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Invasion of Manchuria
Japan had recently undergone an industrial revolution and needed more resources to continue their rate of production, so they invaded and claim Manchuria. They also invaded Korea and some of China (25% by 1939). -
Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
Germany was in economic turmoil and was in need of a strong leader. Hitler promised the German people that he would pull them out of their economic depression, so the people elected him by vote. -
Invasion of Ethiopia
Mussolini was the dictator of Italy at the time and thought it was very important to reestablish the Holy Roman Empire, so he wanted to start by asserting his dominance over the Ethiopians. He failed, and on February 19, 1937, Italy officially lost. -
Munich Conference
Hitler wanted to gain back land lost in the Great War and became aggressive, so the Major European powers meet at Munich. They decided that Germany could annex the German Sudeten land, but that was it (This conference exemplifies one of the greatest acts of appeasement in history). -
Kristallnacht
This night was also called "The Night of Broken Glass". It was the night German Nazis attacked Jewish people and their property because they thought a lower-level German diplomat died at the hands of a Jew. -
Non-Aggression Pact
Germany planned on invading Poland, but could not win the invasion if Russia fought against them. Hitler and Stalin made an agreement that they wouldn't interfere in each other's affairs, meaning that Russia was not going to step in and help Poland, and in return, Russia received territories in Poland after Germany took over. -
Invasion of Poland
Hitler wanted more territory, so after he made the Non-Aggression Pact with Russia, they invaded Poland. They used a technique called blitzkrieg, a very effective war strategy. -
Invasion of France
Germany invaded France after France declared war on Germany along with England because Germany invaded Poland. This led to the Germans claiming France after little fighting against the Allies, but the invasion also led to the Battle of Dunkirk, which was a massive failure for the Allies, but they were able to evacuate over 300,000 soldiers from France to England. -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was a conflict between Britain and Germany in WWII where the airforces of both countries fought. The German airforce (The Luftwaffe) bombed British land, however, because Britain had developed radar they could tell when the Germans were coming and could surprise them. -
Pearl Harbor
The attack occurred before the U.S. had even entered WWII, and Japan wanted to get the jump on the U.S. naval force (Remember: Japan is an island, so the navy would be their main concern) because they suspected that when the U.S. did enter the war, it wouldn't be in their favor. 2,403 Americans were killed, 8 battleships were destroyed, and over 300 planes were obliterated. -
Stalingrad
Stalingrad was a battle fought between the Russians and the Germans. Germany was advancing rapidly in Russia, but when they approached Stalingrad, Stalin was particularly motivated to protect the city. The battle lasted over 6 months and ended with Germany retreating. -
Normandy Invasion
The invasion of Normandy Beach was a massive deal for the Allies, so they poured tons of resources into the attack, justifying the name Operation Overlord. In the end, Normandy was taken by the Allies, and from there they could take back France and corner Germany. -
V-E Day
This event marks the day Nazi Germany accepted terms of unconditional surrender to the Allies. This day ended the war in Europe, however there was still fighting to do in the Pacific. -
Atomic Bombings of Japan
Because the Japanese claimed they would fight till the last man, President Truman decided to expedite the process in hopes to save lives by using Nuclear Warfare. The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and three days later there had been no response suggesting a surrender, so another was dropped on Nagasaki. -
V-J Day
This event marks the day Japan surrendered to the Allies, officially ending the Second World War. The Japanese had to agree to unconditional surrender and some troops stayed in Japan to protect the now very weak island. The surrenders terms included that Tojo would be removed along with many other military leaders, however Emperor Hirohito was allowed to keep his position.
