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Neutrality Act of 1935
FDR enacts a policy that the U.S will not sell any arms or materials to any party in a war at the time. This was widley critcized for not making an exception to aid allies, as many felt that war was innevitable regarldess of any impartial embargo. -
Rome-Berlin Axis
An agreement reached by members of the Italian and German governments in power that linked the two nations to form a colliation. -
Anti-Comintern Pact
Anti-Communist pact signed by Germany and Japan, mostly in regards to the Soviet Union and the Communist International organization. Germany would go back on this pact in a sense when they later signed a non-agression pact with the Nazi-Soviet Pact. -
Neutrality Act of 1937
A refinement of previous neutrality acts, FDR enacted a new policy that extended embargos to places undergoing civil war, in addition to other policies regarding naval ships and a new "cash and carry system", which provided for support to belligerents given strict conditions. -
Austrian Anschluss
In short, the assimilation of Austria into the Nazi Germany empire, after some civil strife and political battles. Hitler made an ultimatum that if Nazis are not given political power, he will invade with force. The chancellor of Austria puts the annexation up to the people, Hitler fears getting voted down, invades anyway. -
Munich Conference
An arduous series of political meetings that eventually ended in most of Europe resolving to allow Germany to annex a portion of Czechoslovakia into its growing empire. This was widley regarded as a poor move of appeasement that only set the continent closer to war. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact
A non-aggression, non-belligerent pact signed between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany to essentially stay out of each other's hair. This was in flagrant contradiction to the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1938. -
German Invasion of Poland
Often regarded as the true start of WW2, Nazi armies stormed into the nation of Poland, and in a brutal attack swiftly suppressed the people and annexed the nation before the international community knew what to make of it. It is also worth mentioning that the Soviet Union also invaded from the east for their own motives. -
Fall of France
After outrage amongst European nations regarding the invasion of Poland, Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany. As a result, Germany ditched all sembalances of diplomacy and began their all-out campaign against all who opposed them. Their next target was France, and although the forces there fought valiantly, they were no match for the German Blitzkrieg. -
Operation Dynamo
An attempt to gain a foothold on the western front of the war at the beaches of Dunkrik, France went south quickly as Allied forces were outnumbered and outmanuvered. However, Operation Dynamo was the successful evacuation of hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers, which was hailed as an immense accomplishment and psudeo-victory.
