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Japan Invades China
This invasion was meet with much resistance from the Chinese people. This invasion eventually led to China joining forces with the Allies to stop Japan's aggression. -
Nuremberg Laws
Germany established regulations that prohibited Jewish people from marrying non-Jewish people, having successful businesses and careers, being a full citizen, and going anywhere without their identification. -
Neutrality Act
This prohibited Americans from selling weapons and traveling to war zones. However, other crucial supplies were allowed, and these were often distributed to Ally countries. This strengthened America's economic relationship with the Allies, but created a rift between it and Axis countries. -
"Cash and Carry"
America allowed other countries to buy goods (not weapons) from them as long as they paid for the supplies soon and carried them on non-American ships. This strengthened America's relationship with France and Britain, but created a divide with Axis countries. -
Kristallnacht
This act of terrorism and violence made it so that it was impossible for a Jewish person to live peacefully in Germany. While the United States did renounce Germany's actions, little was done to support the Jewish people. -
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U-boat Attacks
Aggressive military moves in the form of U-boat attacks by Germany created tension with Allies and the US. The use of U-boats was banned as part of the World War 1 armistice agreement, so U-boats also caused tension legally. In the end, most Germany U-boats were destroyed or captured. -
Nonaggression Pact
This agreement created a temporary political peace between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. This was broken two years later when Germany invaded the Soviet Union. -
War Declared on Germany by Poland, Great Britain, and France
After Poland was invaded by Germany, the militaristic tension caused Britain and France to want to declare war on Germany. When Germany refused to withdraw from Poland, War was declared in hopes of making things right in Germany. -
Poland Ceases to Exist
Due to the legal agreements between the USSR and Germany, Poland was annexed into each respective country until it ceased to exist. This resulted in a tense political situation in the area that was once Poland. -
Soviet Union Annex Baltic States
As part of the agreement between the Soviet Union and Germany, the Soviets had a claim over three Baltic states. Tension was present in these regions as a result of the military presence and rigged elections. -
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Blitzkrieg
These intense attacks made by the Germans involved swift, focused blows with armored vehicles. They often resulted in quick victory at a low cost. The allies were devastated by them at the beginning of the war, but later adopted the techniques in their own war strategy. -
Hitler Invades Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg
These countries in Western Europe were taken by force. These military and political arrangements created a lot of tension in Western Europe. Additionally, this Axis success created more urgency for the Allies to act. -
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Luftwaffe and RAF Bombings
In the summer of 1940, the German air force (Luftwaffe) and British air force (RAF) were at odds. The bombings were an obvious source of military tension. Both sides experienced losses throughout the ordeal, but Britain gained the upper hand by the end of it. -
Selective Training Service Act
This peacetime draft eventually brought 10 million able-bodied men into the army. Tension arose within the country regarding the ethics of enforcing a draft when America was not technically involved in the war. -
Tripartite Pact
This arrangement formalized the partnership between the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan). The group's ambition and aggression would be the source of most tension throughout World War Two. -
Atlantic Charter
By Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meeting, the alliance between England and America was solidified, even before America joined the Allies. Furthermore, the Atlantic Charter heavily influenced the Declaration of the United Nations in what were the Allies' goals after the war and their assumed victory. -
Lend-Lease Plan
This plan allowed the president to give food, weapons, and other supplies to the Allies. This obvious show of favoritism strengthened the United States' relationship with the Allied countries, but weakened its relationship with Axis countries. -
Executive Order #8802
This order issued by FDR worked to stop discrimination in the military on the basis of race. This made it so that African American workers did not riot, and it increased efficiency in the defense industry. -
Hitler Breaks Stalin Agreement
Beforehand, Hitler and Stalin had secretly agreed to be peaceful and to not interfere with each countries' imperialistic goals. There relationship turned hostile when Germany meet the Soviet Union with a large scale raid, including 3 million soldiers, 3,000 tanks and 7,000 artillery pieces. -
US Cuts Off Trade With Japan
In response to Japanese aggression, the U.S. cut off trade and monetary arrangements with Japan. This caused Japan to lose significant financial resources, resulting in tension between the United States and Japan. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
This attack on an American military base convinced America to enter World War Two against Germany and Japan while joining forces with France, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. The relationship between the United States and Japan became tense to the point of declaring war. Additionally, the publicity on the attack made it so that more American People were in favor of the war. -
US Declares War
