty to their protection of Poland's border; Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3rd. -
Sitzkrieg Began
Starting after Germany's invasion of Poland and lasting until May 1940, this "Phony War" was a period of time when nothing of real importance on the warfront happened. -
Winston Churchill Became Prime Minister of Great Britain
Following Neville Chamberlain, Churchill became Prime Minister and ended up being crucial in Allied decision making processes during WWII. -
Auschwitz Death Camp Opened
Used as a concentration camp and a death camp, Auschwitz was the largest of the camps created by the Nazis. -
Allies Evacuate Dunkirk
Naval vessels and civilian boats were used to evacuate the BEF from Dunkirk in France to England. -
Battle of Britain
Pushing into September, the Battle of Britain was between Germany and Britain after France's surrender from WWII; Germany was defeated. -
Vichy Government Established in France
The Vichy regime refers to the period after the Franco-German Armistice on June 22, 1940; France was under control of Marshal Philippe Petain. -
Destroyers for Bases Deal
This deal allowed for Britain to obtain 50 American Naval Destroyers in return for access to naval bases in eight British possessions; this deal was to last for 99 years. -
Tripartite Pact Signed
With the signing of this pact, the Axis Powers of Italy, Germany, and Japan become an official alliance. -
Election of 1940
This election between Roosevelt and Willkie proved victorious for Roosevelt; this was the election that broke the two-term tradition. -
Four Freedoms
This speech by FDR illustrated an idealized world where American ideals were widespread. -
Lend-Lease Act
This Act allowed for America to lend or lease weapons or other military aid to fighting countries if it was deemed crucial to the defense of the United States. -
Operation Barbarossa
On this day, a massive invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany and the other Axis powers began. -
Hitler Enacted the Final Solution
Although an official date for the enactment of the Final Solution was not established, this is the date that the Einsatzgruppen were told to kill Jews during the Soviet invasion; the Final Solution was the name given to the Nazi goal of eradicating the Jewish race. -
Atlantic Charter
Though not an official treaty, Great Britian and the United States affirmed that they had common goals and principles regarding the war. -
Shoot-on-Sight Orders
President Roosevelt ordered the United States Navy to shoot any German or Italian warships on sight in the Atlantic. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
On this "day which will live in infamy," Japan attacked the United States naval base of Pearl Harbor; America declared war the following day. -
The US Declared War on Japan
The day after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, president Roosevelt addressed Congress and requested a Declaration of War on Japan; Congress almost unanimously obliged and war was officially declared that day. -
Office of Price Administration
This day marked the initiation of the first rationing program during WWII; the first ration limited the number of automobile tires per driver to five. -
War Production Board
The WPB, enacted by FDR, managed twelve regional offices that procured raw materials for wartime production. -
Double V
The Double V campaign was an attempt for double victory over racism and international enemies in the United States. -
MacArthur’s “I shall return” Speech
MacArthur promised the people of the Philippines that he would return to liberate them from the Japanese. -
Bataan Death March
Following the United States surrender in the Battle of Bataan, Filipino and American troops marched to prison camps under the wrath of vicious Japanese guards. -
Doolittle Raids Over Japan
Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle led an air raid on Japan as an attempt to boost American morale. -
Island Hopping Campaign
This was the date that the island hopping plan, or the idea of hopping from island to island to capture bases, was drawn out. -
Battle of Coral Sea
Lasting two days, the Battle of Coral Sea was the first of the Pacific war's battles between aircraft carriers; the Japanese experienced their first significant "check" of power. -
Manhattan Project Began
On this date, President Roosevelt signed an official order to have a secret project to create the atomic bomb; though originally under a different code-name, it came to be known as the Manhattan Project. -
Battle of Midway
Ending on June 7, the Battle of Midway was between American and Japanese naval forces in the Pacific, and it was a turning point of the war because it all but destroyed Japanese naval strength. -
Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein took place in the deserts of North Africa; the Allied victory eventually led to the German surrender in May of the following year. -
Battle of Stalingrad
With one of the largest casualty populations in history, this battle is considered by both Russia and the world to be one of the greatest battles of WWII; the battle was a Soviet defense of Stalingrad and it lasted until February 2, 1943. -
Battle of Guadalcanal
Ending on February 9, 1943, the Battle of Guadalcanal was fought mainly between American and Japanese forces; it was part of the Allied attempt to protect convoy routes. -
Nisei Were Interned in Relocation Centers in the U.S.
