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Japan's Invasion of China
Japan's invasion of Manchuria (Northeast China) led to its ability to overcome Chinese forces and establish a Japanese controlled state within China. The military buildup that the Japanese began later formed a resistance by Nationalists and Communists of China. -
Germany Invades Poland
Enraged with the alliance formed between Poland and Great Britain, Hitler orders hostilities against Poland and begins his invasion on Poland soil. In response, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany and WWII begins. -
Battle of Britain
Successful defense against German air forces after the fall of France. German forces would have invaded Britain and taken control of their ports, but the battle was won by the Royal Air Force. The victory of the RAF led to Germany's inability to invade Britain and defeat Nazi Germany. -
Tripartite Pact
An agreement that recognized Japan as the new leader of Asia. This pact cosisted of Japan, Germany, and Italy. They each agreed to assist each other in time of war. Their main target was the United States, since the Soviets and the Nazis had a prior agreement the Soviets joined in on the pact later in 1940. -
Lend-Lease Act
First suggested by Churchill to Roosevelt in 1940, in which the U.S. provides war materials, foodstuffs, and clothing supplies to the democracies. Roosevelt assented and sent the bill to Congress. This act not only empowered the transfer of defense materials, services and infomation, but also left the President's discretion to what he would ask in return. -
German Blitzkrieg on Soviet Union
Also known as the Lightning War, the blitzkrieg is a military tactic designed to create disorganization among enemy forces with the help of mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Initially tested in Poland, German forces applied this military tactic on the Soviet Union. -
Leningrad Blockade
Germans reach Leningrad, present-day St. Petersburg, in Sept. of 1941. By Novermber of the same year, the city has ties completely broken from the rest of the Soviet Union. Determined to starve the residents into surrender, Hitler commands his troops to set-up a blockade around the city so nothing goes in or comes out. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
A surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Japanese army led to the United States involvment in WWII. This attack resulted in worsening relations between the U.S. and Japan. -
Wannsee Conference
Meeting held by the Nazis, in the Berlin suburbs of Wannsee plan the 'final solution' to the so-called Jewish problem. Orders were issued to Reinhard Heydrich, an SS leader and Gestapo chief, to prepare a plan for this 'final solution'. This conference was held six months later and 15 Nazis bureaucrats attended. This conference was led by Heydrich and included the chief of Jewish affairs, Adolf Eichmann. -
Battle of Midway
A WWII naval battle between the U.S. forces and the Japanese miltary. However, this battle was mostly fought with aircraft. The U.S. managed to destroy Japan's first line carrier strength and best trained naval pilots. This battle, along with the Battle of Guadalcanal, assisted in the ending of Japanses invasions throughout the Pacific. -
D-Day
The day that the Allies invaded Western Europe in the largest attack in history, which required extensive planning. Before the commence of D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign, which was designed to mislead the German forces about the intended target. Towards late August, most of nothern France had been liberated and the following spring, the Allies defeated the Germans. -
Hitler's Suicide
After hiding away in his refurbished underground bunker, Adolf Hitler commits suicide. Starting off with consuming a cyanide capsule, Hitler finishes himself off by shooting himself with a pistol as his Reich falls above him. -
Yalta Conference
Major WWII conference between the three chief Allied leaders, President FDR, Prime Minister Churchill, and Premier Stalin met at Yalta to plan a final defeat of Nazi Germany. Already decided that Germany would be divided inyo administered zones, the Allies gave regulations for the German people to accept and follow. -
Iwo Jima/ Okinawa
U.S. marines land on Iwo Jima and encounter a resistance. The attack on Iwo Jima resulted in the lose of 6,000 marines, as well as nearly all of the Japanese defenders. Later, air raids were made on Okinawa and resulted in the destruction of hundreds of Japanese planes. The invasion of Okinawa was the largest amphibious operation by the Americans in the Pacific war. -
VE Day
Victory in Europe Day was celebrated by both Great Britain and the U.S., as well as other cities in Western Europe. On this day, German troops throughout Europe laid down their arms for the last time. Germans surrendered to Soviets in Prague and other places around the world. The German surrender was realized in a last cease-fire. -
Potsdam Conference
Allied Conference held in suburb of Berlin with U.S President Truman, British Prime Minister Churchill, and Soviet Premier Stalin as chief participants. This conference was an attempt at peace settlements but not to establish peace treaties. Their main concern was Germany, the democratic borders of Poland, Austria, and the Soviet Union's role in eastern Europe. -
Atomic Bomb of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
President Truman orders the release of the atomic bomb attack on Japan as a retaliation for the many Americans lost at Pearl Harbor. The first city to be attacked and demolished was Hiroshima. Three days later, the city of Nagasaki was pulverized. -
VJ Day
The day that Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, which effectively ended WWII. Since then, August 14 and 15 have been known as 'Victory over Japan Day'. This term has also been used for Japan's formal surrender in Sept. 2, 1945. -
Formation of the U.N.
