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Japan invades China
Beginning in an area known as Manchuria. Japanese established a puppet state known as Manchukuo. This was the beginning of the Japanese attempt to conquer the Pacific. -
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Holocaust
Adolf Hitler believed Jewish people to be an inferior race and a theart to german pority. On July 31, 1941 Herman Goering, Hitler top commander, issueded an order for a final solution to the Jewish question and in September all Jews were marked with a yellow star , they were rounded up and forced into slave labor, stripped of their freedoms and executed. By the end of the war over, 6 million Jews from all over Europe would die in the Holocost. -
Non-Aggression Pact
Signed on August 23,1939, this treaty between Germany and Russia stated that the two nations would not go to war for at least 10 years. Hitler used the agreement to invade Poland without Russia interfering. Josef Stalin used it to build up his military without having to worry about a German invasion. -
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg, a German word for "lightning war" was the tactic used by Germany throughout World War II. By using very mobile forces with tanks,trucks, and aircraft the Germans were able to overcome opposing armies rapidly. For example, Germany conquered all of France, Holland, Belgium and Denmark in only six weeks. -
Germany invades Poland
On September 1,1939 Germany invaded Poland. This marked the beginning of World War II. Germany used the "Blitzkrieg" strategy and sent fast moving tanks, troop carrying trucks, and aircraft into Poland. The Polish army was over matched and within weeks the fight was over. -
Munich Conference
The Munich Conference was a meeting held in Munich Germany on September 28 1939 between Great Britain, France , Italy. The leaders of these nations agreed to allow Germany to take over the Sudentenland, a region of Czechoslavakia. This became known as the policy of appeasement, and allowed Hitler to expand his empire. -
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Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is known as the first all-air battle in history. After France surrendered to Germany in June of 1940 Hitler began bombing England in preparation of land invasion. English fighter pilots fought back, devastating the German Airforce. Though many British cities were heavily damaged Germany never invaded England. -
Lend-Lease Act
Passed in March of 1941 this bill allowed the President to transfer military supplies to allies of the United States without getting anything in return. It was the way the United States provided military aid to nations at war without actually sending troops into combat -
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Battle of Midway
Between June 4v and June 7, 1942 the United States and Japan fought in the battle of Midway. During the battle the United States sank four Japanese aircaft carriers, seriously damaging the Japanese navy. The United States began to push on towards japan and this battle became considerd the turning point of the war in the Pacific. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarous is the name of Germany's attack on Russia that began on June 22, 1941. In one month the German army covered over two-thirds of the way to Moscow. They were eventually slowed down by an inability to supply the troops at the front, reinforced Russian forces, and the brutal Russian winter. -
Pearl Habor
On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In a surprise attack they killed thousands of American servicemen and nearly the entire Pacific Fleet, sinking battleships, cruisers,and destroyers. The United States responded the next day by declaring war on Japan, officially entering World War II -
Battaan Death March
The day after Pearl Harbor, December, 8, 1941 the Japanese invaded the Philipines. On Apirl 9 the U.S army surrended. The Japanese forced about 75,000 American troops on a brutal 65 mile march to P.O.W camps. Along the way thousands were either killed by the Japanese or died from starvation or disease. -
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Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was fought between July 17, 1942 and Febuary 2, 1943. This battle was fought between the Germans and the Russians. it is considered the turning point of the war in Eastern Europe. The German army, on its drive to Moscow was stoppedby Russia at Stalingrad and forced to retreat. At Stalingrad over 2 million people died, making it one of the bloodest battles in history. -
D-Day
On June 6, 1944 over 150,000 Allied troops laned in Normandy, France. This was the largest amphibious landing in history. By Augest France was liberated of Nazi rule and the Allies were pushing towards Germany. D Day is considerd the beginning of the end of the war in Western Europe. -
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Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was fought between December 16, 1944 and January 25, 1945. Fought between the U.S and Germany it was Hitlers last major offensive plan in Western Europe . Germany attemped to breakthough the allied lines and cut there forcesin Italy, but the americans held their ground and the Germans were forcedto retreat. The U.S army lost over 100,000, men, makeing it the costliest battle of the war. -
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Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was fought between Febuary 19, and March 26, 1945. Fought between U.S marine corps and the Japanese , the battle is most remembered by Joe Rosnthal's picture of five marines rasing the American Flagon the top of Mount Suribachi. The marines captured the island, creating a safe place for damaged planes to land safely, but lost almost 25,000men in doing so. -
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Battle of Okinawa
The battle of Okinawa was fought between April 1, 1945 and June 22, 1945. Fought between the United States and Japan it was the last land battle of the war in the Pacific. The United States won the battle. The fierce fighting of the Japanese promoted the United States to use the atomic bomb rather then attempt to invade mainland Japan. -
V-E day
On Apirl 30, 1945 Adolf Hitler commited suicide and on May 8, 1945 his successor, Karl Donitz unconditionly surendered to the Allies in Berlin.. May 8 has been celebrated as a victory in Europe Day, or simply V-E Day, ever since. -
Bombing of Hiroshima
On Augest 6, 1945 the United States dropped the first ever atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hirishima. 80,000 people died instantly. Thousands more would die in the weeks months, and years after due to radiation poisoning. -
V-J Day
On Augest 9, 1945 the United States droped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. 40,000 were killed. Following this second atomic bombing, Japan surenderd. The unconditional surrender of Japan occured on Augest 15, 1945 and that date is celebrated as V-J Day. -
Warsaw Pact
On May 14, 1966 the Soviet Union and seven of its European Allies signed a treaty. The Warsaw Pact, named after the city in Poland where it was signed, included Albania, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslavakia, and Bulgaria. The treaty gave the Soviet Union total control of the armed forces of the member countries.