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The Great Depression Begins
The U.S. stock market crashes and the Great Depression begins resulting in 8 million Americans being unemployed. -
Japan Conquers Manchuria
The event referred to as the Manchuria Incident, the Japanese Kwangtung Army attacked Chinese troops in Manchuria. The attack was clearly an attempt for the Japanese empire to gain control over China. -
Roosevelt first elected President
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Roosevelt directed organization of the United States manpower for global war. -
Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
The President of Germany, President Hindenburg, assigns Adolf Hitler as Chancellor in hopes of creating a stable government. -
Nuremberg Laws
Laws created by the Nazis for the prosecution of Jews in Europe. -
Japan joins Axis Powers
Japan signs up to the Axis Powers with Germany to fight the allies. -
Hitler and Mussolini form the Rome-Berlin Axis
Hitler and Mussolini realized that even though they had little in common, they both shared similar enemies. Italy and Germany became allies across the borders. -
Japan Invades China
Japan invades China which starts the Second Sino-Japanese War. -
Germany Invades Austria
Germany invades Austria. Austria has no problem at first and welcomes the Nazis in with open arms; they even help take down the border signs. -
Britain’s appeasement of Germany
The Munich Agreement was signed by France, Germany, the United Kingdoms, and Italy. The agreement meant that the Nazi Germany could occupy any countries that signed the agreement. All the countries that Great Britain was against signed the agreement. -
Kristallnacht
Throughout Germany and Austria, violent anti-Jewish pogroms took place throughout the night. It is sometimes called “The night of broken glass.” -
Germany and Soviet Union have a nonaggression pact
Representatives from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union met and signed a treaty that meant that both countries would not attack each other. -
Germany invades Poland
The Nazis first target was Poland. When they took Poland over and the other countries were finding out about the invasion, World War 2 began. -
Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and France
Operation Wesrubung consisted of Germany invading Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and France. Germany later controlled all of these countries up until the end of the war. -
Tuskegee Airmen
Tuskegee Airmen were African American pilots during World War 2. As African Americans during the 1940’s, they were not treated as well as white pilots. Even though they did a huge part in battles and dogfights and escorting bombers and killing many of the enemy, they were still treated unequal. They were given left over planes and weaponry and were separated from white soldiers. It was not until later in the war that they were treated better and were given better weaponry. -
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the riveter is a cultural icon for women to do factory work and other non- traditional work during World War 2. -
Japanese-American Incarceration
After Pearl Harbor when the U.S. joined in the war, the Japanese-American citizens was being sent to incarceration camps in the U.S. America did this because after Pearl Harbor tensions were high between the United States and its Japanese citizens. The U.S. had no idea whether the Japanese citizens were working for Japan and planning something in the U.S. or if the Japanese showed full commitment and patriotism to the United States of America. -
Lend Lease Act
FDR wanted to aid Britain in the war. British warships were allowed to dock and repair in America. British service men were allowed to train in the U.S. The act was signed into law and America aided Britain in all ways possible. -
Luftwaffe bombs London
The Blitz was the bombing of countries in the United Kingdom by the Nazis. London was attacked the most being attacked 71 times. Among the rest of Great Britain was hit a total of more than 30 times all together. -
Germany invades the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa was the largest German Military operations of World War 2. Hitler had used the non-aggression pact as a tactical maneuver to distract the Soviet Union. -
Pearl Harbor
A surprise military attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii led by the Japanese Navy. The next day FDR and the rest of America went to war against Japan and in Europe therefore joining World War 2. -
Manhattan Project
The research and development project that produced the first atomic bombs. Led by the United States in support of the allies. -
The Nazis implement the “Final Solution”
The “Final Solution” was the Nazis plan during World War 2 to exterminate the Jews. In this phase, Jews were not only murdered by gunfire and gas, but they died slow painful deaths. Jews were put into ghettos without food and water and were put into working camps were they worked until death. -
Bataan Death March
Forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war by the Japanese-Imperial Army. More than 10,000 prisoners died before they could reach the transfer to Camp O’Donnell. -
Battle of Midway
The United States navy defeated an Imperial Japanese Navy attack against Midway, Atoll. This inflicted a lot of damage on the Japanese’s naval fleet and was later called as one of the most decisive blows in the history of naval warfare. -
British forces stop the German advance at El Alamein
The El Alamein battle is considered to be one of the allies’ most victorious battles. This battle was fought on the Northern Coast of Egypt between the axis German’s and the Italian’s Panzer Desert Army against British forces. The axis powers did have backup only some 66 miles away. A second battle of El Alamein took place and drove the Germans out of Egypt and Africa for good back to the sea in Europe. -
Guadalcanal
Allies land on Guadalcanal with the objective of denying Japanese supply and communication routes between the U.S. The allies also used this as an opportunity to neutralize a Japanese base. The allies outnumbered and overwhelmed the Japanese and the allies took control of Guadalcanal. -
German forces surrender at Stalingrad
Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union. After the Germans surrendered, they never regained the blow they had taken. -
D-DAY
The Western allies landed in Normandy in hopes to defeat the Nazis put of the mainland Europe. The allies’ efforts were successful. -
Battle of the Bulge
A major German offensive through Belgium. The Americans cut the Germans off from entering any further into Europe. The battle resulted in the Germans losing and the Americans were able to delay the Germans migration through Belgium. -
Allied forces advance on Berlin, Germany surrenders
The Soviet Union breaches into the German front in Berlin. The Soviet Union surrounds Berlin and eventually overtakes the German forces. When Adolf Hitler realized that all was lost, he committed suicide and later Germany was defeated and it surrendered. -
Yalta Conference
A meeting in which the heads of the allied governments the United States of America, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union met. For each country were Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. They discussed what would happen during Europe’s post war reorganization. -
Iwo Jima
The United States of America soldiers fought the Japanese Empire in order to take control of the island Iwo Jima. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt Dies. Truman becomes President
On the night of March 29, President Roosevelt fell unconscious in his chair. A doctor gave the autopsy that the President had died from a stroke. When the news was released to the public, their hope shattered. On April 6, 1945, Vice President Truman was made President and went on to deal with the war. -
Okinawa
Allies fought the Japanese in order to take control of Okinawa and defeat the Japanese. After a long battle the allies were finally gaining ground on the enemy. The allies took Okinawa by defeating the Japanese on their airfield of operations. -
Formation of the United Nations
April 25, 1945 – 50 nations met in San Francisco to discuss a new peacekeeping organization to replace the weak and ineffective League of Nations
June 26, 1945 – all 50 nations ratified the charter, creating a new international peacekeeping body known as the United Nations
President Roosevelt had urged Americans not to turn their backs on the world again
Unlike the League of Nations, the United States is a member of the United Nations -
Potsdam Conference
Allies held the Potsdam Conference to plan the war’s end.
Decision was made to put Nazi war criminals on trial. -
Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The United States of America dropped bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in efforts to end the war. The war in Europe was over and now the U.S. only had one more enemy. -
Japanese officials sign an official letter of surrender on the U.S.S. Missouri, ending World War 2
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki left the Japanese devastated. The Japanese knew that the United States was not a force to be reckoned with and they surrendered. -
Nuremberg trials
24 defendants, including some of Hitler’s top officials
Hermann Goring – creator & head of Gestapo (secret police)
Charged with crimes against humanity
19 found guilty, 12 sentenced to death
People are responsible for their actions, even in wartime -
Marshall Plan
Congress approved Secretary of State George Marshall’s plan to help boost European economies
The U.S. gave more than $13 billion to help the nations of Europe get back on their feet
