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Japan invades Manchuria
This was where Japan invaded Manchuria without declaring war, this violated League of Nation's policies, however could not be punished for the league had no real power over other countries. This led to Japan leaving the League of Nations, which would later lead to them joining the Axis Powers. -
Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
Hitler rose to prominence for many reasons. The people of Germany were suffering from after effects of the great war, he was charismatic, showed power, and showed a way out of the great depression. However, when he was elected he managed to eliminate all political opposition and established the nazi party as the only party in Germany. -
Kristallnacht riots across Germany
Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and killed close to 100 Jews. This event led to the “Night of Broken Glass” where 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. -
Germany invades Poland; WW2 begins
The German's invasion of Poland cause the league of nations to jump to action, which signified the start of WW2. -
US Congress passes first peactime draft
This first draft states that all men of the age 21-35 would be registered for the draft, and would serve for a full 12 months. No more than 900,000 men would be drafted/trained at a time. -
Lend-Lease Act passed
The Lend-Lease Act was the document that let the U.S. military provide aid to foreign nations during World War II. It permitted to sending aid to “the government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States". -
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
In the attack, the Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. While the attack was only two hours long, it was devastating. The U.S. entered the war the next day. -
FDR signs Executive Order 9066 which will lead to Japanese Americans being sent to internment camps
In the wake of panic that ensued after Pearl Harbor's attack, President Roosevelt, encouraged by officials at all levels of the federal government, authorized the internment of tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese ancestry and resident aliens from Japan. This was legalized by the Executive Order 9066. -
Office of price Administration issues Ration Book One
Rations were issued during WW2 because of shortages caused by the war. countries involved in war were no longer able to send imports, for they could not spare the gas or machinery. Asides from this, consumer goods took a backseat to the production of war goods. This led to everything being rationed in order to promote fairness. -
WAAC's (Women's Army Auxillary Corps) created
The WAAC was the branch of the army that contained the women who wished to participate in war efforts. The branch was an auxillary unit, which means they were ment to be supplements essentially, and were not directly involved in regular military or police activity. -
American naval forces defeat the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway
The battle of midway occured 6 months after the terrible suprise attack on pearl harbor. The main objective for the Japanese at the time was to simply eliminate the last few aircraft carriers that the US had. However, Japan's plans for a suprise attack were foiled by advances in decoding, and the US launched a succesful counter attack, doing permanent damage to Japan's forces. -
Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa begins
Operation torch consisted of attacking French North Africa, which would clear out axis powers, improve naval control of the Mediterranean Sea, and prepare for an invasion of Southern Europe in 1943. It was for the most part a means of relieving the Soviet army from all of the heat they were recieving from Germany. -
"Rosie the Riveter" appears on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post as a tribute to working women during the War
Rosie the Riveter was part of a government campaign designed to recruit female workers for the munitions industry. At the time of the war, there was in fact a large increase in the female working population. -
The Tuskeegee Airmen undertake their first combat mission
Before the Tuskeegee Airmen, no Black Man had ever been a US military pilot. The squadron's first flight mission was historical for many reasons, and was a huge step forward in equality. -
D-Day: Allied Forces come ashore in Normandy, France
The Battle of Normandy lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe. The victory against the Germans on the coastline was considered the beginning of the end. -
Japanese navy defeated at Leyte Gulf; first use of Kamikazes by Japan
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Battle of the Bulge, the last German offensive, begins in a frigid northern European winter
The Battle of the Bulge was blitz by the Germans that completely caught the Americans off-gaurd. This led to some of the highest casualty counts in the war. -
Soviet troops liberate Auschwitz death camp
The liberating of Auschwitz came as a huge shock to the world. Before the liberation, not many people knew of the horrors that went on there. The Soviet army claimed to know nothing of the "Final Solution" prior to liberating the camp. -
Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin meet at Yalta to discuss post-war Europe
At this meeting, it was decided that the Allied Powers would demand for the unconditional surrender of Germany. Stalin also agreed to permit free elections in Eastern Europe and to enter the Asian war against Japan. -
Marines raise US flag on Mt. Suribachi during the battle for Iwo Jima
The battle came to be due to the need of a naval base near Japan's coast. The iconic picture was taken during the battle, the picture contans several men in the armed forces placing a flag down mid-battle, -
American forces meet up with their Russian allies at the Elbe River in Germany
The meeting between the two armies was a unique thing considering they typically fought on different fronts. The pictures taken of the meeting served as testimates to the determination of the Allied Powers. -
Victory in Europe (V-E) Day
On this day Germany finally laid down their arms, and victory was claimed by the Allie's. Although, since it did take time to capture the remainders of Germany's army that did try to escape, victory was celebrated by the Soviet Union a day after the rest of it's Allies. -
The US drops atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The bombs were speciffically meant as a way to end the war....which they did. The bombs killed 100's of thousands of innocents, and forced Japan to surrender. -
Japan signs the surrender agreement, officially ending WW2
The whole signing took place on the USS Missouri, which was docked in Tokyo bay. As the supreme commander of Japan signed, his aids wept. It was truly a solemn sight.
