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FDR is elected President of the United States
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president during the Great Depression. He was a democrat and ran against republican, Herbert Hoover. FDR is famous for being the only presidnet who was in a wheelchair, due to polio. Also, he served four terms in office. -
Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles
Hitler announces the creation of a new airforce. One week later, he expanded Germany's army from 100,000 troops to 550,000 troops. These actions went against the Treaty of Versailles. Other countries had comdemned Hitler's actions, but it didn't help. -
France & Great Britain declare war on Germany
Hitler believed he was the most powerful German in the world. He invanded many countries like Czechoslovakia. But, when Germany invanded Poland, this meant war for Great Britian and their ally, France. -
Hitler invades the Soviet Union
Even though Hitler signed a treaty with the Soviet Union, he believed the Russians could be defeated before the harsh winter. However, as they made their way to the capital city, an early winter set it. This was the first time Hitler has to stop his invasions. German soldiers were not equipped for winters like this. Basically, they froze. -
Pearl Harbor
"Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, The United States of America was suddenly and deliberatly attacked by Naval and air forces of the empire of Japan." -Franklin D. Roosevelt When America denied Japan access to raw materials, Japan planned a surprise attack on the huge Naval base in the Hawaii islands. They believed it would weaken America. However, it made them stronger and more patriotic than ever before. -
United States enters WWII
<a href='http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor/videos/america-enters-world-war-ii' After Pearl Harbor, the American morale was high. Roosevelt had no choice but to declare war on Japan. After this, Germany and Italy decalred war on the U.S. This was the first time Hitler declared war on another country -
D-Day
Allied forces under Dwight D. Eisenhower landed on Normandy beaches. Within three months, the Allies lalnded 2 million soldiers and 1/2 a million vehicles. Even though Germany had strong resistance, Allied soldiers fought through underwater mines, barbed wire, and machine guns. They broke the German line. This is considered the greatest Naval battle of WWII. -
Death of Adolf Hitler
Before the war ended, Hitler buried himself, his wife, his dog, and his dog's puppies away in an underground bunker under Berlin. He fed all of them, including himself, cyanide capsules as poisen. Then, just to make sure, he shot himself with his service pistol. However, some people speculate that Hitler faked his death and survived in hiding. -
VE Day
VE Day is Victory in Europe day. Germany surrendered to the Allied Forces. Their breaking point was the death of Hitler. This officially ended the war that costed many lives and millions of dollars in the European Theatre. It set off mass celebrations across the U.S. -
Bombing of Hiroshima
After VE Day, Japan refused to surrender. President Truman decided to send thousands of men to invade Japan. When he was informed of the secret weapon, the nuclear bomb, he decided to go through with dropping it over Hiroshima. This bomb, dropped by B17 Enola Gay, destroyed the entire city. Thousands of the Japanese died from radiation. -
Bombing of Nagasaki
After Hiroshima, the Japanese were still too stubborn to surrender. Because of this, the U.S. dropped a second nuclear bomb on Nagasaki. After this, the Japanese finally gave in. -
VJ Day
VJ day is Victory in Japan Day. Triggered by the two atomic bombs, the Japanese surrendered, officially ending the war in the Pacific Theatre. Because the war was fought on two fronts, it made gaining two surrenders important.
