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Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany
His Nazi Party, or the Third Reich, takes power and Hitler is essentially the dictator of Germany. -
Japan invades China.
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Hitler annexes the country of Austria into Germany.
This is also called the Anschluss. -
World War II begins.
Germany invades Poland. -
France and Great Britain declare war on Germany.
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Germany invades and takes control of Denmark and Norway.
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Italy enters the war as a member of the Axis powers.
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Germany takes over much of western Europe
Germany uses quick strikes called blitzkrieg, meaning lightning war, to take over much of western Europe including the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France. -
Germany launches an air attack on Great Britain.
These attacks last until the end of October and are known as the Battle of Britain. -
Axis Alliance.
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact creating the Axis Alliance. -
Atack to Russia.
Germany and the Axis Powers attack Russia with a huge force of over four million troops. -
The Japanese attack the US Navy in Pearl Harbor.
The next day the US enters World War II on the side of the Allies. -
The US Navy defeats the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway.
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Italy surrenders to the Allies
However Germany helps Mussolini to escape and set up a government in Northern Italy. -
Normandy invasion
Allied forces invade France and push back the Germans. -
Paris is liberated from German control.
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US President Franklin Roosevelt dies.
He is succeeded by President Harry Truman. -
Adolf Hitler commits suicide
He did as he knows Germany has lost the war. -
Germany surrenders to the Allies.
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The United States drops the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
The city is devastated. -
Another atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.
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Japan surrenders to US General Douglass MacArthur and the Allies.
