-
Tri-Partite Agreement
The Tri-Partite Agreement is a monetary agreement between the United States, Britain, and France. This was to stabilize their nation's currencies and the international exchange markets. This caused the end of the currency war, but didn't help to revive world trade. -
Period: to
Rape of Nanking
The Rape of Nanking was when Japan relentlessly attacked and tortured the Chinese people. They killed over 300,000 men, women, and even children. This occurred because Japan captured the city of Nanking and the soldiers went on a killing spree. Most Americans had no knowledge of this happening until after WWII ended. -
Anschluss
Anschluss is when Austria was annexed into Germany. This caused Germany to be even more powerful by having a union with another country. Germany marched into Austria and announced the union. A vote was held and 99.7% agreed to the Anschluss. -
Munich Pact
This was a pact signed by Britain and France to Germany. The agreement helped prevent a war with Czechoslovakia. After Germany annexed Austria, Hitler's next plan was to do the same with Czechoslovakia. Germany then betrayed this agreement, annexed Czechoslovakia, invaded Poland, and then Britain decided to go to war with Germany? -
Period: to
Kristallnacht
On November 7, 1938, a Polish Jew murdered Ernst vom Rath, a German diplomat in Paris. Out of outrage, Germans rounded up and killed over 100 Jews the night of the 9th. The night after, 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. This event was named the "Night of Broken Glass". -
Non-Aggression Pact
Before WWII began, Germany and Russia signed a Non-Aggression Pact (which Germany broke). The two countries agreed to not attack or fight each other for the next 10 years. Germany wanted to take Czechoslovakia back and were scared about the Soviets since they were near-by. The Germans also understood that they were a threat to them. -
Period: to
Invasion of Poland
This invasion was a joint campaign by Germany and the Soviet Union. After several warnings from the British about betraying the Munich Pact, Germany invaded anyway. This is one of the events that caused WWII to begin. -
Period: to
Evacuation of Dunkirk
Codenamed "Operation Dynamo", this was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk. The evacuation was needed because the soldiers were trapped by the sea. To make matters worse, they were being surrounded by German forces. After nine days, 338,000 soldiers were rescued. -
Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act was the principle of U.S. military help to foreign countries. It allowed for trading weapons for money. Britain, the Soviet Union, China, Brazil, and more countries received weapons because of this act. This act brought the U.S. one step closer to joining WWII -
Period: to
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (originally titled "Operation Fritz") was a plan for Germany to defeat Soviet forces. Germany lost the campaign. This caused a major turning point in the war. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was when Japanese planes unexpectedly attacked the United States naval base in Pearl Harbor. This was the product of Japan and the U.S. not liking each other for some time. This feud was because America didn't like how Japan was treating China after they took over. This led to the United States joining WWII. -
Period: to
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a naval battle between the United States and Japan. Only six months after Pearl Harbor, this is considered one of the turning points of the war. Because Japan lost this battle, it prevented another Japanese attack on Hawaii. It also caused Japan to go into a state of defense. -
Liberation of Paris
Back in 1914, Hitler and Germany conquered Paris. Some French were killed or put into imprisonment. The Liberation of Paris was when the French were set free from the Germans. With help from the Allies, they were able to defeat the Germans and take Paris back. -
D-Day Invasion
After WWII began, Hitler and Germany captured northwestern France. Germany began preparing for an invasion about a year before D-Day. Delayed a day because of weather, Americans, British, and Canadians landed on beaches to break German barriers. 4,000 Allies died and several thousand more were injured or went missing. -
Period: to
Battle of the Bulge
This was the last offensive battle for Germany during WWII. This battle is very significant because if Germany won this battle, the war would've kept going and caused a ton more of fatalities. Because Germany lost this battle, they were sure they would have to surrender. -
Hitler's Suicide
Hitler committed suicide by a gunshot to the head and his wife (of one day) committed suicide with Hitler by taking cyanide. He committed suicide because the Nazis and the Riech was crumbling down above him and the Russians were close to taking over the chancellory. This is important because the main enemy of WWII is dead and basically started the end of the war. This also ended Nazi Germany and the Third Reich. -
Surrender of Germany
After Hitler's suicide, Germany was weakened without its leader. Germany was inevitably going to surrender. General Alfred Jodl signed the surrender. The day after, effects were taken into place and May 8 is still a European holiday. -
Period: to
Hiroshima/Nagasaki
Japan had proven to be a threat and they had also proven that they will keep fighting. So, the U.S. dropped two bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing everyone in those cities. This is known as one of the greatest war controversies, with people asking, "Did we REALLY have to drop those bombs?". -
Period: to
Invasion of Manchuria
The Soviet Invasion of Manchuria against Japan is the last campaign of WWII. The invasion caused the Japanese to unconditionally surrender. This basically ending WWII.