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Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
On August 23, 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact. They promised not to attack each other when signing this pact. Hitler offered Stailin control of eastern Poland and the Baltic States. This pact gave Hitler freedom to attack Poland. -
Germany Invades Poland
Germany invaded Poland on September 1st, 1939. Adolph Hitler wanted to gain territory and ultimately rule Poland. Germany attacked Poland from the air and the land. This starts World War II. -
Britain and France Declare War on Germany.
The British ocean ship Athenia was sunk by the German U-30 submarine. One hundred and twelve people died. Britain responded by bombing Germany. Two weeks later France would begin an offensive against Germany's western boarder. -
The Tripartite Pact
Germany, Italy, and Japan become allies when signing the Tripartite Pact in Berlin. The pact was that if any of these countries was attacked by any nation not already in the war the other country would help. This pact was designed to make the U.S. think twice before joining the war on the allies side. -
The Holocaust
Holocaust Video After Hitler invaded Poland he ordered his troops to round up all the Jews. The secret police's jobs were to round up Jews and execute them and burry them in mass graves. Later Hitler created death camps. Jews were shipped from France, Belgium, and Holland by railroad cars and they lived until they couldn't work anymore. Then they were sent to the gas chambers. -
Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7, 1941 Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor, an American naval base in Hawaii. This attack was a surprise and lasted two hours. This destroyed almost 200 airplanes and eight huge battleships. More than 200 Americans died. One thousand men were trapped inside the battleship USS Arizona -
U.S Enters the War
On December 8, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt, with congresses approval, declared war on Japan. Pearl Harbor awakened a "Sleeping Giant.' America had finally joined World War II. President Frankin D. Roosevelt gave a speech the day after Pearl Harbor. This speech helped unify Americans after the tragedy of Pearl Harbor. -
Germans Surrender at Stalingrad
Hitler wanted Stalingrad to be taken over first because it was a major industrial center on the Volga. The Soviets launched counterattacks. German troops were circled, their supply lines were cut off, and the winter weather conditions were terrible. The Germans were forced to surrender. The German Sixth Army, which was the best German troop, was lost. -
D-Day
June 6, 1944 is a day known as D-Day. About 156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on five beaches that were fortified in France's Normandy Region. The D-Day invasions has been called "the begining of the end of the war in Europe. ' This was one of the largest military invasions in history. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference between Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. They were known as the "Big Three." During the conference they agreed to demand Germany's unconditional surrender and begin plans for a world after war. Most of their agreements were kept secret. -
Hiroshima
On August 6, 1995, an American B-29 bomber, named Enola Gay, dropped the first ever atomic bomb on the town Hiroshima. About 80,000 people were killed at the blast and about another 35,000 were injured. Harry S. Truman made the decision to drop this bomb "Little Boy" over Japan to prevent the greater loss of people from an invasion. -
Nagasaki
After the atomic bomb was dropped on Hirsoshima this was still not enough to convince Japan to surrender. The B-29 bomber called "Bock's Car" carried the second atomic bomb named "Fat Man." This bomb was dropped two days early because of a forecast of bad weather. "Fat Man" was dropped on Hiroshima killing over 60,000 people. The Emperor of Japan finally gave his permission for an unconditional surrender.
