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Hitler Goes Against the Treaty of Versailles
Hitler finds a loophole around the limit on his military by introducing a compulsory military service which rotated so that at any one time they met the military personnel limit. The next year he marched into the restricted demilitarized zone of Rhineland. The British and French didn't know how to react to this violation so nothing was done about it. In the end, France was the only one who seemed to care. This was probably because they were on the other side of the Rhineland. -
Japan invades China
The Japanese invade China for their resources and this sparks the beginning of World War II in the Pacific. -
Japan Sinks The Panay
Japanese aviators bombed and sank an American gunboat, the Panay, in Chinese waters, with a loss of two killed and thirty wounded. The Japanese were soon after forgiven after they made the proper apologies and provided compensation. -
Hitler takes over Austria
Hitler decided to take over Austria, his homeland. He did this without bloodshed, because the Austrian people viewed him as a hero who had come back to them. The democratic powers were afraid and hoped this would be his last land grab. -
Munic Conference
The western European Democrats gathered for a conference to discuss what Hitler wanted. They agreed to give Hitler the Sudetenland which was apart of Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia agreed to this because they would rather give up a portion of their land then have Hitler invade and take all of it by force. The Democratic powers hoped this would be the last piece of land that he would take. -
Germany Invades Poland
The invasion of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union marked the beginning of World War II in Europe. -
Great Britain and France declare war on Germany
Great Britain and France declare war on Germany because they had told Poland before that they would keep Poland's borders intact. After Poland got invaded Great Britain and France felt obliged to help them. Other nations that joined Britain in declaring war on Germany were: Austria, and New Zealand. -
Italy Enters the War
The dictator of Italy, Mussolini, declares war on Great Britain and France. Italy invades Southern France on June 21. The reason they didn't enter the war earlier was because they lacked the raw materials needed to wage all-out war. The reason Mussolini didn't become an Ally and instead joined Germany and the axis powers was because his ego didn't like the thought of his axis partner single-handedly conquering the entire continent. -
The Battle of Britain
The air war known as the Battle of Britain ends in defeat for Nazi Germany. Germany tried to invade Britain and show their superiority over the British RAF aircrafts. When the Germans air raid was unsuccessful so was their attempt at invading Great Britain. -
The Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbor
The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, a military base in Hawaii, 2,402 were killed, and 1,247 were wounded. Much of the military stationed there were unaware of the Japanese arrival because they thought it was just an early flight practice. The United States suspected that Japan would go for the Philippines first but were instead shocked when they attacked Pearl Harbor. -
The United States Declares war on Japan
The United States declares war on Japan and enters World War II. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and many other Hawaiian islands the United States felt they couldn't stay out of the war any longer. -
Battle at Midway
British and U.S. navies halt the Japanese naval advance in the central Pacific at Midway. Japan was seen to have navel superiority but after the Battle at Midway the tides were turned and the United States took the offensive in being the stronger force. -
D-Day
Allied armies invade the French coastline of Normandy where they take German forces off guard. It was marked as the largest amphibious assault ever launched. The reason the Germans were caught off guard was because a faint army was sent many miles north of the coast. -
Great Marianas Turkey Shoot
American pilots carry out round-trip bombing raids on Japan's home islands. It destroyed nearly 250 Japanese aircraft, with a loss of only 29 American planes. This attack plus the Battle of the Philippine Sea made it so it was impossible for Japan to recover from the massive losses of planes, pilots, and ships. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans launch a final offensive in the west, known as the Battle of the Bulge, in an attempt to re-conquer Belgium and split the Allied forces along the German border. By January 1, 1945, the Germans are retreating. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
Hitler realizes that he is not going to win the war and swallows a cyanide capsule and then shoots himself in the head. This takes place in a bunker at his headquarters in Berlin. -
Victory in Europe Day
narked Victory in Europe Day when the Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Hitler and his Nazi Army. -
The United States bombs Hiroshima
The United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This was the first atomic bomb that was ever deployed. It wiped out 90 percent of the city and killed 80,000 people on impact. In the few days after that thousands more died of radiation poisoning. -
The United States Bombs Nagasaki
The United States drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. This bomb killed 40,000 people. -
Japan Surrenders
The formal surrender of Japan. It lasted 21 minutes with a few words from General MacArthur plus the signing of many nations including: the representatives of China, the United Kingdom, The Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
