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Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the Nazi Party
Hitler was a extreme nationalist and said Germany was the "master race." he headed the national socialist party (nazi). He was a extremely racist person who falsly blamed jews and others for being traitors for WW1. This appealed to many germans because they looked for someone to blame. -
Benito Mussolini appointed Prime Minister of Italy
(acual date in 1922 uncertain) Benito promised to restore order with strong leadership. Mussolini threatened to overthrow Italys elected government so he was appointed prime minister as a result. -
Josef Stalin sole dictator of the Soviet Union (USSR)
(acual date uncertain, in 1929) Stalin turned the soviet union into a totalitarian state and took brutal measures to control and modernize industries and agriculture. -
1931 Japan’s Army seizes Manchuria, China
(acual date in 1931 uncertain) The japanese army took action without the approval of japans elected government to seize Manchuria. The league of nations disapproved but did not take action. -
Hitler is named Chancellor of Germany
Hitler gained much popularity and his plan was to get rid of politics and mke Germany the most powerful country. Many germans also supported his plan. Hitler took action right away. -
Italian Army invades Ethiopia in Africa
(actual date in 1935 uncertain) Italy invaded Ethiopia and Ethiopia fought bravely but didn't have the modern equipment so lost the battle.Ethiopia's emperor asked the league of nations for help but the league of nations was scared of war so didn't intervene. -
Neutrality Acts passed by US Congress
The U.S. congress was concerned that a new world war was beginning to start so they created the neutrality act. It prevented the president from selling arms, making loans, or helping any nation involved in war in any way. -
Hitler sends troops into Rhineland
(actual date in 1936 uncertain) In violation of the treaty of Versailles Hitler senttroops to the Rhineland region of west Germany. -
Militarists take control of Japanese Government
(actual date in 1936 uncertain) The Great Depression undermined faith in democratic rule in Japan. Militarist leaders pressured the civilians and soon they had complete control of the Japanese government. -
Japan’s army pillages Nanjing, China; massacre a quarter of a million people
(actual date in 1937 uncertain) The japanese army seized Manchuria, China without approval of Japan's elected government. Japan then later stepped up it's aggression in China. The brutal japenese army pilaged the city of Nanjing China for six weeks, resulting in over a quarter of a million civilians and prisoners killed. -
Munich Pact signed
(actual date in 1938 uncertain) The Munich Pact was a agreement between Britain, France and Germany. It stated that Hitler could occupy Sudetenland, a portion of Czechoslovakia largly populated by people who spoke German. In return Hitler promised to seek no further territories. He later broke that promise. -
Nazis begin rounding up Jews for labor camps
(actual date in 1938 uncertain) Hitler passed anti- semitic laws. Jews were not allowed in many places and to do many things. Then in 1938, Hitler began rounding up jews and sending them to slave labor camps. -
1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact signed by Hitler and Stalin
(actual date in 1939 uncertain) the two enemies signed a non- aggression act promising not to act one another. secretly the promised to divide Poland. Later hitler broke the pact. -
Nazis invade Poland; Britain and France declare war on Germany
Hitler and Stalin invade Poland. Two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany. WW2 had began. -
Nazis invade Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium – take control
(acual date in 1940 uncertain) In 1940 Hitler and Stalin moved north seizing Denmark and Norway. In May they conquered the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. -
Germany invades France and forces it to surrender
(actual date in 1940 uncertain) Britain tried to help France but was quickly overpowered. Germany invaded and moved to Paris, the French capital. On June 22 1940 Hitler eccepted Frances surrender. -
Battle of Britain – Royal Air Force defeats German Air Force to prevent invasion of their island
(actual date in 1940 uncertain) Many didn't beleive Britain stood a chance alone. Hitler ordered a air assault. It killed thousands of people yet Britains spirit never broke. Britain fought back and the battle continued through summer into fall and Hitler gave up on hs plans to get Britain. -
First time Peacetime Draft in US
(actual date in september 1940 uncertain) In september congress passed a law for the first time peacetime draft. -
Japanese invade French Indochina (Viet. Laos, Cambodia)
sometime in July Japan invaded Indochina. In response Roosevelt banned American exports of iron and steel scrap to Japan and also restricted the sale of oil to Japan. Japan, facing a shortage of fuel for their navy, decided on war. -
Hitler breaks Pact with Stalin’s Russia and invades - USSR which now joins England in fighting the Germans
Sometime late August Hitler and Stalin signed a nonaggression agreement. The two agreed not to attack one anothers countries. They secretly agreed to divide Poland. The world was shocked. -
Churchill and FDR issue the Atlantic Charter
Sometime in August Churchill and FDR issued the Atlantic Charter, outlining their goals for the postwar world. They agreed that their nations would seek no land claims and would emphasize the right for all people to choose their own government.They also called for a new international organization. -
