U.S History 1942-1953

  • Executive Order

    Executive Order
    President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the executive order 9066 allowing the United States military to define areas as exclusionary zones. These zones affect the Japanese on the West Coast, and Germans and Italians primarily on the East Coast.
  • Jimmy Doolittle Raid

    Jimmy Doolittle Raid
    A squadron of B-25 Mitchells took off overloaded from aircraft carriers and bombed mainland Japan without a way to get back.
  • Women allowed in Military

    Women allowed in Military
    Women are now allowed to serve in all branches of the armed services
  • Battle of Midway

    Battle of Midway
    United States wins a decisive victory against Japan, destroying 4 aircraft carriers
  • Atomic Bomb Agreement

    On June 20, 1942, the development of the first atomic bomb was signed into agreement between the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Hyde Park, New York
  • The Manhattan Project

    The Manhattan Project
    On December 2, 1942, the first nuclear chain reaction was produced at the University of Chicago in the Manhattan Project.
  • The Pentagon

    The Pentagon
    On January, 15 1943 the world's largest office building, The Pentagon, was dedicated in Arlington, Virginia.
  • Churchill, Roosevelt, & Stalin

    Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin meet in Tehran to discuss WWII.
  • Magnuson Act

    Magnuson Act
    Repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act and allowed Chinese to immigrate and become U.S. Citizens.
  • Ralph Bunche

    Ralph Bunche
    On January, 4 1944 Ralph Bunche appointed 1st African American official in US State Department.
  • D-Day

    D-Day
    Allied forces invade Normandy (referred to as "D-Day").
  • The G.I. Bill of Rights

    On June 22, 1944 the G.I. Bill of Rights was signed into law, providing benefits to veterans.
  • Battle of the Bulge

    Battle of the Bulge
    A German surprise attack begins the Battle of the Bulge
  • Franklin D Roosevelt

    Franklin D Roosevelt
    Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn-in for his 4th term as U.S. President.
  • Harry S. Truman

    Harry S. Truman
    Harry Truman sworn in as the 34th US Vice President
  • Franklin D Roosevelt Death

    Franklin D Roosevelt Death
    On April 12, 1945 President Roosevelt died suddenly. Vice President Harry S. Truman assumes the presidency and role as commander in chief of World War II.
  • Harry S. Truman

    Harry S. Truman
    Harry Truman sworn in as the 33rd US President
  • United Nations

    United Nations
    United Nations established
  • Atomic Bomb Order

    President Truman gave the order for the use of the atomic bomb with the bombing of Hiroshima. Three days later, the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan
  • U.S Drops 1st Atomic Bomb

    U.S Drops 1st Atomic Bomb
    United States drops the 1st atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan
  • U.S Drops 2nd Atomic Bomb

    U.S Drops 2nd Atomic Bomb
    United States drops the 2nd atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan
  • WW II Ends

    WW II Ends
    Japan unconditionally surrenders to the United States, ending World War II.
  • Phillipines gains Independence

    Philippines, a United States protectorate, gains its independence
  • The Cold War

    The Cold War
    Winston Churchill proclaims "an iron curtain has swept across the continent (Europe)," beginning the Cold War.
  • The Committee on Civil Rights

    On December 5, 1946 President Harry Truman established the President's Committee on Civil Rights to investigate the status of civil rights in the United States and propose measures to strengthen and protect the civil rights of American citizens.
  • C.I.A

    C.I.A
    The CIA is established
  • 22nd Amendment

    22nd Amendment
    22nd Amendment passed by Congress
  • The Marshall Plan

    The Marshall Plan
    On April 3, 1948 President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan, which authorized $15 billion in aid for 16 countries.
  • Harry S. Truman

    Harry S. Truman
    Truman begins his second inauguration
  • NATO

    NATO
    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization established by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy,Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States.
  • The Hydrogen Bomb

    President Truman ordered the development of the hydrogen bomb, in response to the detonation of the Soviet Union's first atomic bomb in 1949
  • Korean War

    Korean War officially starts as North Korea invades South Korea
  • United Nations declares war

    United Nations declares war on North Korea
  • 22nd Amendment added to Constitution

    22nd Amendment added to the Constitution
  • U.S. Nuclear Submarine

    The U.S. nuclear submarine USS Nautilus was targeted
  • 1st Thermonuclear Device

    United States detonates the 1st thermonuclear device.
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Dwight D. Eisenhower
    Dwight D. Eisenhower sworn in as the 34th president of the United States.
  • Richard Nixon

    Richard Nixon
    Richard Nixon sworn in as the 36th US Vice President