World War II

  • MaoZedong heads Long March

    MaoZedong heads Long March
    After being surrounded by the Nationalists, the Communists were forced to began a hazardous 6,000-mile-long retreat. Between 1934 and 1935, the Communists were only one step ahead of Jiang's forces. Many died from hunger, cold, exposure, and battle wounds.
  • Germany invades Poland; France and Great Britain declare war on Germany

    Germany invades Poland; France and Great Britain declare war on Germany
    After signing a nonagression pact with Russia, Hitler quickly moved ahead with his plans to conquer Poland. Unforutately, Great Britain and France declared war after Poland had been conquered. Neither of the nations could make any military response after Poland fell.
  • Japan attacks Pearl Harbor

    Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
    Early in the morning, American sailors awoke to the sound of explosives. US military leaders knew from a coded Japanese message that they were going to be attacked, but they didn't know where or when. Within two hours, more then 2,300 people had been killed. The next day, Roosevelt went to Congress and they declared war on Japan and all of its allies.
  • Germany surrenders

    Germany surrenders
    The Allies and the Soviets trapped the Germans from east and west of Berlin. Hitler prepared for his in an underground headquarters beneath the crumbling city. Hitler and his wife commited suicide; on May 27, 1945, General Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich from the German military.
  • Allies use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

    Allies use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
    After the first atomic bomb was dropped in New Mexico in July, President Truman warned the Japanese; they did not respond. So the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later after a second warning in and still no response, a second bomb was dropped on Nagaski. Finally, Japan surrendered.
  • United Nations formed

    United Nations formed
    Representitives met from 50 nations in San Francisco to complete the Charter of United Nations. After being overwhelmingly endorsed, the Senate approved the UN Charter. The United Nations came into exsitence on October 24, 1945 after 29 nations ratified the Charter.