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii attacked by Japanese Naval and Air forces, US declares war on Japan, Germany and Italy declare war on the US
pearl harborJapan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. They bombed the island damaging 8 battleships and killing about 2400 people. It caught American military leaders by surprise and caused a lot of chaos and pain. Later that day the U.S. declared war on Japan and then Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. -
Philippines fall to Japanese – Bataan Death March
(acual date in 1942 uncertain) hours after Pearl Harbor, Japan attacked the Philippines and destroyed most of the planes. As the Philippines fell the Japanese took nearly 70,000soldiers as prisoners.The prisoners were then forced to walk 65 miles to a prison camp. This is known as the Bataan death march. Many people died of starvartion, disease, and violence. -
Japanese Americans interned in isolated camps
Sometime in Febuary FDR issued the executive order 9066 interning some 110,000 Japanese Americans for the duration of the war. They had to sell their homes and most of their things and move to camps. The camp had gaurd towers, barbed wire fencing and many gaurds. -
Russians stop Nazi advance at Stalingrad and save Moscow
(actual date in 1942 uncertain) The nazis had advanced far into Russia and Hitler expected them to fall but with the help of the bad winter stopped the Nazisjust outside Moscow. Months of bitter fighting ended in a Soviet victory. -
Battle of Midway, turning point of war in the Pacific
The 4th - 7th of june was the battle of midway. Japan planned to take the island of Midway, home of a key American military base. But the Americans sank 4 Japanese aircraft carriers, destroyed 322 aircraft, and reduced Japans amount of highly trained pilots. After this Japans navy didn't rule the Pacific anymore. -
British and US forces defeat German and Italian armies in North Africa
(Date in 1943 uncertain) Britain troops defeated German forces and drove them back to where the U.S. occupied. Trapped they surendered. -
Zoot Suit Riots – Los Angeles, CA
(actual date in June, 1943 uncertain) As Mexicans moved to work in the U.S. they saw a lot of prejudice and violence. Young Mexican Americans in Los Angeles dressed in "Zoot Suits". Showy clothes that people saw as not good when they were rationing and conserving things for the army. In June many sailers attacked young Mexican Americans beating and clubbing them.This started many days of rioting. -
Italy surrenders, Mussolini dismissed as Prime Min.
American and British troops took over The Italian island of Sicily. They then fought their way along the Italian Peninsula. The king of Italy then dismissed Mussolini from office. On september 8, 1943 the new government surrendered to the Allies. It still took time before the Allies finally controlled Italy. -
D-Day invasion of France at Normandy by Allies
Over 155,000 American, British and Canadian troops crossed the English Channel landing on the 5 beaches of Normandy.troops at 4 of the locations overcame the Germans fast but on Omaha Beach they met a fierce German defense. At the end some 2,500 soldiers died but they succeeded and troops got in. -
Paris retaken by Allies Forces
The Allies entered Paris and after 4 years under nazi rule many French men, women and children greeted liberty with great joy. -
Battle of the Bulge – last offensive of German Forces
The Allies were pushing east but the Germans counterattacked and Hitler poured remaining reserves into the attack. The Germans created a "buldge" in the American lines. The Germans were close to breaking through but they were short on supplies, men and fuel. Americans won the Battle of the Buldge and Germany was open from both the East and West. -
US forces return to recapture the Philippines
By island hopping the Allies landed on Luzan, in the Philipines and then moved on to Manila.After about a month of urban warfare the Americans secured Manila. The Philipine campaign cost the lives of 14,000 Americans, 350,000 Japanese and 100,000 filipino citizens. -
FDR dies, Harry S. Truman becomes President
President Franklin D. Rosevelt died of a stroke on April 12th. Many Americans were shattered and at a critical moment Vice President Harry S. Truman became president. -
V-E Day, war ends in Europe
With the Soviets surrounding Germany, Hitler committed suicide on April 30th, 1945. A week later, Germany representatives surrendered. On May 8th they celebrated V-E day. -
First Atomic Bombs dropped
President Truman decided that All the lives that would be lost in the continuing of war is worse than a bomb so on August 6th they dropped a atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The destruction and fire was terrible. Within minutes, it killed over 130,000 people. -
Second Atomic Bomb Dropped
Because the Japanese still didn't surrender after the first bomb the U.S. dropped a second one on Nagasaki. About 35,000 people died instantly and other people died slower deaths from radiation poisoning. -
V-J Day, Japan surrenders to Allied Forces
The emperor of Japan finally surrendered. That day became known as V-J day. On September 2nd, 1945 MacArthur formally accepted Japans surrender. WW2 was over. -
War Crimes Trials held in Nuremburg, Germany; Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan.
(many dates) For the first time in history, victors in a war prosecuted leaders of the other side for war crimes. (war crimes are wartime acts of cruelty and brutality that are judged to be beyond the acceptable rules of war and human behavior) Many Nazis faced prosecution for getting the world into war and the horrors of their death camps.
