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Reoccupation of the Rhineland
The German occupation of the Rhineland was Hitler's first decisive action concerning foreign relations that showed that he had no regard for the Treaty of Versailles. This was also the first time that foreign powers could have tried to stop Hitler, but they only tried to appease him. This event only furthered the belief that Germans held: that they were the most powerful race and that no one wanted or could to oppose them. -
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WWIII
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Nazi-Soviet Pact
This treaty was signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. It was an agreement saying that neither country would attack the other and when Hitler attacked Poland, the USSR could take the other half. -
Beginning of WWII
On September third, 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany, because Germany began an invasion of Poland on September first. Before Germany attacked, France and Great Britain had promised to aid Poland if Germany attacked. Hitler decided that he would attack anyway which forced Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany, marking the official beginning of WWII. -
Breaking of Nazi-Soviet Pact
Once Hitler relized that he needen more resources to win his invasion of Britain, he decided that he would attack the Soviet Union. Once he did this he could get supplies and finish his invasion of Great Britian. He started his invasion on June 22, breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact and declaring war on the USSR. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese launched a sneak attack on the U.S. naval and air bases in Pearl Harbor in hopes of destroying the U.S. Pacific fleet and crushing the hope and morale, making the U.S. give into Japanese demands. The attack did not fully accomplish its goal and the U.S. navy was not fully destroyed and the attack united the U.S. citizens against Japan. This was Japan's declaration of war against the United States. So, the U.S.A. declared war on Japan for this attack. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.It lasted several months and ended up as a Russian victory. This battle is significant becasue it marks the end of the Nazi invasion of Russia. There were 150,000 German casualties incuding Germany's best soldiers. -
D-Day
D-Day Video
D-Day was the beginning of the Allied invasion of the Western Front. The Allied troops landed upon the 5 of the beaches of Normany. The Americans at Omaha Beach were over 2000 Americans tied in before they took the beach. After those beaches were secure the Allies landed 326,000 troops and more than 50,000 vehicles within a week. This battle began the liberation of France. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler's last major attempt to win the war in the Western Front. The Nazi army launched a suprise attack against the Allied forces. At first the Germans were making good ground until the Lieutenant General George S. Patton lead an attack that helped change the tide of the battle. By January 25, 1945 the Allied forces beat the Germans, crushing Hitler's last hope for a counterattack. -
Victory in Europe
On April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide and by the second of May, the Soviet Union had taken Berlin. On May 7, Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the Allied forces. The unconditional surrender of Germany signed on May 7, took place on May 8. Now Europe was at peace and reconstruction could begin. -
First Atomic Bomb
President Truman of the United States of America, already havig warned the Japanese, ordered the dropping of an atomic bomb on Japan at Hiroshima in order to save thousands of American lives. The bomb killed 80,000 people instantly and caused radiation poisoning to thousands more killing them as well. The bomb wiped out 90% of the city. -
Dropping of the Second Atomic Bomb
Japan refused to surrender after the first bomb so, President Truman ordered the second bomb to be dropped on Nagasaki. This bomb killed about 40,000 more people. This bomb also caused thousands more to die because of radiation. -
Japan Surrenders
Hirohito, Emeror of Japan, announced Japan's unconditional surrender. This was the end of WWII and the beginning of reconstruction and peace in the Pacific.
