Events leading up to World War Two

Chancellor

Jan 30, 1933

Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany

Germany Rearms

Oct 13, 1933

Germany Withdraws from the international disarmament agreement and the League of Nations

Night of the Long Knives

Jun 30, 1934

Hitler and his SS arrested or killed the members of his former troops, the SA.

Austria and Czechoslovakia

Jul 25, 1934

Nazi party members in Austria assassinate Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss. Italy at the time was not yet allies with Germany, so Mussolini sent Italian troops to the Austrian border. This caused to coup to fail.

Hitler becomes Fuhrer

Aug 19, 1934

After the death of President Hindenburg, Hitler becomes the sole leader of Germany. Hitler begins to impliment his policies. At this point the Nazi party now has full control over Germany.

Germany Violates the Treaty of Versailles

Mar 16, 1935

Germany violates the Treaty of Versailles by re-introducing military conscription.

Italy Invades

Oct 15, 1935

Using a border incident as fuel, Mussolini send Italian troops to invade Ethiopia, in Eastern Africa.

the Rhineland

Mar 7, 1936

Almost a year after violating the treaty, German troops occupy the Rhineland, a formerly de-militarized area.

Civil War in Spain

Jul 18, 1936

After months of protest against the new Popular Front government in Spain, General Francisco Franco led an army from Spanish Morocco into Spain.
This war saw support from the German army

Olympic Games

Aug 1, 1936

Starting on August 1st, Berlin hosted the Olympic Games. Reluctantly, Hitler alloed black and Jewish athletes.This was also the Olympic Games where the tradition of the torch relay began.

Stalin's Purges

Jun 11, 1937

Stalin begins to purge the Red Army of all dissent. Thousands of people were sent to gulags across Russia in what was known as the Great Purges. These purges went on throughout the decade.

Anschluss

Mar 12, 1938

For years, Hitler had supported the Nazis in Austria. In 1938, he sent troops into the country to capture it. When marching into Vienna, his troops were greeted with a throng of cheering Austrians.

Kristallnacht

Nov 9, 1938

On the night of Novermber 9-10th, a series of pogroms took place throughout Germany. Duuringt he night, Jewish businesses and synagogues had their windows smashed and were burned. Jews were also rounded up and taken to camps.

Nazi-Soviet Pact

Aug 23, 1939

Hitler and Stalin sign a non-aggression pact. This is seen as very odd, since the two nations are complete political opposites. This pact ends when Germany invades Russia through Poland.

The Beginning

Sep 1, 1939

To Hitler;s surprise, Britain and France uphold their pact with Poland, and declare war on Germany when Hitler invades them. From there, Italy, in alliance with Germany, declares war on France and the UK. Then, when Russia is invaded, Stalin is forced into alliance with the UK and France.