World War II

Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany

Jun 3, 1919

1919: after WWI, Hitler was a jobless soldier drifting around germany, so he joined Natioinal Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis). Proved to be powerful public speaker and organizer --> party's leader.

Benito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy

Jun 2, 1921

Stressed nationalism and placed interests of the state above those of the individuals. Power rests with a single strong leader and a small group of devoted party members.

Mein Kampf

Jun 4, 1925

Hitler set forth the basic beliefs of Nazism that became plan of action for Nazi Party. Based on extreme nationalism. Hitler dreamed of uniting all German-speaking people in a great German empire.

Japanese invasion of Manchuria

Jun 7, 1931

Military leaders trying to take control of imperial gov Japan. Ignored Japanese official protests. Militarists launched surprise attack and seized control of Manchuria (Chinese province). Within several months, Japnese troops controlled entire province

Storm Troopers

Jun 5, 1932

6 million Germans were unemployed because of war debts in Great Depression --> joined Hitler's private army "storm troopers."

Third Reich

Jun 6, 1933

Hitler was appointed chancellor, and quickly dismantled Germany's democratic Weimar Republic. Replaced it with the Third Reich.

Hitler's military build-up in Germany

Jun 8, 1935

After pulling Germany out of League of Nations in 1933, Hitler began military buildup in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia

Jun 10, 1935

1935: tens of thousands of Italian soldiers ready to advance on Ethiopia. Leage reacted with "brave talk". Invasion began and League's respsonse was ineffective economic boycott. By May 1936, Ethiopia had fallen.

Hitler invades the Rhineland

Jun 9, 1936

Sent troops into Rhineland, a German region bordering France and Belgium that was demilitarized as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. League did not stop him.

Francisco Franco

Jun 11, 1936

group of Spanish army officers led by Franco rebelled against Spanish republic. Revolts broke out all over Spain and Spanish Civil War began.

Hitler's Anschluss

Jun 13, 1938

German troops marched into Austria unopposed. Germany announced that its union with Austria was complete. No other country did anything

Munich Agreement

Jun 14, 1938

Turned Sudenttenland over to Germany without violence. Signed by France and Britain

Joseph Stalin's totalitarian government in the Soviet Union

Jun 1, 1939

Stalin took control of Soviet Union after Lenin died in 1924. Made agricultural and industrial growth economic goals. Abolished privately owned farms and replaced them with collectives. 1928: outlined first of several "five-year plans" in which economic activity = under state management. Eliminated anyone who threatened his power. By 1939, Stalin established totalitarian gov that exerted complete control over citizens.

Rome-Berlin Axis

Jun 12, 1939

Hitler and Mussolini backed Franco's forces with troops, weapons, tanks, fighter planes. Forged close relationship between German and Italian dictators --> rome-Berlin Axis

Nonaggression Pact

Jun 15, 1939

Fascist Germany and communist Russia agreed to never attack each other. Also devided Poland between them.

Blitzkrieg

Jun 16, 1939

German airforce rained bombs on military bases, airfields, railroads, cities over Poland. Newest military strategy. Military technology - fast tanks and more powerful aircraft to take enemy by surprise and quickly crush with overwhelming force.

Britain and France declare war on Germany

Jun 17, 1939

2 days after invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war

Phony war

Jun 18, 1939

Several months after fall of Poland, troops waited for each other to fight, but nothing happened.

Hitler's invasion of Denmark and Norway

Jun 19, 1940

Hitler launched surprise invasion to "protect those countries' freedom and independence", but really, he planned to build bases along coasts to strike at GB.

Hitler's invasion of the Netherlands

Jun 20, 1940

Turned against Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg and were overrun by end of May. End of phony war

Germany and Italy's invasion of France

Jun 21, 1940

Italy entered war on side of Germany and invaded France from south as Germans closed in on Paris from north. Hitler handed French officers terms of surrender. Germany occupied northern France and Nazi-controlled gov controlled S France.

Marshal Philippe Petain

Jun 22, 1940

headed the Nazi-controlled puppet govermnet that controlled Vichy in Southern France

The Battle of Britain

Jun 23, 1940

Germans assembled invasion fleet along French coast. Also launched an air war with Luftwaffe runs over Britain. Goal = gain total control of skies by destroying Britain's Royal Air Force. RAF fought back brilliantly.

Pearl Harbor Attack

Jun 24, 1941

Roosevelt received decoded message that instructed Japan's peace envoy to reject all American peace proposals. Japanese dive-bomber swooped low over Pearl Harbor, largest U.S. Naval base in Pacific. Killed 2,403 Americans. Wounded 1,178. Sunk/damaged 21 ships. More than 300 aircraft damaged or destroyed.

Battle of the Atlantic

Jun 25, 1942

Germans sank 87 ships off Atlantic shore. Then 681 Allied ships total destroyed. Allies responded by organizing cargo ships into convoys. Found and destroyed U-Boats. U.S. launched crash shipbuilding program. By 1943, 140 Liberty ships were produced each month. Tide of Battle of Atlantic turned to U.S. happy :)

U.S. convoy system

Jun 26, 1942

Groups of ships traveling together for mutual protection. Destroyers equipped with sonar for detecting submarines underwater. Accompanied by airplanes that used radar to spot U-boats on ocean's surface.

Battle of Stalingrad

Jun 27, 1942

Luftwaffe prepared way with nightly bombing raids over city. Germans controlled what was left of the city. Freezing temps --> German surrendered. Soviets lost 1,100,000 soldiers. Soviet victory marked turning point in war.

Operation Torch

Jun 28, 1942

Stalin pressured Britain and America to open a "second front" in W. Europe. Invasion of Axis-controlled North Africa commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower. After heavy fighting, last of the Afrika Korps surrendered in 1943.

Unconditional surrender

Jun 29, 1942

Enemy nations accept whatever terms of peace the Allies dictated.

Bloody Anzio

Jun 30, 1944

Hitler was determined to stop Allies in Italy rather than fight on Germany soil. Left 25,000 Allied and 300,000 Axis casulties. German armies continued to put up strong resistance. Effor to free Italy did not succeed until 1945, Germany almost collapse.

D-Day

Jul 1, 1944

First day of Allied invasion. Three divisions parachuted down behind German lines. Largest land-sea-air operation in army history. Germany retaliation was brutal.

The Battle of the Bulge

Jul 2, 1944

German tank divisions broke through American defenses. Tanks drove 60 miles into Allied territory, creating a bulge in lines that gave desperate last-ditch offensive its name. Captured 120 American GIs. Germans had been pushed back. Germans lost 120,000 troops.

Death of Hitler

Jun 1, 1945

Blame Jews for starting war and generals for losing it. Killed himself.

V-E Day

Jul 4, 1945

Eisenhower accepted unconditional surrender of Third Reich. Allies celebrated Victory in Europe Day.

Harry S. Truman

Jul 5, 1945

Vice president bacame nation's president the night Roosevelt died of stroke.