WWII Before and After

German Revolution

Oct 29, 1918

Start of the German Revolution.

May Fourth Movement

May 4, 1919

Intellectuals in China entertain Marxist ideals that lead to the May Fourth Movement.

Nazi Party Formed

Jan 1, 1920

The Nazi Party is formed, with Hitler giving emotional speeches between February and March.

Joseph Stalin Appointed

Apr 3, 1922

The Soviet Communist Party appoints Josef Stalin as General Secretary.

Submarines Regulated

Apr 22, 1930

Italy, Japan, the UK, and the USA agree to regulate submarine warfare and shipbuilding by signing the London Naval Treaty. Japan would later renounce their agreement under this treaty.

First Annexation

Mar 13, 1938

Nazi Germany completes the Annexation or Anschluss of Austria. Austria was the first country to be annexed by Hitler’s Germany.

Begin of WWII

Sep 1, 1939

World War II begins when Nazi Germany invades Poland. France and Britain declare war on Germany.

Lend-Lease program enabled

Mar 11, 1941

The Lend-Lease program enabled the UK, Soviet Union, France, and other Allied nations to receive war material from the United States.

Executive Order 9066

Feb 19, 1942

President Roosevelt signs the Executive Order 9066 also known as the Japanese-American Internment order.

The beginning of the end

Apr 12, 1944

Camp staff set fire to the large crematorium used to burn bodies of murdered prisoners, but in the hasty evacuation the gas chambers were left standing. In the summer of 1944, the Soviets also overran the sites of the Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka killing centers.

Liberation of Biggest killing Center

Jan 1, 1945

The Soviets liberated Auschwitz, the largest killing center and concentration camp, in January 1945. The Nazis had forced the majority of Auschwitz prisoners to march westward (in what would become known as "death marches"), and Soviet soldiers found only several thousand emaciated prisoners alive when they entered the camp.

Battle of Okinawa

Apr 1, 1945

U.S. troops land on Okinawa, the Battle of Okinawa takes place.

Camps Ended

Apr 1, 1945

Liberated from concentration camps

Evacuation

Apr 11, 1945

US forces liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp near Weimar, Germany, on April 11, 1945, a few days after the Nazis began evacuating the camp. On the day of liberation, an underground prisoner resistance organization seized control of Buchenwald to prevent atrocities by the retreating camp guards. American forces liberated more than 20,000 prisoners at Buchenwald.

The end of World War II

May 1, 1945

The end of World War II in Europe when Germany start surrendering.

The first atomic bomb

Aug 6, 1945

The first atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima and two days later on Nagasaki.

Moved away

Mar 1, 1948

Elie moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne

Journalism begins

Mar 1, 1948

Elies work in journalism begins

Writes of his experience

Mar 1, 1954

Decides to write about the Holocaust

Night is published

Mar 1, 1958

Night is published

U.S. Citizen

Mar 1, 1963

Receives USA citizenship

Back home

Mar 1, 1964

Returned to Sighet

goes to russia

Mar 1, 1965

first trip to Russia

Another book

Mar 1, 1966

Publishes Jews of Silence

Gets married

Mar 1, 1969

Married Marion Rose

Has son

Mar 1, 1972

son is born

President commision on holocast

Mar 1, 1978

Appointed chair of Presidential Commission on the Holocaust

Gets awarded

Mar 1, 1985

Awarded Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement

Nobel Peace Prize

Mar 1, 1986

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

Publishes Memoirs

Mar 1, 1995

Publishes Memoirs