As a result of the tension caused by the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor military base, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. They complied, likely due to the frustration and devastation that resulted from the Pearl Harbor attack. -
Island Hopping Strategy
Starting August of this year, The U.S. military used this strategy of going from island to island with carefully calculated military targets in their war with Japan. This caused tension with those who lived on the islands, as many would rather die than surrender. -
Executive Order #9066
This camp gave military leaders the power to put innocent Japanese Americans in 10 internment camps. People were not released until after the war. This caused a rift between Japanese Americans and other Americans who viewed them as possible secret agents. -
Bataan
After a mass surrender of American troops, prisoners of war were forced to march to a prison camp under harsh and inhumane conditions. Thousands died. Tension between the U.S. and Japan over the unethical treatment of prisoners arose, and Japan was held responsible after the war. -
Midway
This three day battle heavily involved the naval and air forces of the United States and Japan. The US victory made great strides for them in the war in the Pacific, whereas Japanese losses of ships, planes, and men hurt their progress in the war. -
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Stalingrad
This five month battle was a major turning point in World War Two. It involved the Nazis and the Soviets waging war and trying to gain more territory. In the end, Germany lost and decreased their actions on their Eastern Front. The battle resulted in about 800,000 German casualties and 1,000,000 soviet casualties. -
El Alamein
This battle involved Britain going up against Germany and Italy in western Africa. Britain had advantages in numbers and weapons and successfully stopped he axis powers from gaining territory in North Africa. -
Hitler Invades and Splits France
The Nazis occupied France, splitting the territory into one region controlled by Nazis and the other controlled by the French government. This created a highly militaristic presence in France. Additionally, tension arose from the legality of Germany's occupation (they broke an armistice agreement). -
D-Day
This day started the largest sea battle in history in Normandy, France. The over 150,000 Allied soldiers involved were able to secure 5 beaches by the end of it. This event marked a huge turning point for World War Two in favor of the Allies. Many casualties were suffered on both sides. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
Towards the end of the war, the Allies found the concentration camps and the horror and destruction that had occurred. The publicity surrounding the event caused tension between Nazi Germany and other countries; Nazism was rejected more than ever before. -
Korematsu v. US
This was a legal case involving a Japanese-American man refusing to go to the internment camps. This created tension within America, as many were distrustful towards people of Japanese decent and so many innocent American citizens were being imprisoned by the government. -
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Bulge
This battle was the largest and costliest battle for the US, but resulted in even more casualties in Germany. At first, Germany had the upper hand, but then the allies counterattacks led them to victory. Germany suffered greatly due to the loss of troops and supplies in this battle. -
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Yalta Conference
The Allies meet and discussed what would happen before and after Germany's defeat. They decided that Germany would be tried for their war crimes and that the land would be divided up so that Germany did not become too powerful. At this conference, some tension arose in the form of disagreements with the Soviet Union. Additionally, the Soviets had broken an agreement that stated that free elections would exist in the areas they occupied. -
Iwo Jima
This battle was waged between the Japan and US military. It was an important strategic victory for the US. The fight was very brutal and violent, but it resulted in the capture of the island. -
VE Day
This day marked Germany's surrender and the Ally victory. German prisoners of war were taken and British prisoners of war were released. This day was full of celebration in Europe and the United States, and the tension present drastically decreased. -
Potsdam Conference
Following Germany's defeat, the allies met to make up an agreement for what would happen to the axis countries. Germany was divided, demilitarized, and held accountable for war crimes. This created some tension between the victors and the defeated. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped-Hiroshima
The devastating destruction of the atomic bomb forced Japan to surrender. The event caused a tense political relationship between the United States and Japan for a long time. Hiroshima is now part of a cry for world peace. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped-Nagasaki
This second atomic bomb attack (only days after Hiroshima) led to Japan's quick surrender. This event furthered political tension between the United States and Japan because of the destruction of lives and property. Additionally, the attack at Nagasaki led to a movement to ban the use of nuclear weapons. -
VJ Day
After the atomic bomb attacks, Japan realized that they did not stand a chance and should surrender for the sake of their civilization. The day was a day of celebration for the US regarding their victory and an end to the war in the Pacific. -
Geneva Convention
After some horrific acts that occurred during World War Two, the Geneva Convention meet to establish protection for some people who could get involved in the war, including the following: prisoners of war, civilians (especially mothers and children) religious leader, and healthcare people. This agreement helped to unite groups that had originally been at war.
