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Japan Invades Manchuria
Japan seeks out Manchuria for its iron and coal in order to make weaponry. Japan also wants more land for its expanding empire. -
Germany Reoccupies the Rhineland
This is Hitler's first direct challenge to the League of Nations, defying the Treaty of Versailles. This is the beginning of his quest to regain territories lost by Germany after World War I. -
Rome-Berlin Axis is announced
This is Germany and Italy's alliance before the start of World War II. This alliance was one between the two most important countries during the war. Both countires were fascist, and Hitler idolized Mussolini. Later they would add Japan into the mix. -
Japan Invades China
This is Japan's major attack on China, which gains territories that Japan had planned to utilize for its natural resources. This was meant to solve Japan's economic problems during the Great Depression. -
Germany Takes Sudetenland
This marks the point where Hitler's hunger for territory continues after the reoccupation of the Rhineland. His hunger cannot be appeased by Britain, which leads to his seige of the rest of Czechoslovakia. -
Hitler Moves in on Poland
Hitler uses "blitzkrieg", or lighning war to conquer the western half of Poland. He bombards them and gets into their nervous system before they have any time to react. Meanwhile, Stalin begins to invade the eastern half. -
France Surrenders to German Forces
This marks the point where Hitler conquers a major Allied country, and the Battle of Britain begins. This battle is meant to regain France from Germany. -
Germany Invades the Soviet Union
Codenamed "Operation Barbarossa", Hitler led an attack on the Soviet Union in order to claim more territory. As the Germans pushed 500 miles into the Soviet Union, the Russian troops used the scorched-earth policy to weaken the Germans. -
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
Although the U.S. cut off oil shipments to Japan after they heard of Japan's plans on Southeast Asia, Japan continued with their expedition. They also had ideas to catch American and British ports by surprise. The attack on Pearl Harbor broke the tension between the countries. -
Battle of the Coral Sea
Fought between the Imperial Japanese Navy and U.S./Australian naval and air forces, the Battle of the Coral Sea led some Japanese to question their invincibility after bombings on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Although more Americans than Japanese were lost in the battle, the U.S. was able to stop Japan's southward advance. -
Battle of Midway
As the Japanese fleet moves through the Pacific, U.S. decoders break a Japanese code that reveals an attack on the Midway Islands, north-west of Hawaii. Roosevelt then sent out his last three aircraft carriers in an effort to keep some control in the Pacific. Since the Japanese were expecting minimal resisitance from the Americans, they themselves were caught off guard. The U.S. was able to win a decisive victory, destroying all four Japanese carriers, while only losing one of their own. -
Hitler Orders Attack on Stalingrad
As the German Luftwaffe was ordered to go on nightly bombing raids on Stalingrad, Stalin had already ordered forces to defend the city. Once in the city, Soviet troops surrounded the Germans, cutting off their supplies. This ended in a decisive victory for the Soviets. -
Allies Land in North Africa
Known as "Operation Torch", the allied forces moved into Africa. The invasion would clear the Axis powers from North Africa, improve naval control of the Mediterranean Sea, and prepare for an invasion of Southern Europe. -
Allies invade Normandy on D-Day
In order to regain France from Germany, the Allied forces planned an attack on the beaches of Normandy. Hitler believed the attack on Normandy was not the main attack and was certain that the major battle would be in Pas de Calais about 200 miles north of Normandy. This allowed the Allied
troops to adavance. If German troops had moved down to Normandy, they could have slowed the front. Click here to watch a video -
Battle of the Bulge Begins
This was a German offensive attack through Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II. It was the costliest battle for the United States in terms of casualties as they were taken completely off guard. However, the allies won a decisive victory, and the Germans lost many war resources. It is named after the Allies' bulge into Belgium during their counteroffensive attack. -
Allies Capture Iwo Jima
This was one of the most brutal battles in the Pacific, as the United States captured the island of Iwo Jima. This allowed them to control its three airbases. It also provided a base for attacks on Japanese main islands. -
President Franklin D. Roosavelt Dies
On this day in 1945, president Roosavelt died of a sudden stroke, while on vacation in Warm Springs, Georgia. -
Mussolini Dies
Mussolini was killed during his attempt to escape to Spain. He was killed by protesters in the street. His body along with his mistress Clara Petacci, and other fascist leaders was hung on meat hooks for the public to see. -
Hitler Dies and Germany Surrenders
As the Allies crossed over the Rhine River into Germany, Hitler could feel the pressure. Soviet troops eventually surrounded Berlin and bombarded it with heavy artillery fire. Hitler was headed straight for his underground headquarters, where he had little hope left. Hitler finally commited suicide on April 30, 1945 with his companion Eva Braun. The war in Europe was coming to an end. -
Allies Drop Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
As general Douglas MacArthur sought out a plan for an amphibious attack on Japan, president Harry Truman was cautious of the consequences. He believed that it would be more costly than D-Day in terms of deaths. However, he still had another option. Due to the relentless mentality of Hideki Tojo and the Japanese, Truman decides to drop atomic bombs first on Hiroshima, killing 80,000 instantly. -
Nagasaki Bombing
Three days after the bombing on Hiroshima, the U.S. bombed Nagasaki, bringing the war in the Pacific to a screeching halt. Japan is physically forced to surrender, as another 75,000 are killed.
