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Treaty of Versailles
A document signed right after World War 1 by the Allied, associate powers and Germany. it was signed in the Halls of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. The Treaty was presented to German delegation and was interpreted as very dictated towards Germany and imposed intolerable economic sacrifices. The Treaty included harsh reparations and war guilt clause, but was eventually revised and altered before the rise of Adolf Hitler. -
Japanese Invasion of Manchuria
This invasion began with an incident, where Japanese troops seized the city of Mukden under the false motive of a Chinese attack on the South Manchurian Railway. This incident in China was used as a justification for Japan to invade Manchuria. China’s leader Chiang Kai-shek had a policy of non resistance and allowed for Japan to quickly expand their control through Manchuria.Their invasion proved the weakness of the League of Nations and set a precedent for the future. -
German Remilitarization of the Rhineland
Adolf Hitler ordered German troops to enter the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland, which would mean the violation of the Treaty of Versailles. This buffer zone between Germany and France was later remilitarized and justified by the help of the Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance. Although France was equipped to respond, the French cabinet would refuse to authorize. Britain did not take action and this leniency allowed for Hitler to pursue further aggressive policies in Europe. -
Anschluss
The word Anschulus means “union” or “joining” in German. Anschluss was the political union of Austria and Germany, which was achieved through an annexation by Adolf Hitler. An authoritarian right-wing government then took power in Austria and kept perhaps half the population from voicing dissent. Hitler would later force chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to agree to giving Austrian Nazis.The expansion was met with little resistance from Western democracies. -
Munich Agreement
This agreement said that the Hitler's German army would occupy the Sudetenland by October 10, 1938. Czechoslovakia wasn't consulted during the negotiations and was told by Britain and France that it could either resist Germany alone or submit to the annexation. Chamberlain returned to Britain stating "peace for our time," but the agreement later failed to prevent further aggression, as Hitler later occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia and invaded Poland, leading to World War II. -
Invasion of Poland
The invasion lasted September 1, 1939 - October 5, 1939. Germany employed a new military strategy involving rapid and highly mobile attacks using tanks and air power. The Polish forces were outnumbered and lacked the military technology of Germany. On September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east, in accordance to secret terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact. This further lead to the partition between Germany and the Soviet Union. Britain and France later declared war on Germany. -
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World War 2 Timeline
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Battle of Britain
This air campaign was between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force (RAF). Following the fall of France, Adolf Hitler aimed to invade Great Britain. He then would need air superiority over the English Channel. Britain later bombed Berlin, prompting Hitler to shift from military targets to bombing cities like London, allowing the RAF to recover. Britain's victory in this battle contributed to the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa marked the largest and most powerful invasion in history at the time. The goal was to conquer the western Soviet Union and secure Lebensraum for Germany. Initially, the Germans achieved successes, penetrating deep into Soviet territory, then Germany's advances were stalled by severe weather. The Soviet Union launched a counteroffensive which pushed back the Germans. The failure of this operation marked a turning point in the war. -
Siege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad was a military blockade undertaken by German and Finnish forces against the Soviet city of Leningrad during World War II. Despite being encircled and cut off from vital supply lines, Leningrad's defenses held, supported by the mobilization of its population to build fortifications. The siege was finally lifted in January 1944 following a successful Soviet offensive that pushed German forces away from the city. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The battle began with a German offense aimed at capturing the city of Stalingrad, a major industrial hub. The German 6th army would advance into the city and would be known to use brutal street fighting. Despite initial German advances, Soviet forces mounted a fierce defense, holding onto a narrow strip along the Volga. The battle resulted in significant casualties on both sides and demonstrated the increasing effectiveness of Soviet military strategy under commanders like Georgy Zhukov. -
D-Day
D-Day, also known as the Normandy Invasion or Operation Overlord, it marked the beginning of the Allied invasion of German-occupied areas in Western Europe. The operation involved the simultaneous landing of the U.S., British, and Canadian forces on five beachheads along the Normandy coast in France. This successful invasion led to the liberation of northern France and set the stage for the Allied advance into Germany, contributing significantly to the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was the last major German offense on the Western Front during World War II. The Germans launched a surprise attack through the Ardennes Forest, so they could target the weakest area of America's manned front. The Germans were able to achieve penetration, thereby getting it's name of a "bulge" between allied lines. However the U.S. was able to eventually help force Germany to withdraw. -
Yalta Conference
This was an important meeting between the Allied leaders, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. In the conference the leaders discussed that Germany would be divided and controlled by the UK, US,France and Soviet Union and war criminals would be trialed. This conferences was so prominent until after the meeting, agreements were criticized and Stalin was not upholding his promises. -
Fall of Berlin
The Soviet Red Army would launch a massive assault on Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany. The capital of Germany, Berlin was already devastated from past assaults on the city. The Soviet Forces would begin a restless artillery bombardment. Adolf Hitler stayed in his bunker directing pointless retaliations. After Hitler's suicide Berlin would surrender and mark the fall of Nazi Germany. -
German Surrender
Following Adolf Hitler's suicide, Admiral Karl Dönitz, sought to negotiate a surrender that would allow as many German troops and civilians as possible to avoid capture by the Soviet forces. A surrender document was later signed at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters in France, in the presence of representatives from the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. This surrender officially ended the war in Europe, a
a day celebrated as Victory in Europe (VE) Day.