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The Beer Hall Putsch
After the Treaty of Versailles was ratified, Germany was driven to ruin and their currency became almost worthless. With the nation in a chaotic state, Hitler tried to take over Bavaria and then claim Germany's military forces. The Nazi party devised a plan to capture the Bavarian leaders, force them to surrender, take command of the army bases, and make Hitler Germany's dictator. This plan was unsuccessful. -
Stock Market Crash
This was the catastrophic event that ultimately pushed America into the Great Depression. This was a period of poverty and loss for the country and everything continued in a downward spiral until WWII hit. -
Reichstag Fire
The Nazi party wanted control in Germany and so devised a plan to get rid of their political competition, the communists. They set the Reichstag Building (The German Parliament Building) on fire and then Hitler blamed it on the Communists. The communist members were tried and removed from parliament. This gave the Nazi party power and made HItler look like a hero. -
Enabling Act - Hitler as Dictator
Hitler gained popularity after the Reichstag fire by accusing the communists and appearing to be a hero by "stopping them" from doing any more damage. In reality his party had caused the fire. The Enabling Act was passed. It tore down the crumbling democracy of Germany and led to Hitler's dictatorial leadership role. -
Germany withdraws from the League of Nations
The people were convinced that the Treaty of Versailles was hindering their country and made the decision to withdraw from the League of Nations. -
Hitler violates Treaty of Versailles
Hitler vioaltes the Treaty of Versailles by enabling military conscription in Germany. -
March into the Rhineland
German troops march into the Rhineland. This was the previously demilitarized area between France and Germany. This was in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. -
Invading Ethiopia
Italy under the lead of Mussolini invades and conquers Ethiopia. Their weapons were no match for Mussolini's advanced supplies. -
Fall of Spain?
A Civil war breaks out in Spain. General Fransisco Franco leads an army against the Republican Government with the support of HItler and Mussolini, eventually becoming the dictator of Spain. -
Anschluss
Hitler united Austria with Germany through what he called "Anschluss" which is German for "union." He basically forced the union by swaying the public in his favor and bullying the government leaders. -
Munich Conference
Chamberlain tries to make an agreement with Hitler. Hitler said that he just wanted a little bit of land which he was given which happened to hold all of Czechoslovakia's military force. Later on, he takes the rest of Czechoslovakia. -
German Non-aggression Pact with Russia
This was an agreement made between Hitler and Stalin, Germany and the Soviet Union, that the Soviet Union would not attack the German forces. This would ensure that a second front would not open up against Germany and gave Stalin time to raise his military power -
Germany Invades Poland
Hitler had gotten away with taking over Austria and Czechoslovakia due to the lack of intervention from the League of Nations. After making a pact with the Russia, Hitler invaded Poland which spurred Britain and France to action but they were too weak and the area was conquered in 3 weeks time. He then gave up part of it to Russia to honor their agreement. -
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WWII
This is the timespan of WWII -
Battle of the Atlantic
This was the longest ongiong batttle during WWII. It was the continuing fight in the Atlantic ocean between naval carriers such as U-boats, lightweight covettes, merchant ships, and battleships. It wsa a major factor in WWII because it determined whether supplies for the army would ever reach its destination. -
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Sitzkrieg (The "Phony War")
This was the period of time after France and Britain declared war on Germany where there was inactivity fom the Western Powers. Everyone was waiting to see where HItler would strike next, what would be the next move. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
The Japanese forces sought to cripple the US before we could go into war. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was based on complete surprise by the Japanese forces. They bombed and destroyed several fleets and killed hundreds of people on the coast that day. This event was the breaking point that shoved the US into aiding the Allies in WWII and united the people for the cause of going to battle. -
Battle of Coral Sea
This was a fight between the Allies and Japan. There was a plan for a Japanese advance on New Guinea and the Solomon Islands that was intercepted by the US and British forces who also stopped the advance into Australia. Japan was weakened by this battle of aircrafts and U-boats. -
Battle of Midway Island
The Battle of Midway was based around control of Midway Islands. The Allies needed these islands as bases for attacking the mainland along iwht the Aleutian Islands near Alaska. It resulted in an important Ally victory and the weakening of Japan's forces. -
Operation Torch
This was the Allies plan to go into North Africa to drive out the German forces. Dwight D. Eisenhower led his regiments into North Africa to aid the British defenders there led by Bernard Montgomery. The Allies were able to push the Germans, under command of the "Desert Fox" Erwin Rommel, out of North Africa in May of 1943. -
Invasion of Italy
The Allies sent troops to invade Italy through the city of Sicily. They were able to break trhough to Rome in June with an Ally victory over the capital. They could then work they way up through the mainland to attack Germany on another side. -
D-Day
This day was known as Operation Overlord. It was the planned Allied invasion of France by going through Normandy. The German forces were surprised because they thought that the US forces would go through an easier route and were also tricked by misleading messages/signals, and other techniques such as fake tanks and paratrooping. This successful offensive strike opened a second front on Germany, brought relief to the Soviets being attacked in the East and worked to surround the German forces. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
This was a navy and air battle between Japan and the Allies. This is when the Japanese started to use Kamikaze pilots. These were suicide bomber pilots that flew to destroy ships by crashing there planes into the ships and bombing them. -
Battle of the Bulge
The official starting date of the Battle of the Bulge was in mid-December though the US forces were involved in this battle since October. The goal was to keep the German forces from breaking through US defense lines. It was the Germans last major offensive strike. The were able to push the line back in an arc 60 miles wide, but in the end it was an Ally victory. -
Victory Day in Europe
The Allies were victorious at the end of WWII as Germany unconditionally surrendered. They signed off and the document was ratified in Berlin. -
Bombing of Hiroshima
The Japanese ignored the US warning to either surrender or their country would be destroyed. Truman decided that a display of power needed to be displayed to force them to surrender, therefore resulting in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. -
Bombing of Nagasaki
The Japanese still did not surrender after the bombing of Hiroshima and the US decided to drop a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. -
V-J Day
This is the day when Japan finally surrendered and marks the end of WWII.