The second generation of American-Japanese citizens were split into numerous relocation camps, including Rohwer and Jerome. -
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the code-name given to the British and American (Allied) invasion of French North Africa. -
Casablanca Conference
Ending on January 24, this conference was between President Franklin D Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill; this meeting finalized Allied plans agains the Axis powers and accepting the idea of unconditional surrender. -
Cost Plus System
This system promised for the government to pay production costs plus a guaranteed percentage to industries producing war items. -
Rosie the Riveter
Though the idea of Rosie the Riveter surfaced when the United States entered WWII, Norman Rockwell's Rosie was published in 1943 as an homage to the working women of the war. -
Smith-Connally Anti-Strike Act
This act gave FDR (whose veto was overruled) power to seize war-production plants that had threatened strike if the strike would interfere with production of war products. -
Allies Landed in Sicily
Beginning before dawn, the Allies landed in Sicily in hopes to remove Fascist Italy from the war. -
Tehran Conference
Lasting until December 1, this conference was between President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Soviet Premier Stalin; they discussed military strategy against Germany and Japan. -
Operation Overlord (D-Day)
Commanded by General Dwight Eisenhower, Operation Overlord was the code given to the Allied invasion of Normandy. -
Gen. Macarthur Returned to the Philippines (Leyte Gulf)
After leaving in 1942, MacArthur returned to the Philippines as he had promised; only one-third that he'd left behind lived to see him return. -
Kamikaze Pilots Appear in the Pacific
During the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Kamikaze, or suicide pilots, made theit debut in war. -
Battle of the Bulge
Fought between Allied forces and Germany, was an attempted counteroffensive attack by Germany that only brought German defeat; the battle lasted until January 25, 1945. -
FDR's 4th Term
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only president to be elected to three, let alone four, presidential terms; he was inaugurated for the fourth time on this day. -
Yalta Conference
Lasting until February 11, this conference between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin determined important decisions about the progress of the war and the world thereafter. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Lasting until March 26, this Marine battle between the Japanese and Americans was the only Marine battle in which American casualties exceeded the Japanese. -
Battle of Okinawa
Lasting until June 22, the Battle of Okinawa was fought between Japanese and American forces; it was the last and bloodiest battle of the Pacific island battles. -
Mussolini Executed
Along with his mistress, Clara Petacci, and other Fascist leaders, Mussolini was executed by a council of partisans. -
Hitler Committed Suicide
Facing imminent death from the Nuremberg Trials, Hitler swallowed cyanide and shot himself in the head with a pistol. -
Germany Surrendered
Although Germany wished only to surrender on the western front, General Eisenhower insisted they surrender both fronts, and they agreed to unconditionally surrender. -
V-E Day
This day marks the official end of WWII in Europe. -
United Nations Charter
Put into effect in October, this Charter acted as a foundational treaty. -
The Potsdam Conference
Continuing to early August, this conference between the Allies was an attempt to negotiate terms to end WWII; difficulties were encountered regarding reconstruction in postwar Europe. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima
Killing approximately 80,000 people, the world's first atomic bomb is dropped at 8:16 am Japanese time. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki
The second atomic bomb was dropped in Japan, effectively resulting in their unconditional surrender. -
V-J Day
Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on this day, so it came to be known as Victory over Japan Day. -
Japan Surrendered
Japan surrendered to the Allies and officially ended WWII aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. -
Nuremberg Trials
Running from 1945 to 1949, the Nuremberg Trials were a series of thirteen trials against Nazi party officials and other leaders of high rank.
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