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Stock Market Crash
In 1929 October the stock market crashed. The fortunes of investors around the world were destroyed. Germany became desperate to repair its economy which then caused a war. "About the atom bomb? They’re all dead.”(Golding 16) This quote connects to the event because of the leading events to the war. -
This is the beginning of WWII
Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany. And Hitler marches into Austria in 1938. Germany invades Austria. This is the beginning of WWII this event connects to the lord of the flies because in this quote the boys are talking about the attack and the plane crash. “We was attacked!” “He’ll be back all right.” The fat boy shook his head. “When we was coming down I looked through one of them windows. I saw the other part of the plane. There were flames coming out of it.” (Golding 3) -
Invasion of Ethiopia
Italian prime minister and dictator Benito Mussolini invades Ethiopia. -
FDR
FDR goes on radio to talk directly with citizens and reassure them that the banking crisis has passed. -
Violence and Dominance
Hitler had declared that the superior German Aryan race would dominate the games Throughout the novel, we can see Jack's madness when it comes to hunting he also has a liking to being dominant. This is quite similar to Hitler because he also craves dominance and resulted to violence. -
Britain and Germany
Great Britain declares war on Germany Jack and Ralph symbolize Britain and Germany because they both fight over power. "I ought to be chief,” said Jack with simple arrogance." (Golding 23) "Who wants Jack for chief?” With dreary obedience the choir raised their hands.“Who wants me?”
Every hand outside the choir except Piggy’s was raised immediately" (Golding 24) In the two quotes above the boys vote on who will be chief and this is the start of fighting over for power between Jack and Ralph. -
FDR is supplying Britain and the allies with guns and material before that date
Germany invades Poland. all of Europe is fighting. The U.S. enters the war in December, 1941. -
"There was a sudden bright explosion and corkscrew trail across the sky; then darkness again and stars. There was a speck above the island." (Golding 130) This quote may relate to the events because we can see that WWII is happening and the word explosion gives us this description. -
Non Aggression Pact
Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union surprised the world by signing the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, in which the two countries agreed to take no military action against each other for the next 10 years -
WWII
World War II began when Hitler's Nazis invaded Poland on Sept. 1, and Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later.
Hitler sent in 1,300 planes of his Luftwaffe (German air force) as well as more than 2,000 tanks and 1.5 million well-trained, ground troops. -
Poland and Germany
Great Britain and France, who had treaties with Poland, both declared war on Germany two days later. However, these countries could not gather troops and equipment fast enough to help save Poland -
Battle of Britain
Germany decided to take over Britain by bombing them and taking over their airspace. It was clear the British have won. -
The Blitz
The Battle of Britain raged with Nazi bombings of military bases and London, known as the Blitz. Britain's Royal Air Force was ultimately victorious in its defense of the U.K. “The plane was shot down in flames"(Golding 46) -
Mistreat
In the Babi Yar Massacre, Nazis killed over 33,000 Jews from Kiev in a ravine in Ukraine; the killing would continue for months and involve at least 100,000 people. This is similar to Jack and Ralph mistreating Piggy the same way Hitler would mistreat the Jews. -
Bataan Death March
At least 72,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war began a forced march by the Japanese 63 miles from the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula to Camp O'Donnell in the Philippines. An estimated 7,000–10,000 soldiers died along the way in what became known as the Bataan Death March. -
Anne Frank goes into hiding
Anne Frank and her family went into hiding from the Nazis in an attic apartment behind her father's pectin-trading business in Amsterdam. This is similar when Ralph hides from Jack because he knows Jack will try to kill him. -
Bomb Attack
The first V-1 flying bomb attack was carried out on the city of London, one of two Vergeltungswaffen (retaliatory weapons) used in the campaign against Britain in 1944 and 1945. -
Operation Valkyrie
German military officers led by Claus von Stauffenberg led Operation Valkyrie, a plot to kill German chancellor Adolf Hitler inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters, but failed. In chapter 12 Jack wants to kill Ralph. Ralph believes the boys have become savages. "Jack made a rush and stabbed at Ralph’s chest with his spear"(Golding 254) -
End of WWII
This is when WWII ends and the kids are rescued and we can see this from the following quote. "He saw white drill, epaulettes, a revolver, a row of gilt buttons down the front of a uniform. A naval officer stood on the sand, looking down at Ralph in wary astonishment." (Golding 282) -
Adolf Hitler commits suicide
Adolf Hitler and his wife Eva Braun committed suicide by cyanide and pistol, in an underground bunker under his headquarters in Berlin. -
U.S bombs Tokyo
Operation Meetinghouse, in which the U.S. Army Air forces bombed the city of Tokyo, was conducted, only the first of firebombing raids against the city that would continue until the end of the war. -
Joseph McCarthy's Red Scare starts
By pitting Americans against each other, falsely claiming one is a Communist and therefore a fake American, we're shown how nonsensical rivalry's can be, something that Golding could have used for building the rivalry between Jack and Ralph. -
Color Tv Introduced
During the 1951, colored tv was introduced this invention may have given Golding inspiration for his novel. -
The reelection of Prime Minister Winston Churchill
In October, Winston Churchill took the reins in Great Britain as prime minister for the first time after the close of World War II. -
U.S and Japan
After dropping two bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese eventually agree to sign a peace treaty with the US, which would end WW2. This could have inspired Golding to have the boys join together just like how the US and Japan did. -
Queen Elizabeth
Britain's Princess Elizabeth took over the responsibility of ruling England at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. -
Joseph Stalin Dies of a Heart Attack
Stalin, ruler of the Soviet Union at the time, passed away from a heart attack. This may have affected Golding because the Soviet Union was allied with Britain and the United States in WWII. -
The Korean War ends after three years
In 1953 The Korean war finally ended after three years. This could have inspired the author to write about how the war between the boys finally ended. "The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body." (Golding 157) -
Civil Rights
The civil rights movement began with the August 28 murder of Emmett Till, the refusal on December 1 by Rosa Parks to give up her seat on the bus to a white man, and the subsequent Montgomery Bus Boycott. -
Russia launches Sputnik I
Soviet satellite Sputnik, which orbited for three weeks and began the space race and the space age. -
NORAD Radarr Systam
Located close to North Pole to detect missile attack from Soviets on North America.