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Hitler Invades Poland
Hitler invades Poland without declaring an official state of war. -
Period: to
Major Events of World War II
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Britain and France join the War
Britain and France honor their treaty with Poland, and declare war on Germany -
Germany invades France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg
Germany attacks France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The Germans take over these countries in the matter of 6 weeks. -
Italy joins the war
Italy joins Germany as it's ally, and declares war on the Allies. -
France agrees to Germany's armistice terms
France becomes controlled by the Germans. New government is formed and declares they are neutral in the war between Britain and Germany. But due to the armistice they have to cooperate with Germany. -
Lend-Lease to Great Britain
Despite opposition from isolationist Americans, Franklin D. Roosevelt lends help to Great Britain. Lend-lease is to provide supplies for allies during World War II, and would be paid for after the war had ended. -
Barbarossa Plan
German Plan to invade the Soviet Union. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1942 at 7:55 a.m. Japan surprised attacked the American Pacific fleet which was stationed in Hawaii. 2,335 soldiers were killed at Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt called this day "a date which will live in infamy." -
U.S. declares war on Japan
The U.S. was outraged by the attack on Pearl Harbor, so they joined the war against the Axis Powers. -
Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.
Germany and Italy being allies with Japan, declare war against the U.S. -
Executive Order 9066
President Franklin Roosevelt signed an order that authorized the War Department to create designated areas that were made to exclude anyone that the U.S. government felt was a danger to U.S. citizens. This order was mostly aimed at Japanese- Americans who lived along the West Coast. -
Battle of the Midway
First time that Japan's navy has been defeated in 350 years. This would be a pivotal turning point in the War. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Germany and the Soviet Union battle over control of the city of Stalingrad. Soviet victory. -
Axis Powers surrender in Tunisia
Allies defeat Axis Powers. And now North Africa is under Allied control. -
Rome declares itself an open city
To stop the U.S. from continued bombing of Italy, Rome declares itself an open city. -
Italy surrenders to the Allies
Italy is defeated by the Allies, and chooses to surrender -
Italy declares war on Germany
Italy reenters the war a month after they surrendered to the Allies. But instead they are against Germany -
Invasion of Normandy (D-Day)
Allied stormed 5 beaches along the coast of France. Invasion was the largest amphibious military assault in history. -
Saipan is declared secure
After 4 weeks of fighting America declares that the island Saipan is secure. 16,525 Americans are killed, 30,000 Japanese soldiers are dead. American soldiers encounter civilians jumping off cliffs because they had been told the Americans would torture and kill them -
France is free from Nazi Regime
After 4 years of being occupied by the Nazis, France is finally free again. -
Battle of the Bulge
Last major offensive attack made by the Germans. The Germans were attempting to push Allied forces from Northern France to Belgium. It is called Battle of the Bulge because the Germans put a bulge into the American defensive line. -
Yalta Conference
Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill met to discuss Germany's unconditional surrender and plans for when the war ends. Part of deal was Russia would enter the war with Japan and allow free elections in Eastern Europe. -
Bombing of Dresden
Americans dropped bombs on the Germany city called Dresden. The incendiary bombs caused massive fires and destroyed the city -
Bombing of Tokyo
American B-29s drop napalm bombs on Tokyo causing massive fires. 16 square miles of the city were destroyed by the fires the bombs caused. -
Invasion of Okinawa
Invasion of Okinawa was last step for America towards invading Japan.When troops first landed ashore, they expected an onslaught of Japanese soldiers, but none were to be found. The Japanese had led them into a trap. Americans encountered Kamikaze's which were Japanese pilots who would commit suicide, their goal was to do as much damage as possible. When the Japanese realized they were losing, General Ushijima committed ceremonial suicide. America eventually captured Okinawa. -
President Franklin Roosevelt Dies
When President Franklin was elected for his last term of office, he was very sickly and everyone knew that he might be alive by the end of his 4 years. Harry S. Truman would succeed him. -
Russia enters Berlin/ Hitler's Death
The Russians entered Berlin, their goal was to capture Berlin. By the end of the battle (April 30) , Hitler was declared dead. He had committed suicide. -
Germany Surrenders
Germany having been defeated and Adolf Hitler dead, they had no other choice but to surrender. -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day was the acceptance of the unconditional surrendering from Nazi Germany -
Japan rejects Potsdam Deal
Japan is offered a deal from the Allies a chance to surrender before they set off the atomic bomb. But Japan simply ignores the deal -
First Atomic Bomb
The first Atomic Bomb called Little Boy is released on Hiroshima. The bomb on impact killed 80,000 people and tens of thousands of people would die from the effects of the radiation. -
Soviet Union Declares War on Japan
The Japanese were not expecting the Soviet Union to attack them until the Spring of 1946. But the Soviets declared war on Japan and invaded Manchuria -
Second Atomic Bomb
America dropped the Atomic Bomb called Fat Man on the city of Nagasaki. The Japanese had not surrendered after the first bomb. 60,000-80,000 people were estimated to have died. This last bomb would push Japan towards surrendering -
Japan accepts unconditional surrender and WWII ends
Emperor Hirohito accepted the terms of surrendering. Japanese and the Allies signed the declaration of peace aboard the ship called the U.S.S Missouri. Finally, World War Two had ended.
