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Hitler violates Treaty of Versailles
Adolf Hitler directly violated the Treaty of Versailles by announcing the creation of a new German air force. A week later he began a military draft, that greatly expanded Germany's army. -
Germany signs seperate pacts with Japan and Italy
Germany signs a pact with Benito Mussolini of Italy in October. And in November they signed the Anti- Cominern Pact, which promised a common front against communism. -
Germany invades Poland
Hitler's Germany forces invaded Poland, which ultimately began World War II. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. -
Germany attacks Denmark and Norway
After waiting a full winter season, which was called the "phony war," Hitler used his innovative blitzkrieg or "lightning war." It used armored columns, called panzer divisions, that were supported by airplanes. -
Germany attacks the Netherlands, Belgium & France
This assult was through Luxembourg and the Ardennes Forest. Germans first broke through the weak French defense and then raced across northern France. -
France signs an armistance
France signed it with Germany. German armies than occupied about three-fifths of France. -
Germany bombs Britain
German planes bombed British air and naval bases, harbors, communication centers and war industries. -
Germany attacks the Soviet Union
Germany attacked before the winter weather could settle in. They rapidly advanced, capturing two million Russian soldiers. -
Bombing at Pearl Harbor
Japanese aircraft attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. This caused the U.S. to declare war on Japan. -
Japan dominates
By the spring of 1942, Japan controlled almost all of Southeast Asia and much of the western Pacific. -
US defeats Japan at Battle of Midway
U.S defeated the Japanese navy and established naval superiority. US planes also attacked Japanese aircrafts. -
Germans surrender at Stalingrad
The worst battle of the war, the Soviets launched a counterattack on German troops. The Germans were surrounded and forced to surrender. -
German and Italian surrender in North Africa
British and American forces invaded French North Africa and forced the German and Italian troops to surrender. -
Soviets defeat Germans at Battle of Kursk
It was the greatest tank battle of World War II. Hitler used newly developed heavy tanks. -
Rome falls to Allies
There were many casualties. -
D-Day
The Allied forces under the US general Dwight D. Eisenhower, fought against the Germans at Normandy in the history's greatest naval invasion. -
Germany is invaded
The Allies marched across the Rhine River and advanced into Germany. They moved north and linked with the Soviets. -
Hitler & Mussolini die
Hitler committed suicide two days after Mussolini was shot by Italian partisans, or resistance fighters. -
Germany surrenders
German commanders surrendered and the war in Europe was over. -
US drops atomic bombs on Japan
The war in Asia continued, so the US dropped two atomic bombs. One in Hiroshima and the other in Nagasaki. Thousands died directly and thousands more indirectly. -
Japan surrenders
The atomic bombs caused the Japanese emperor to force the military leaders to surrender unconditionally.
