World War II Timeline By cookies97 Period: Jan 1, 1920 to Dec 31, 1942 World War II-Pre to Post Jul 28, 1921 Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the Nazi Party Oct 31, 1922 Bennito Mussiloni is appointed prime minister of Italy Dec 6, 1929 Josef Stalin becomes sole dictator of the Soviet Union. Dec 6, 1931 Japan's army seizes Manchuria, China Jan 30, 1933 Hitler is named Chancellor of germany Aug 31, 1935 The Nuetrality Act is passed by Congress Oct 1, 1935 Italian Army invades Ethiopia in Africa Mar 21, 1936 Militarist take control of Japanese Government Apr 9, 1936 Hitler sends troops into Rhineland of Germany in violation of the Versailles Treaty Mar 28, 1937 Japans army pillages Nanjing, China: a massacre of a quarter of a million people Mar 30, 1938 Munich Pact signed, giving the Sudentenland of Czechslovakia to Germany Mar 30, 1938 Nazis begin rounding up jews for concentration camps Mar 30, 1939 Nazi- Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin Mar 30, 1939 Nazis invade Poland. Britain and France declare war. Mar 3, 1940 First Peacetime Draft was created in the US Mar 30, 1940 Nazis invade Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Luxemborg, and Belgium- taking control. Mar 31, 1940 Germany invades France, forcing it to surrender Mar 31, 1940 Battle of Britain- Royal Air Force defeats German Air Force to prevent invasion of their country. Apr 3, 1941 Hitler breaks Pact with Stalin’s Russia and invades -USSR now joins England in fighting the Germans Apr 3, 1941 Japanese invade French Indochina (Viet. Laos, Cambodia) Apr 3, 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 Apr 5, 1941 Churchill and FDR issue the Atlantic Charter Apr 3, 1942 Philippines fall to Japanese – Bataan Death March Apr 5, 1942 Japanese Americans interned in isolated camps Apr 5, 1942 Battle of Midway, turning point of war in the Pacific Apr 5, 1942 Russians stop Nazi advance at Stalingrad save Moscow Apr 5, 1943 British and US forces defeat German and Italian armies in North Africa Apr 5, 1943 Zoot Suit Riots – Los Angeles, CA Apr 5, 1943 Italy surrenders, Mussolini dismissed as Prime Min. Apr 5, 1944 Paris retaken by Allies Forces Apr 5, 1944 D-Day invasion of France at Normandy by Allies Apr 5, 1944 Battle of the Bulge – last offensive of German Forces Apr 5, 1945 US forces return to recapture the Philippines Apr 5, 1945 FDR dies, Harry S. Truman becomes President Apr 5, 1945 V-E Day, war ends in Europe Apr 8, 1945 First Atomic Bombs dropped Apr 8, 1945 V-J Day, Japan surrenders to Allied Forces Apr 8, 1946 War Crimes Trials held in Nuremburg Germany; Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan.
