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Hitler is leader of the Nazi Party
Hitler was the leader of the National Socialist, or Nazi party. Although he later went on to become the dictator of Germany, Hitler was not actually born there (he was born in Austria). Before he was a politician, he wanted to be an artist. He applied to an art school twice and was turned down both times. -
Mussolini threatens government
Benito Mussolini threatened to overthrow the Italian government. They responded by making him prime minister. Mussolini was given honorary knighthood in 1923 but it was rescinded in 1940. He brought fascism to Italy. -
Josev Stalin is the sole dictator of the Soviet Union.
Stalin was a published poet as a young man. He organised bank robberies in Georgia before the revolution. His first wife died of Smallpox, and his second wife shot herself. His son Yakob was captured by Germans, and Stalin refused to trade him for a German General. -
the Japanese seize Manchuria
Although they did not have permission from the government, the Japanese forcibly took over Manchuria, a region of Northeastern China. -
Hitler named chancellor of German parliament
This was a high honor in German government. He was named by the President at that time, Paul van Hindenburg -
Mussolini's armies invade Ethiopia
Italian armies invade Ethiopia. The Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie, appealed to the League of Nations, however they didn't do anything out of fear of war. Ethiopia soon fell to Italy's Power -
Congress passes Neutrality Act
United States leaders knew that America was not prepared to enter another war. -
Militarists gain complete control of Japan
Militarism is the glorification of the military or belief that it is incredibly important and completely essential to a country. -
Hitler sends troops into the Rhineland
The Rhineland is a region of Western Germany. By attacking it and trying to capture it, Hitler was defying his agreement with other countries. -
Japan gets aggressive
Japan steps up its aggression against China. Japanese armies treat the Chinese brutally. -
Troops begin rounding up Jews
The Jewish were rounded up and taken to slave labor camps, where they were forced to work on little food and water and live in terrible conditions. -
European leaders meet
European leaders met to try and ease the crisis and stop the upcoming war. -
Nazi Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin
Stalin and HItler, though bitter enemies, vowed not to attack each other's countries and to overtake Poland together. -
Hitler occupies Czechoslavakia
Hitler had already occupied part of Czechoslavakia, and this was the final part. This was another step in his plan to take over Europe. -
Nazis invade Poland.
In response, France and Britain declare war on Germany. -
Nazis take Control
Nazis invade Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium, taking control of all of these countries. -
Nazis invade France
German forces invade France and force it to surrender. France is now controlled by the Nazis and Axis powers. -
Battle of Britain
Royal Air Force defeats German Air Force to prevent invasion of their island. -
Peacetime Draft.
For the first time in history, the United States created a law enforcing a Peacetime Draft, to build up our army. -
Hitler breaks pact
Unsurprisingly, Hitler breaks his pact with Stalin, invading the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union then joined the British in fighting the Germans. -
FDR and Churchill issue the Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a list of goals and objectives for our post-war world. -
Indochina Invaded
Japanese invade French land in Indochina, which included Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, etc. -
Pearl Harbor
Japanese air and naval forces attacked US Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, US declared war on Japan, and Germany and Italy declared war on the US -
Phillipines fall to the Japanese
The Phillipines fall to the Japanese. Also, the Bataan Death march occurs, in which many Philipino and American soldiers are forced to walk many, many miles. Lots of them died from brutality or exhaustion. -
Japanese interned in Internment Camps
Japanese Americans were forced to live in internment camps, in which the conditions were awful. -
Battle of Midway
the Battle of Midway was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. -
Russians stop Nazis
Russians stopped the Nazis from advancing in battle at Stalingrad and save their city, Moscow -
Zoot Suit Riots
The Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles, California, were when people attacked Mexican immigrants who dressed in flashy Zoot Suits. -
Success in North Africa
British and US forces defeated German and Italian armies in North Africa. -
Mussolini dismissed
Mussolini was dismissed from the post of Italian Prime Minister. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge allowed the Allied forces to break through German forces. This was the last battle in which Germany acted on the offensive. -
Allies retake Paris
Paris was recaptured by the ally forces. -
D-Day
The allies invaded Normandy, France in what would be called the D-Day invasion -
US retakes Phillipines
In 1945, the United States forces returned to retake the Phillipines. -
FDR's Death
Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a stroke, and Harry S. Truman took his place as President. -
V-E day
Also known as Victory in Europe day, this was the day the war ended in Europe. -
First Atomic Bombs dropped
The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities with only a three day waiting period. The cities that were bombed (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) were destroyed, and many, many Japanese citizens were killed. -
V-J Day
Otherwise known as Victory in Japan day, this was the day Japan surrendered. -
War Crimes Trials Held
War crimes are crimes that are especially cruel or brutal involving humans seen to be outside the accepted activities of war. The Nazi war crimes trials were held in Nuremburg, Germany and there were also trials in Manila, Phillipines and Tokyo, Japan.
