-
Adolf Hitler becomes Nazi Party Leader
The Nazi party was also known as the National Socialist Party. Racism was one of the core beliefs of this party. -
Benito Mussolini appointed Prime Minister of Italy
Promised to restore order to the economic problems and unrest through strong leadership. -
Josef Stalin sole dictator of the USSR
Stalin turned the Soviet Union into a complete Totalitarian State. This means that one party of government totally controls the government and all aspects of people's lives. -
Japan's army seizes Manchuria, China
The Japanese army seized this area of China without approval of the government. -
Hitler is named Chancellor of Germany
Almost immediately after he was named chancellor, he established a Totalitarian State, outlawing all other parties and passing strict anti-Semitic laws. -
Neutrality acts passed by US Congress
The first act was a law to prevent the President from giving any loans of arms, money or food. This was how the US planned to remain isolated from conflict. -
Italian army invades Ethiopia in Africa
Ethiopia fought well and enlisted for aid from the League of Nations but no one was able to help due to the weakened economies at the time. -
Militarist take control of Japan's Government
Militarists argued that the island nation needed more materials and space for their booming industries. -
Hitler sends troops into Rhineland of Germany in violation of the Versailles Treaty
Hitler not only sent troops into the Rhineland, but he also continued to strengthen the German army. -
Japan's army pillages Nanjing, China; massacre of a quarter of a million people
The pillage of Nanjing was over a period of about six weeks. -
Munich Pact signed giving the Sudetenland to Germany
Hitler was given the land because he said he would seek no further territory. -
Nazis begin rounding up Jews for labor camps
The reason for the Anti-Semitism in Germany was due to Hitler's beliefs that Jews were the reason they Germany lost WW1 -
Nazi-Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin
The pact surprised the world because Hitler and Stalin were known to be sworn enemies. -
Nazis invade Poland; Britain and France declare war on Germany
Germany invaded Western Poland, and sixteen days later, Stalin invaded Eastern Poland, Finland, and later annexed Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. -
Nazis take control of Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, and Belgium
All of these invasions seemed to make Germany's army unstoppable. After these invasions Germany moved onto France. -
Battle of Britain Begins
Britain stood alone against the Nazi war machine. Few thought the island nation stood a chance. -
Germany invades France and forces them to Surrender
Britain did everything they could to help the French in their time of need but Germany quickly overpowered he French. -
First Peacetime Draft signed in US
Allowed for greater spending towards possible entries into the war. -
Hitler breaks pact with Stalin's Russia
This forced Churchill to work with Stalin. They both deeply mistrusted eachother. -
Japanese invade French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia)
This resulted in FDR banning the American exports of iron, steel and other scrap metals to Japan. -
Churchill and FDR issue the Atlantic Charter
Set goals for what they wanted the postwar world to look like. -
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii attacked by Japanese naval and Air forces: US declares war on Japan: Italy and Germany declare war on the US
Japan's goal of the attack was to take out the American Aircraft Carriers. -
Philippines fall to Japan-Bataan Death March
70,000 American and Filipino soldiers were captured by the Japanese and forced to walk 65 miles to prison camps. -
Japanese Americans interned in Isolated camps
Internment means to temporarily arrest or imprison. -
Russians stop Nazi advance at Stalingrad save Moscow
The Russians were also able to invade Germany from the east while the allies invaded from the west. -
Battle of Midway, turning point of war in the Pacific
Winning the Battle of Midway halted Japan's advance through the Pacific. This allowed the US to go on the offensive side of things. -
British and US forces defeat German and Italian Armies in North Africa
The allied forces sort of pushed their way north on the Italian Peninsula. -
Zoot Suit Riots-Los Angeles, California
Zoot suits were mostly worn by young Mexican men. They were beaten and clubbed by American soldiers which sparked the riots. -
Italy Surrenders-Mussolini Dismissed as Prime Minister
Even though Italy surrendered, German forces continued to fight. -
D-Day Invasion of France at Normandy by Allies
All of the attacks on the five beaches went mostly smooth except for the one on Omaha Beach. -
Paris Retaken by Allied Forces
Before Paris was liberated, the French people were under Nazi control for four years. -
Battle of the Bulge-Last Offensive Push of German Forces
This battle was fought in one of the coldest winters ever recorded in this area. -
US Forces Return to Recapture the Philippines
The campaign cost over 350,000 Japanese lives. -
FDR Dies-Harry S. Truman Becomes US President
People were struck by the death of FDR. Some didn't know a time without him. -
V-E Day-War ends in Europe
HItler committed suicide soon after his defeat in Europe. -
First Atomic Bombs are Dropped
They were dropped on the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. -
V-J Day-Japan Surrenders to Allied Forces
The surrender took place on the USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay. -
War Crimes Trials held in Nuremberg, Germany; Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan
War crimes are wartime acts of cruelty and brutality that are judged to be beyond the accepted rules of war and human behavior.
