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World War II
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Signing of Treaty of Versaille
The Treaty of Versaille was signed to officially end WWI and to enforce war reparations on Germany. Germany had to pay huge amounts of money and took full blame for the war, in the War Guilt Clause. -
Hitler Becomes Leader of the Nazi Socialist Party
While away in Berlin the Nazi party in Munich formed an alliance with nationalists in Augsburg to weaken Hitlers position. In response Hitler resigned from the party when he returned to Munich. The party leaders realized this would be the end of their party so Hitler said he would return on the condition that he was made chairman and given dictorial powers. Hitler was then the most powerful leader of a rising politcal party and his journey to the top was made easier. -
Great Depression
The stock market crashed on Wall Street starting the Great Depression. The German economy was dependent on foreign trade and loans from America, so when the loans were due and the foreign trade slowed Germany quickly fell into depression. -
Hitler becomes the Chancellor of Germany
The Nazi party soared in the elections getting 40% of the vote. German President Hindenburg was reluctant to appoint Hitler chancellor but he eventually comes to the conclusion that putting non Nazis in other powerful government positons could contain Hitler. -
Reichstag Fire
The Reichstag was a government building that was set on fire by Marinus van der Lubbe. The Nazi party used the fire as evidence against the communist party that they were plotting against the government. Hitler convinced Hindenberg to issue an emergency decree suspending civil liberties. The government then executed mass arrests of communist party suporters and leaders, therefore removing the Nazis rivals. -
Enabling act passes
The Enabling act was a proposal by HItler to the German Parlement to give him full dictorial power. He needed a two-thirds vote for it to pass and he got that by using his Nazi stormtroopers to intimidate voters. The act passed with only 84 votes against, all from the social Democrats. Behind lies and false promises Hitler had complete power and a Nazi takeover of Germany was imminent. -
The Nuremburg Race Laws
The law passed by Hitler removed the citizenship of German jews declaring them "Subjects". The laws also banned jews from having sexual relations with aryan people and also outlawed jews from hiring young aryan women for household help. -
Nazis invade Poland
The Nazis invade Poland on September first which breaks the mutual assistance treaty that Poland and Britain signed in August. In result two days later Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany. -
Nazis invade France
The Nazis attacked France and won decisively, resulting in the French armistice with Germany. Germany occupied the north and west while Italy controled the southeast. They would occupy the land until 1944 -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was an air attack by the Germans known as the Blitz. The Nazis attempted to just overload Britain with air strikes and outnumber them while using swift attacks. The Battle of Britain and the british victory is known as a turning point in the war. -
Nazis invade Greece and Yugoslavia
The Nazis invade Greece and Yugoslavia and swiftly take them out, both surrendered within the month. The gaining of Greece and Yugoslavia was important because the Axis powers then controlled all of the Balkans -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a key loss for Germany, they went on the offensive to try and take Stalingrad and failed while suffering huge losses. The forces in the east never regained the initiative and forces in the west were weakened from replacing the easts losses. -
US troops encircle Nazis in the Ruhr
The US army was working for months to surround and capture the German forces in the Ruhr. The Ruhr is the industrial capitol of Germany and the Nazi forces were severly outgunned and forced to surrender. -
Hitler commits suicide
The impending Soviet taking of Berlin and the realization of his failure drove Hitler to suicide. Hitler had two of his most loyal political partners killed days before his own suicide. -
All German troops surrender
German forces all throughout Europe surrender to Allied forces. This was the end of World War II
