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Japan invades Manchuria
Japan enters Manchuria in 1931, with the intention to set up a sphere of economic domination, They were going to help ease economic issues, through acquiring this territory, and others. This event marks a period of Japanese aggression towards China and Indochina. This event was important to U.S history because it establishes the reason why the U.S gives an embargo on trade with Japan, which causes war with Japan (Pearl Harbor). -
Munich Pact
The Munich Pact was an agreement between Britain, France, and Hitler. France and Britain used appeasement with Hitler, by allowing Hitler to gain one more land acquisition, but he had to stop expanding after this acquisition. Hitler broke the pact, which caused the end of Europe's appeasement. This event is important to US history because France and Britain later got involved in war with Germany, which caused America to help out through cash and carry, and the lend-lease act. -
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Kristallnacht - "The Night of Broken Glass"
As a part of the Final Solution, and Germany's antisemitism ideals Nazis began to attack many Jewish citizens and Jewish locations. They attacked synagogues, schools, homes, and places of business and killed 100 jews. This is important to U.S history because it one of the key reasons for the U.S and UN to launch the Nuremberg Laws that would convict 12 Nazis. -
Neutrality Acts of 1939
The Neutrality Acts of 1939 aka the Cash and Carry policy allowed nations to buy war supplies if and only if they had cash upfront. Another stipulation of the act they took their supplies on their own ships. This is important to U.S history because it helped shift the United States from isolationism to international involvement. -
Germany invades Poland
German invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939, and France and Britain retaliated which was the key event that started WWII. During this, the German army used a military tactic called blitzkrieg, which is an all-out fast attack using tanks, and aircraft. This event was important to U.S history, because of their involvement in the new war. FDR was shifting from isolationism to international involvement by helping their allies through programs such as Cash and carry, Lend Lease, and DFB deal. -
Lend-Lease Act
After Germany breaks the Munich Pact and Invades Poland, England and France go to war with Germany, and America decides to help. America helps their ally' war efforts by the passing of many acts, one of them being the Lend-Lease Act. The Lend-Lease act would allow these nations to lend or lease war supplies. FDR called this necessary in the interest of the defense of the United States”. This was important to U.S history because it shifted from isolationism to internationalism. -
Atlantic Charter
The document signed at the Atlantic Conference by Churchill and FDR. This document strengthened the bond between Britain and the U.S and establish their goals during the post-war. This is important to U.S history, because this document strengthened the bond between Britain and the U.S and establish their goals during the post-war. -
Exec Order 8022
Executive Order 8022 prohibited ethnic or racial discrimination in the nation's defense industry. Even with the passing of this order, the Army had segregated units, faced racial discrimination, and humiliation. Even with this African Americans served in all branches of the military, and flourished. The most famous soldiers of this era were Tuskegee Airmen, who accomplished great feats and earned respect. This was important in U.S history because it helped the integration of the military. -
Atlantic Conference
The Atlantic Charter on Aug 14, 1941, united Churchill and Roosevelt and would later establish an alliance with Stalin. This charter strengthened the relationship between Britain and the United States. This is important in U.S history because it strengthened the bond between Britain and the U.S, and also served as a keystone for the Big Three who would devise plans to beat Europe in the war. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
On the 7th of December in 1941, the day that will live in infamy happened in America. Japanese bomber planes attacked U.S naval base in Hawaii named Pearl Harbor. These attacks happened due to the trade embargo that the U.S established cutting off the trade of gas and steel with Japan. This is important to U.S history because this was the start of U.S fighting in WWII. -
Exec Order 9066
Executive Order 9066 caused the placement of Japanese Americans into internment camps, due to fear of the recent bombing of Pearl Harbor. Some Americans feared a surprise attack and urged FDR to do something with citizens of Japanese descent. These citizens were urged to sell their property and come to the camps in the deserts. This is important to U.S history because it unconstitutionally took the rights of Japanese Americans, and showed how Americans feared the Japanese post-Pearl Harbor. -
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Battle of Midway
During the Island-hopping of the United States, they met Japanese forces at the Island of Midway. These were the biggest battles in the pacific theatre, and WWII as a whole. This is important because it stopped Japanese advancement in the pacific, and made them shift to defense. This is important to U.S history, because it stopped Japanese advancement in the pacific and made them shift to defense, and it showed the U.S that it would be too risky to attack Japan on land. -
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Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the invasion of North Africa with the intent to free up German control of the Mediterranean Sea, and Middle Eastern oil fields. This event took the pressure on the USSR at Stalingrad and allowed America and Britain to open up another front. This is important to the U.S because it allowed America and Britain to open up another front, and allow the USSR to take control of the eastern front, and make Italy surrender after the American and Britain landings. -
D-Day (invasion of Normandy)
One of the most famous days of WWII, The invasion of Normandy aka D-Day is when American soldiers landed on the beach of Normandy. This gave the allied forces a western front. This is important to U.S history because it gave the allied forces three fronts on Germany, and this was one of the key factors which gave the allied forces the win during WWII. -
