The Great Depression to WWII

By briannak

  • Stock Market Crash (economic)

    The stock market crashed on this day. It is also referred to as Black Tuesday. It is a very significant event because it was the start of the Great Depression.

  • Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany (political)

    Hitler is put into power. This event is very important because it leads to him attempting to create an empire and causing the Holocaust.

  • The Rape of Nanjing (social)

    Japanese forces enter Nanjing, the then-capital of China. They savagely kill and rape the people. It finally ends in January 1938.

  • Britain and France declare war (military)

    Britain and France declare war on the Axis Powers. This marks the beginning of WWII.

  • First peacetime draft is enacted (social)

    Congress enacts the first peacetime military draft. This shows the U.S. preparing to enter the war.

  • Japan joins the Axis Powers (military)

    Japan joins Italy and Germany in the Axis Powers. This marks its start in the war.

  • Roosevelt is reelected for a third term (social)

    FDR is reelected for his third time in office. This went against the two-term tradition that had been set by all of the presidents before him.

  • FDR proposes a lend-lease program (economic)

    FDR proposes a lend-lease program to Congress. It is about helping Britain by giving it weapons and resources for the war. Congress approves the program.

  • Germany invades the Soviet Union (military)

    Germany invades the Soviet Union. This violates the Nonaggression Pact that Hitler had signed. It increases tensions between the Allied Powers and Axis Powers.

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor (military)

    Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, a naval base in Hawaii. This was a major point in the war because it caused the U.S. to join the war to go after Japan, and also encouraged them to use the nuclear bomb later on.

  • U.S. joins the Allies (military)

    The U.S. declares war on Germany, Italy, and Japan. They had become very enthusiastic to enter the war after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

  • Battle of Midway (military)

    The U.S. and Japanese forces take part in the Battle of Midway. The idea of island hopping is first used - the idea of going from island to island, conquering each one and then using it as a naval base to conquer the next.

  • The Tehran Conference (political)

    The leaders of the Allied nations meet in Tehran to discuss the future of the war. They all agreed to a partition of Germany until "denazification" tookk place.

  • D-Day (Military)

    The Allied Powers storm the beach of Normandy, a turning point in the war. This event sets the stage for the Allied Powers winning the war.

  • Battle of the Bulge (military)

    The Battle of the Bulge was against Germany. The British and American forces moved from the East, while the Russian forces moved from the West. Germany now had two war fronts and the Allies were closing in.

  • Yalta Conference (political)

    The "Big Three" or Stalin, FDR, and Churchill meet to discuss the plans for the end of the war. Germany was surely going to lose the war and so they made plans for the reparations and the U.S. asked for military assistance against Japan.

  • FDR dies (social)

    FDR dies from a brain hemmorhage in Warm Springs, Georgia. Truman becomes president in result.

  • Hitler commits suicide (social)

    Adolf Hitler commits suicide to escape punishment for the war crimes he committed. This leads Germany to its surrender and the eventual Allied Powers victory.

  • Germany surrenders (military)

    Germany surrenders to the Allies after its leader dies. This leaves only Japan on the Axis Powers, helping the Allied Powers become closer to winning the war.

  • Atomic bomb is tested (technological)

    The atomic bomb is tested in the New Mexico desert. This allows for the U.S. to see how the atomic bomb works and allows them to use it on Japan later on.

  • Potsdam (diplomatic)

    The leaders of Russia, Great Britain, and the U.S. meet at the Potsdam conference to talk about policies they want after the war. Truman demanded free elections in Europe, while Stalin disagreed with this. This event shows the rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

  • Atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima (military)

    The atomic bomb is used by the U.S. on Japan. It instantly killed about 70,000 people and injured 100,000. This display of force showed the strength of the U.S. and helped recognize the U.S. as one of the leading powers. It also led to Japan surrendering and the end of the war.

  • Atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki (military)

    The U.S. drops a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. This causes Japan to surrender the to Allies and the war to come to a close.

  • Japan surrenders (military)

    Japan surrenders after the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on them. This marks the end of WWII.

  • Nuremberg Trials begin (social)

    The Nuremberg Trials begin. These trials were for the Nazi officals who were responsible for horrible war crimes against the Jews and other groups.