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Period: to
Events WWII
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Germany Invades Poland
This event is also known as the 1939 Defensive War, September Campaign, and the Poland Campaign. The invasion began on September 1st and ended on October 6th with Germany and the Soviet Union dividing and annexing Poland. This marked the start on WWII. -
Peace Demonstration
This was when great Britain declared was on Germany. Pittsburgh PA showed a peace demonstration with people of all faiths participating. This was done at the county fair. -
France Surrenders to Germany
Germany invaded France conquering Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium in 1940. France surrendered soon after. These victories over France persuaded Italy to enter the war with Germany. -
Raze Allegheny General Hospital
Allegheny General Hospital and 25 other buildings in a congested North Side section, were going to be razed. This was going to be done to build a new Sears, Roebuck and Company store and parking lot. -
Manufacturing President is Elected
National Association of Manufacturers elected a president this day in history. His name was W. P. Witherow, a Pittsburgh industrialist. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a very quick, devastating, and surprising event to all of America. This was the attack that led America into WWII. Two waves of Japanese planes attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet. 2,403 people were killed and 1,178 were wounded. -
Philip Murray Ousted
Philip Murray's position as vice-president of the United Mine Workers was tooken away from him due to of his break with John L. Lewis. John O'Leary was told to succeed him. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway took place from June 4th to June 7th. The Japanese planned to capture Midway and destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet; however, they were unsuccessful. The U.S. had sunk 4 Japanese carriers and only lost 1. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad lasted from July 17th until February 2nd. This battle involved Germany and its allies fighting the Soviet Union for the city of Stalingrad. The outcome for Germany was disastrous, turning the tide of the war in favor of the Allies. -
Wage Increase
The United Steel Workers' wage committee met at William Penn Hotel. With the War Labor Board's permission, they accepted a 44-cents-a-day wage increase. -
LST-750
LST-750 was a ship financed by Allegheny County residents. The cost was at least $5,000,000 and was launched at Dravo's East shipyard on Neville Island with a crowd of 25,000 watching. -
D-Day
This day, 160,000 Allied troops gathered on the beaches of Normandy to fight the Germans. The Nazis were heavily fortified here and seemed impenetrable. However, by the end of the day, the Allies were able to secure Normandy despite heavy losses. -
Incredible Costs
This was a day in which a survey was let out showing that war goods completed to date or underway in Pittsburgh district plants costed $903,398,644, with $322,000,000 of it delivered directly to the front lines. -
Allies Liberate Paris
After four years of German occupation, Paris was free. The Germans surrendered and the fighting with Germany had finally seized. -
Snow Fall
Thousands of Christmas shoppers were stranded Downtown by a rapid 15-inch snowfall. All hotels were filled to capacity and lobbies were pressed into service as shelter. Things such as mills, schools, and many other activities were posponed for two days. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge lasted from December 16 until January 25. It was a German offensive launched in Belgium on the Western Front. The term "bulge" refers to the incursion the Germans put into the Allies' line of advance. -
Park H. Martin
Park H. Martin, who was chief engineer of the County Works Department, came up with the county's long planning program in 1936. He was appointed as the executive director of the Allegheny Conference by Dr. Robert E. Doherty. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, a small Pacific island, was part of America's three-point plan for winning the war in the east. It was a rough 36 day battle in which was necessary for the Americans to win. The capture of Iwo Jima triggered the battle for Okinawa and Japan itself. The number of American casualties was greater than the Battle of Normandy on D-Day. -
FDR Dies, Truman Becomes President
By the time the end of the WWII was near, President Roosevelt's health was noticably decreasing. He began growing very weak and striving for rest. The president was suffering from massive cerebral hemorrhage when he died. He was in Warm Springs, Georgia at the time of his death. Right before Truman became President, President Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage. This was the cause of Truman's presidency. -
Mourning in Pittsburgh
The city and county governments, business, schools, and other activities were postponed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death. They were asked to suspend further activity by churches until the mourning ended. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
On this day in history, Aldolf Hitler commited suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head. He was in his underground bunker when he killed himself. Soon after this happened, Germany surrendered to the Allied forces. -
VE Day
This was known as the Victory in Europe Day. It was the day when the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. -
Dr. Paul R. Anderson
Dr. Paul R. Anderson was the dean of Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin. He was elected as the president of Pennsylvania College for Women to succeed Dr. Herbert L. Spencer. -
George E. Evan
Councilman George E. Evan died at the age of 69 on this day. He was the chairman of the Pittsburgh Housing Authority and a pioneer in slum-clearance planning, -
Hero's Welcome
On this day, 64 officers and enlisted men would return home from the war. In Pittsburgh, at least 100,000 people were gathered to extend a hero's welcome. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima
Hiroshima was a a main target because it was an important military center containing about 43,000 soldiers. It was bombed by an American B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay. The results of the explosion were indescribable. About 70,000 people were killed from the initial blast, heat, or radiation. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki
The atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki by an American B29 Bomber. It was said to have exploded about 1,625 ft above the ground and to have completely destoyed the city. -
Russian Labor Leaders
Russian labor leaders arrived to tour the district's steel mills. Since they were our allies now, Russian labor leaders wanted to see what we use to make different products in our steel industry. -
VJ Day
This was known as the Victory over Japan Day. This was the day on which the Allies announced the surrender of the Japanese forces. This ended WWII. -
Big Lay Off
A war contract became effective on this day in history. As a result, Pittsburgh district industries laid off 7000 workers at a minumum.