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Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was the last German offense, and mark an end for the Nazis. The allied forces marched forward Berlin from the Western Front, while the USSR marched forward from the East. They met and Berlin to wipe out the rest of the surviving Nazis, which made Hilter feel pressure, and commit suicide. This is important to U.S history because it marked the victory for the Allied Forces in Europe, and leads to the division of Berlin. -
Korematsu v. United States
A man named Fred Korematsu felt the effectiveness of the Executive Order of 9066, forcing him to leave his home. He took this to the Supreme Court and they deemed the act as Constitutional. This is important to U.S history, because it stripped the natural rights of a man, and called the interment camps Constitutional. -
Yalta Conference
This was the first was important between the Big Three of Churchill of Britain, Roosevelt of the U.S, and Stalin of the Soviet Union. During this conference, they would discuss the plans of defeat and post-war plans for Europe. This was important to U.S history because it allowed the allied powers to devise a plan for post-war Europe, and how to beat the Axis powers. -
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Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
Due to the number of casualties that could be caused by fighting on Japan's home islands, President Truman decides to drop two atomic bombs, first on Hiroshima which was dropped on August 6th, 1945, and three days later on Nagasaki. After this Japan surrendered signaling an end to WWII. This is important to U.S history because it ended WWII, formed an alliance with Japan, and also caused mistrust between the Soviet Union causing the Cold War. -
United Nations is created
The US played a key role in helping to organize and start the UN, and was a spin-off of Woodrow Wilson's League of Nations. The UN was a coalition of governments to promote world peace. This is important to U.S history, because it created a league of nations that could promote world history, which is still around today. -
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Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg War Crimes Trials were trials that convicted 12 nazis to death and Hitler but he escaped prosecution by committing suicide. They were convicted due to their anti-semitic crimes as a part of Hitler's "Final Solution", most infamously the mass genocide of Jews and many other groups in German concentration camps. This is important to U.S history because it established the precedent that individuals are responsible for their own actions. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was the proclamation to contain communism in Europe. This was first put in action when the U.S gave Greece and Turkey financial and military aid. This is important to U.S history because it would help stop the spread of communism, and this Doctrine would develop many other events of American involvement in Europe. -
Marshall Plan
After the Truman Doctrine in 1947, Sec. of State George Marshall proposed that the U.S should provide financial aid to rebuild nations that would fall under the effects of Communism. This would extend the effects of the Truman Doctrine by containing the spread of communism. This is important to U.S history because it helped stop the spread of communism and build relationships with European nations, and develop allies. -
Israel is established
Israel was established to be a safe haven for Jewish people, after the war crimes of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi empire. The US supported the Jewish people and recognized Israel. This is important to U.S history because it shows the conscience of the U.S. -
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Berlin Airlift
The Soviets blockaded Berlin from American influence, which stopped them from negating the spread of communism. Americans couldn't give these Berlin citizens goods on the ground so they flew over with aircraft, giving them candy, and other goods and supplies. This is important in U.S history because it marked the first U.S victory in the Cold War. -
US establishes NATO
In the year 1949, there was a spike in Cold War fears. In response to this, the U.S established NATO, (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This was a coalition of the military to stop the Soviet Union. This is important in U.S history because it made the Soviet Union made the Warsaw Pact, which was a military coalition against Nato, with eastern European nations. -
Soviet Union tests Atomic Bomb
The Soviet Union tested an atomic bomb. This began a long-standing arms race after the U.S began developing a Hydrogen Bomb. This is important, because it started a long-standing arms race with the soviet union, and be one of the key factors for the start of the cold war. -
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Korean Conflict
In the year 1950, communist North Korea invaded South Korea, which caused the UN to take action to defend South Korea. When the US was closed to the Chinese border, they were attacked by communist Chinese forces and were forced to the 38th parallel. This was important to U.S history because the U.S had a treaty that contained the communism to North Korea. -
Eisenhower Doctrine
The Eisenhower Doctrine was the stoppage of communist influence in the Middle East. They sent troops and economic aid to stop help stop the spread. This was important to U.S history because it was another event that contained communist influence in Europe. -
Soviet Union launches Sputnik
On October 4, 1957, launched the satellite Sputnik 1. Sputnik was the first satellite to orbit the Earth. This is important to U.S history, because it launched the space race, and helped the U.S establish the NDEA. -
Rise of the Berlin Wall (Construction begins…)
After WWII, Germany was divided into the eastern soviet zone and the western allied zones. This division wouldn't become physically be demonstrated until the building on August 13, 1961, This wall also showed a physical symbol of the Cold War. This is important to U.S history because this would mark a long time of the battle against communism, and strengthen the tensions of the cold war. -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to set up a friendly government, which caused America to support Afghan resistance. This afghan resistance movement would later become the Taliban. This is important to U.S history because this caused the formation of the Taliban, who helped Al Qaeda, who caused one of the most catastrophic events, 9/11. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The end of the cold war has marked by The fall of the Berlin Wall, which didn't collapse until 1991. This was a time of prosperity for Germany and America and brought peace between the US and the Soviet Union. This was important to U.S history, because it ended the Cold War.
