-
Germany invades Poland, which triggers the start of World War II.
-
France and Great Britain declare war on Germany, since they wanted to defend Poland. primary source: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/07/30/article-0-2021A7D100000578-527_306x388.jpg
Seldon, Anthony. "Great War 100 Years: Anthony Seldon Shares His Grandparents' Tale of Love, Loss and Courage." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 3 Aug. 2014. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
France surrenders and signs an armistice agreement that states that Germany owns the northern half of the country and the Atlantic coastline.
-
The Battle of Britain ends, which ocurred because of a mistake made by the Lufftwaffe. The mistake was that a German troop accidentally dropped a bomb in London. Because of this, Britain made their air force stronger. Britain then wanted to bomb Berlin. primary source: http://libertarianalliance.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/de-033-qaz.jpg
North, Richard. "Media: The 1940 Shelter Scandal | Libertarian." Before It's News. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
The US president Franklin Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Bill, allowing them to lend supplies to the Allies in their fight against the Axis. This means that US has now joined the war. primary source: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/8691/Transcript-of-Lend-Lease-Act
Gibbons, Brittany. "Transcript of Lend-Lease Act." Docstoc.com. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
Operation Barbarossa is put into effect, in which Germany invades Russia. Hitler assumed victory and thought that he would be able to get to Stalingrad by passing through Ukraine, but Ukraine did not let them pass.
-
President Roosevelt freezes Japanese Assets in the US as revenge for the Japanese occupation of French-Indo China.
-
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. 2,300 people were killed and 100 were wounded. That same day, Japan also invaded Hong Kong, Guam Wake Island, and Thailand. primary source: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gFxFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ELwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1872,3575254&dq=pearl+harbor+attack&hl=en
(got this from google, it can't be cited) -
The senior officials of the Nazis got together in the Wanssee Conference to find the final solution to the Jewish question, which they decided would be to kill all of them. primary source: http://www.holocaust-history.org/wannseeprotocol/image11.jpg
Mentel, Christian. "The Wannsee Protocol: Object of Revisionist Falsification of History." The Wannsee Protocol: Object of Revisionist Falsification of History. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
As revenge from the US to Japan for the Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Tokyo took place. primary source: http://www.wwiiarchives.net/servlet/action/document/page/1278/0/0
"Hornet (CV-8) Action Report - April 28, 1942 (Tokyo Raid)." - Page 1. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
The US and Japan fight for the island called Midway. The US needed an island to refuel their their planes, so they needed Midway. The US won because they cracked the code of Japan and they knew where they were, and it was the first win of the US in the pacific. (ended June 7)
-
The US used the “island-hopping strategy” made by Gral. McArthur, which was to move from island to island based on which islands were more important or strategic. The first battle was the Battle of Guadalcanal. It was the most difficult, since the troops were not used to fighting this way. They started with Guadalcanal because the US could stop the shipments Japan. Whoever won that battle could make shipments to Australia.
-
British and US troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, and they gained control of the area. primary source: http://k31.kn3.net/A7BFD2727.jpg
"El Desembarco De Normandia En Las Noticias." - Taringa! Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
Hitler’s last effort to keep the Allies out, known as the “Battle of the Bulge”. They attempted to conquer Belgium once again and split Allied forces along the German border, but later retreated. It was the bloodiest battle for the US. primary sources: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/bulge-dispatches/
"American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
The heads of state of Russia, UK and the US got together to figure out the fate of of post-war Europe. The conclusions were: the division of Germany and Austria into four occupied zones, the German reparations, including slave labor of Nazi soldiers, and Nazi war criminals were prosecuted.
primary source: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1945YALTA.html
"Modern History Sourcebook: The Yalta Conference, Feb. 1945." Modern History Sourcebook: The Yalta Conference, Feb. 1945. Web. 6 Oct. 2014. -
60,000 US troops landed on the island of Okinawa. It was part of the “island-hopping” plan.
-
Germany signs a surrender to the Western Allies in Reims, France. This officially ends the European conflict of World War II.
-
The US drops an atomic bomb in Hiroshima, killing an estimated 130,000 people. Truman decided to drop the bombs as a way to save the lives of the Americans, but killed a lot of innocent people. primary source: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0806.html
Shalett, Sidney. "First Atomic Bomb Dropped on Japan; Missile Is Equal to 20,000 Tons of TNT; Truman Warns Foe of a 'Rain of Ruin'" New York Times. Print. -
The US drops an atomic bomb in Nagasaki, killing between 60,000 and 70,000 people. Truman saw this as an opportunity to end World War II.
-
Japan surrenders, since they had no other choice because of the bombs. This ends World War II.
