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Germany invades Rhineland
Rhineland was a demilitarized zone in Germany, which meant that military forces, forts, or operations were prohibited. Although this was a violation of the Treaty of Versailles, other countries did not interfere. They were all distracted by the Great Depression, and hoped that appeasement would satisfy Germany. -
Germany annexes Austria
Hitler sought Anschluss, or union, with Austria. He threatened Austrian chancellor into giving Germany control of the Austrian government. Hitler then sent troops to Austria to "maintain law and order", and soon annexed Austria to Germany. -
Hitler demands Sudetenland
Hitler sought o expand Germany to create a perfect Aryan race and establish a great civilization. At the Munich Conference, Britain, France, and Italy reached an agreement with Germany, believing that peace had been secured through the practice of appeasement. Instead, however, Hitler was more confident than ever that he would be able to conquer Europe without opposition. -
Kristallnacht
Also known as the "night of shattered glass", Kristallnacht marks the beginning of the violent stage of anti-Semitism in Germany. Nazi soldiers destroyed synagogues and over 7,000 Jewish businesses. Jews were killed, sent to concentration camps, denied basic rights such as access to public buildings, and encouraged to "emigrate from Germany". -
Germany & Soviet Union divide Poland
Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war", was used to describe the speed and efficiency with which Germany attacked Poland. Germany's panzer division (armored columns of 300 tanks supported by supply planes) quickly broke through Poland lines. In just 4 weeks, Poland surrendered. Due to the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, Germany and the Soviet Union divided Poland. -
Pearl Harbor attack
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 unified the U.S. opinion on entering the war. Japan believed that the U.S. had become "soft by material indulgence". Hitler believed that the Pearl Harbor attack would cripple the U.S., making them unsuccessful in WWII. Instead, when Germany declared war on the U.S. 4 days after the attack, the U.S. was willing to fight. -
Battle of the Coral Sea
The U.S. stopped Japan and saved Australia at the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first sea-air battle in world history. Japan had intended to launch a surprise invasion in Port Moresby in New Guinea, but their codes had been broken sufficiently for the Allies to discover the planned attack. The U.S. lost their carrier, Lexington, but Japan's loss of their carrier, Shokaku, forced them to retreat. -
The death of Hitler
In January 1945, Hitler barricaded himself in a bunker 55 feet under Berlin. After poisoning his wife, dog, and puppies, Hitler poisoned and shot himself. Right before he died, Hitler was reported to have continued to blame Jews for WWII. -
Mussolini is assassinated
Italian partisans (resistance fighters) shot and killed Benito Mussolini. He was caught trying to escape Italy with a German convoy. Unfortunately for him, his striped pants revealed that he was a general (instead of a German soldier, as he was pretending to be), and he was captured. -
Germany surrenders
After Hitler's death, Germany' new leader was Grand Admiral Karl Donitz. The war had exhausted Germany, and they were ready to partially surrender, but U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower wanted their unconditional surrender. Donitz ordered Jodl, the German general negotiating with Eisenhower, to agree to Eisenhower's terms. -
V-E Day
V-E Day, which stands for Victory in Europe, marks the officical end of WWII. Although Germany had technically surrendered, German troops continued to fight Soviet soldiers. This is why Russia celebrates V-E Day on May 9. Regardless, the U.S. and Great Britain were eager to celebrate. -
End of WWII in the Pacific
Rather than jeaopardize valuable troops, Truman decided to use the U.S.' newly developed atomic bomb to fight WWII in the Pacific. The U.S. bombed Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. When the Japanese emperor still refused to surrender, the U.S. bombed Nagasaki on August 8, 1945. Thousands of Japanese civilians died of the initial explosion or radiation, and Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945.
