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Manhattan Project Began
Code name for the U.S. effort during World War II to produce the atomic bomb; much of the early research was done in New York City by refugee physicists in the United States. -
Nazi Germany Invaded Poland
Hitler's invasion of Poland (1939) led to the outbreak of World War II. -
Sitzkrieg
Period of silence throughout Europe after Hitler invaded Poland. -
France Fell to Germany
When Germany and Italy invade France, and France is forced to surrender since they are not well equipped. -
Battle of Britain
An aerial battle fought in World War II between the German Luftwaffe (air force), which carried out extensive bombing in Britain, and the British Royal Air Force, which offered successful resistance. -
Destroyers-for-Bases Deal
This deal transferred fifty mothballed destroyers from the United States Navy in exchange for land rights on British possessions -
America First Committee Launched
Committee launched that argued for American neutrality and for staying out of World War II -
Congress Instituted the Draft
Required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. -
Island Hopping Campaign Begins
Allies began "island hopping" during the Pacific war and would win territory back island by island and with each island, they moved closer to Japan. -
Four Freedoms
The Four Freedoms, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear, were goals articulated by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt. -
Lend-Lease
Principal means for providing U.S. military aid to foreign nations during World War II -
USS Kearny Attacked
American boats that were attacked by German U-boats (USS Greer and USS Kearny not sunk, USS Reuben James sunk.) -
Reuben James Sank
American destroyer sunk by German U-boat, killed many American sailors -> Congress now approved a measure that would allow the US to arm its merchant vessels and sail to belligerent ports *naval war -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
Surprise attack by the Japanese on the main U.S. Pacific Fleet harbored in Pearl Harbor; in response, the U.S. declared war on Japan and Germany, entering World War II. -
Battle of Bataan
Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese bombers struck the Philippine island of Luzon, forcing the Americans to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula, where they held out for four months. -
Bataan Death March
Following the American surrender of the Philippines, at least 70,000 prisoners marched in the tropical heat with no food or water up the Bataan peninsula to a distant prison camp (killed over 600 Am.'s and over 10,000 Filipino prisoners). -
Battle of Coral Sea
First time the Japanese advance was stopped, although this hurt the Americans more than the Japanese. -
Battle of Midway
Am's had broken the Jap. code; a great victory for the Allies and a devastating blow for Japan -
Battle of Stalingrad
A 1942-1943 battle of World War II, in which German forces were defeated in their attempt to capture an industrial port city on the Volga River in the Soviet Union; one of the most deadly battles of WWII; crushing defeat for Germany -
Battle of El Alamein
World War II battle in which the Britain, under General Bernard Montgomery, won a decisive victory over Germany and the Afrika Korps, under Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox), in Egypt, securing the Suez Canal. -
Casablanca Conference
De Gaulle, Churchill, and FDR all attended a conference in Morrocco, where the Allies demanded the unconditional surrender of the axis, agreed to aid the Soviets, agreed on the invasion Italy, and the joint leadership of the Free French by De Gaulle and Giraud. -
VE Day
As Russia pushed the Germans back into Germany and reached the suburbs of Berlin, the new German government surrendered unconditionally, Americans celebrated this Victory in Europe day with ticker tape parades and dancing in the streets. -
Tehran Conference
A war time conference held at Tehran, Iran that was attended by FDR, Churchill, and Stalin; it was the first meeting of the "Big Three" and it agreed on an opening of a second front (Overlord), and that the Soviet Union should enter the war against Japan after the end of the war in Europe. -
D-Day
Led by Eisenhower, over 150,000 troops stormed the beaches at Normandy and began the process of re-taking France. -
MacArthur Returned to the Philippines
When the Japanese took over the Philippines, U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur snuck out of the Philippines and took shelter in Australia; he left the Philippines vowing to return to liberate the islands and saying his famous quote "I Shall Return". -
FDR Elected to a 4th Term
FDR wins an unprecedented 4th term against Thomas E. Dewey. -
Battle of the Bulge
After recapturing France, the Allied advance became stalled along the German border; the Allies stopped the German advance and threw them back across the Rhine with heavy losses. -
Yalta Conference
FDR, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta; Russia agreed to declare war on Japan after the surrender of Germany and in return FDR, and Churchill promised the USSR concession in Manchuria and the territories that it had lost in the Russo-Japanese War -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Marines landed in the Pacific in what was the largest all-Marine battle in history. It was also the bloodiest in Marine Corps history; the US suffered over 7,000 casualties. The capture of Iwo Jima greatly increased the air support and bombing operations against the Japanese home islands. -
Battle of Okinawa
Strategic island close to Japan to help Allies finish Japan and the war. -
FDR Died / Harry Truman Became President
The 33rd U.S. president, who succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt upon Roosevelt's death in April 1945. Truman, who led the country through the last few months of World War II, is best known for making the controversial decision to use two atomic bombs against Japan in August 1945. -
Potsdam Conference
Meeting between Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to discuss post-WWII; compromise: each side would take reparations from its own occupation zone, divided up GER, created Council of Foreign Ministers; marked the end of wartime alliance. -
Little Boy Dropped on Hiroshima
City in Japan, the first to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, which hastened the end of WWII -
Fat Man Dropped on Nagasaki
Japanese city devastated during World War II when the United States dropped the second atomic bomb. -
VJ Day
Victory in Japan, August 1945. Japan surrender at atomic bombs are dropped, by US, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over 200,000 civilians are killed. -
Nuremberg Trials
Series of trials in 1945 conducted by an International Military Tribunal in which former Nazi leaders were charged with crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. -
Japanese War Crime Trials
Most controversial event in FDR's presidency which was a reaction to anti-Japanese sentiments post Pearl Harbor.
