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Washington Naval Conference
Japan's population was booming so Japan needed more space and resources to support them and many saw Manchuria as the answer. In 1931 the army took it into their hands and invaded Manchuria without authorization. The army had stated after the invasion that the Chinese attempted to blow up a railway. -
Hitlers Rise to Power
In 1932 hitler had lost the election to Paul Von Hindenburg. A year later he appointed Hitler to be the chancellor of Germany. After becoming chancellor he moved to take away freedom of speech and freedom of press. Hindenburg died and made Hitler the presedint and chancellor. He called himself Der Fuhrer. -
Period: to
Major events leading to the war
The events leading to the war from Hitler gaining power in Germany to Pearl Harbor. -
Nanking Massacre
Japanese soldiers invaded the former capital of China. They killed 300,000 of the 600,000 people in the city. The japanese soldiers would kill anyone including women and children. The onslaught lasted six weeks. -
Japan becomes allies with Germany, Italy, and it becomes neutral with Soviet Union.
The Japanese are looking to conquer a large area of Asia extending from Manchuria to Dutch East Indies. Then in 1940 Japan allied itself with Italy and Germany. In 1941 Japan signed a neutrality pact with Soviet Union. After all this Japan is now ready to challenge America and Europe for supremecy in Asia. -
Hitler Becomes Allies with Mussolini
In 1939 Hitler and Benito Mussolini had become allies by signing the Pact of Steel. -
Hitler Invades Poland
In 1939 Hitler invades Poland causing Britain and France to declare war on Germany. -
France is Defeated
After Hitler invades France he then wins the war a year later. In 1940 an armistace was signed and more than 1.5 million troops fully surrendered. -
Roosevelt Wins
FDR won the election in 1940 for a tird term however he recieved criticism because there was an unwritten rule that dated back to George Washington who declined a third term. FDR was for war so he aided Britain more and more. He proposed the lend lease act which gave aid to countries that were vital to American security. -
Pearl Harbor
In Japan a military leader had gained control in the government and he supported war, however FDR wanted peace. A year earlier American technicians cracked a Japanese code whith it they learned that Japan planned to attack but America does not know where. On December 7 shortly after 7 in the morning Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in hopes that it would cripple the American Navy. By 9:45, the attack was over. In less than two hours, some 2,400 Americans had been killed and nearly 1,200 wounded. -
America declares war
A day after the bombing FDR declares war on Japan. The only member of congress who voted against war was the pacafist Jeanette Rankin. On December 11 Italy and Germany declared war on America.
