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Mass unemployment and economic depression led to great poverty in Germany, Britain, Japan, Italy, and the United States, and other countries as well. This led to the Great Depression, which led to Fascism in Italy and Germany.
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The Japanese expanded their empire and invaded Manchuria, China. Japan occupied most of eastern China by 1938, then, bringing all of Asia and the Pacific Ocean under their control.
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Hitler legally becomes chancellor of Germany. One of the first things he does is the horrible persecution of the Jews.
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Hitler sent troops to the Rhineland where they were not allowed (according to the Treaty of Versailles). Many Germans and Austrians were proud of this violation of the hated treaty, and other countries did nothing to stop it.
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To establish the greatness of Italy and create an empire, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia. The Italians fought with modern weapons against poorly equipped Ethiopians and conquered this African nation the same year.
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Hitler forced Austria to unite with Germany, claiming that all members of the German race belonged to one country. Within twelve months, he had taken Czechoslovakia.
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German tanks rolled into Poland. Provoked by the invasion of Poland, Britain, and France declared war on Germany. But they were unprepared for the speed and ruthlessness of the Nazis.
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On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in surprise. Pearl Harbor was where the U.S. Pacific fleet was headquartered. Hundreds of Japanese bombers devastated 18 American navy ships, including the USS Arizona and other battleships. The bombs ruined all the American military planes and killed over 2,000 soldiers, sailors, and civilians.
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The D-Day invasion was masterful coordination of Allied land, sea and air power. The night before the attack, the Allies dropped paratroopers behind the German lines.
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President Roosevelt, having suffered years of medical complications, had died suddenly on April 12, 1945.
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Adolf Hitler killed himself in his bunker in Berlin on April 30. The remaining German forces surrendered unconditionally on May 8, 1945.
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The remaining German forces surrendered unconditionally on May 8, 1945, bringing “V-E Day,” Victory in Europe. Unfortunately for the United States, Americans were facing their own tragedy.
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On August 6, the U.S. sent a lone American bomber to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing some 80,000 people instantly and wounding tens of thousands of others.
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On September 2, 1945, the Allies held official surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay, while Americans at home celebrated “V-J Day” Victory in Japan.
