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Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the Nazi Party
1921 - Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the Nazi Party. -
Joseph Stalin sole dictator of the Soviet Union
1929 - Joseph Stalin is made the sole dictator of the Soviet Union (USSR). -
Benito Mussolini appointed Prime Minister of Italy
1922 - Benito Mussolini is appointed the Prime Minister of Italy. He led the Fascist Party and turned Italy into a Fascist country. -
Japan’s Army seizes Manchuria, China
1931 - The Japanese army seizes the town of Manchuria, China. Under Japanese control, Manchuria was one of the most brutally run regions in the world. -
Hitler is named Chancellor of Germany
1933 - Adolf Hitler is named the Chancellor of Germany. -
Nazis establish first concentration camp
1933 - The Nazis begin to gather Jews for labor camps, which eventually turn into execution camps. This will be later known as the Holocaust. -
Neutrality Act passed by US Congress
1935 - The Neutrality Act, preventing the United States from aiding anyone in the war, is passed. This is to ensure that no harm is done to the U.S. -
Italian Army invades Ethiopia in Africa
1935 - The Italian army invades Ethiopia in Africa. Ethiopia's military was very outdated, so the Italian army won with ease. -
Militarists take control of Japanese Government
1936 - Militarists take control of the Japanese government. Japan became obsessed with militarism and the Japanese military grows and strengthens. -
Hitler sends troops into Rhineland
1936 - Adolf Hitler sends his troops into the Rhinelands. This was, for Germany, a violation of the Versailles Treaty. -
Japan’s army pillages Nanjing, China
1937 - Japan's army attacks the town of Nanjing, China. They massacred a quarter of a million people. -
Munich Pact signed
1938 - The Munich Pact is signed by Adolf Hitler and the Prime Minister. This gave the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to Germany. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin
1939 - The Nazi-Soviet Pact is signed by Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. This was a non-aggression agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union. The signing of the Pact was surprising because Germany and the Soviet Union were bitter enemies. -
Nazis invade Poland
On September 1st, 1939, the Nazis invade Poland; in response to this, Britain and France declared war on Germany. This was the official start of World War Two. -
England and France declare war on Germany
On September 3, 1939, in response to Hitler's invasion of Poland, Britain and France, both allies of the overrun nation declare war on Germany. France would begin an offensive against Germany's western border two weeks later. -
Italy declares war on Britain and France
In June 1940, Germany had effectively defeated France and ejected the British from Europe. Only then did Italy declare war on both countries. Lead by dictator Benito Mussolini, Italy went on to suffer defeats in Greece, East and North Africa. -
US ships attacked by Germans
On October 31, 1941, a Nazi U-boat claimed the first US warship sunk by the enemy in World War II. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands on December 7, 1941 marked the official entrance of the United States into World War II.