The formation of the international organization, the United Nations, was created to maintain peace and security in nations all over the world. Following after its predecessor, the League of Nations, which ended in 1946, the U.N. was based off of the principles of equal rights and self-determination. -
Truman Doctrine
Pronounced by U.S. President Harry S. Truman, which declared immediate economic and militray aid to the governments of Greece and Turkey. These goverments were threatened by Communist insurrection and pressure from Soviet Union expansion in this area. Due to Great Britain no longer being able to support the Mediterranean countries, the U.S. stepped in and assisted them. -
Marshall Plan
A U.S. sponsored program designed to rehabilitate the economies of 17 western and southern European countries. This was thought to create stable conditions for democratic institutions to survive. The U.S. feared poverty and unemployment after WWII would reinforce the appeal of the Communist parties in western Europe. -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty. It was established to create a counterweight to Soviet armies stationed in Europe after WWII. -
Mao Zedong and People's Republic of China
When the communist took power over China, both Mao Zedong and Stalin had to make best of the situation. Now chairman of the People's Republic of China, Mao traveled to Moscow and underwent negotiations to persuade Stain into signing a treaty to establish a mutual agreement between China and the Soviet Union. -
Korean War
A conflict between the Democratic Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, which resulted in the lose of 2.5 million lives. Reaching international proportions in 1950, North Korea receives assistance and advise from the Soviet Union and invades South Korea. In retaliation, the U.N and the U.S. join the side of South Korea, while the Republic of China also joins North Korea. In the end, many lives were lost from both sides and Korea was divided into two hostile states. -
Stalin's Death; Khrushchev
After the death of Joseph Stalin, power over the Soviet Union resided in the hands of Nikita Khruschev. This new era led to decisions in foreign policies and domestic programs, which changed the direction of the Soviet Union. -
Vietnam War
A long and costly conflict the pitted the communist regime of North Korea against South Vietnam and its ally, the U.S. Conflict in this region first began in the mid-1940s, but the actual war didn't begin until 1954. More than 3 million lives were lost and more than half were Vietnamese civilians. Due to bitter divisions among Americans regarding the U.S.'s involvement in the war, by 1973 President Nixon ordered the withdraw of U.S. forces from the war. -
Warsaw Pact
A treaty establishing a mutual-defense organization composed of the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. This treaty provided a unified military command and maintenance of Soviet military units in these participating nations. This occurred dur to the Paris agreement among the Western powers admitting west Germany to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. -
Sputnik
A series of artificial satellites launched by the Soviet Union during the 50s, which inaugurated the space age. Sputnik 1 was the first satellite launched by man, and remained in orbit until early 1958 and burned up in the atmosphere. Sputnik 2, which was launched in late 1957, carried the dog Laika. This was the first living creature sent into space and to orbit around Earth. Eight more Sputnik missions were carried out throughout the years. -
Bay of Pigs
An abortive invasion of Cuba financed and directed by the U.S. government. Fidel Castro then overthrew the previous dictator and deteriorated the relations between the U.S. and Cuba. Military trained Cubans by U.S. soldiers and equiped with U.S. forces bombed Cuban air bases. Castro and his forces overtook the rebellious Cubans and the CIA was charged with giving faulty information to the president. -
Berlin Wall
The Communist government began to build a barbed wire and concrete barrier between east and west Berlin. Official purpose of the wall was to keep western 'fascicts' from entering east Germany and undermining the socialist state. The Berlin Wall stood until early November of 1989. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A major confrontation which brought the U.S, and the Soviet Union close to war regarding Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. Soviet Premier Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet arms if in trouble. Worried with the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, President JFK orders a blockade around the island of Cuba to prevent anymore Soviet shipments of missiles. -
Gorbachev
Became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1970. After a decade, Gorbachev became a full member. His rise in power is due to the Mikhail Suslov. By 1988, he was able to consolidate his power and become the chairman of the Supreme Soviet. Also, he transfomed the political fabric of Europe which assisted in the ending of the Cold War. -
Soviet Union Falls
The Soviet Union flag flew in Moscow for the last time on Christmas Day in 1991. A couple days prior, 11 representatives of the Soviet Republics met and announced that they would no longer be included in the Soviet Union. In actuality, these small nations declared that they would establish a commonwealth of Independent States.
