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Germany invades Poland
Poland bravely attempts to resist Germany's attack, but fails due to the German's new type of warfare know as " blitzkrieg." -
Period: to
World War II
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Hitler attacks Norway and Denmark
Hitler and his generals decide to attack Norway and Denmark before invading France. Within a month of the attack, Hitler had seized control of both countries, securing his northern flank. -
Winston Churchill delivers a defiant speech in Parliament concerning the threats of invasion from Germany
He intended his speech to rally the British people and warn isolationist United States. Once Hitler had realized that Britain would not surrender, he ordered his commanders to prepare to invade. -
Hitler accepts the French surrender after the "Miracle at Dunkirk"
Three weeks after the "Miracle at Dunkirk," Hitler accepts the French surrender in the same railway car that the Germans surrendered at the end of World War I. Now, Germany occupies most of northern France and its Atlantic Coastline. -
Battle of Britain
German bombers "acciedentally" begin bombing London. The British use their advantage of radar to defeat the Germans in the air battle. -
Atlantic Charter
Roosevelt and Churchill meet in person aboard warships to discuss the terms of the Atlantic Charter. They agreed that the charter would commit both of them to a postwar world of democracy, non-agression, free trade, economic advancement, and freedom of the seas. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan executes a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor-sinking and damagin 21 ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The attack also destoyed 188 airplanes, injured 1,178, and killed 2,403 Americans. -
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States
Hitler had underestimated the United States and decided to help Japan in hopes that Japan would later help him fight the Soviet Union. -
Wannsee Conference
This conference was held in a Berlin suburb, to determine the "Final Solution" on how to deal with Jewish people. -
Japanese-American Relocation
Roosevelt gave into pressure and signed the order allowing the War department to call any part of the United States a military zone and relocate the people living there. This was used as an excuse for the Japanese-Americans to be evacuated from the West Coast snd relocated to certain "camps." -
Bataan Death March
The Bataan defenders surrendered and began the 65 mile journey to a Japanese prison camp. Thousands died on this march. -
The Battle of Coral Sea
The United States and Japan launched air strikes against each other as well as fought out at sea. The Japanese sank the American ship "Lexington," but the Americans were able to get the Japanese to call f ther landing in New Guinea. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the war. The Japanese Navy lost four of its largest ships, and jsut six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had stopped teh Japanese advance in the Pacifc Ocean. -
Stalingrad
Soviets sent reinforcements to surround Stalingrad, trapping about 250,000 German troops. The Germans surrendered in February 1943. This was a huge turining point in the war-putting Germany on the defensive along with Japan from the Battle of Midway. -
Casablanca Conference
Roosevelt and Churchill met and agreed to increase the bombing of Germany. The goal was "the progressive destructtion of the German military, industrail, and economic system, and the undermining of the morale of the German people." -
Italy surrenders
The Italian Government publicly announced Italy's surrender. German troops refused to allow Italy to be taken into the Allies, so he sent German troops to attack American troops at Salerno, and put Mussolini back in power. -
D-Day
Eisenhower commanded Operation Overlord, and nearly 7,000 ships carrying 100,000 soldiers set sail for Normandy. The Americans landed on Utah Beach and over 75,000 British and Canadian trrops were on shore as well. The invasion was a success. -
V-E Day
"Victory in Europe" The Americans and British insisted that Germany surrender, and they did on May 7th-porclaiming May 8th as Victory in Europe. -
End of World War II
Formal surrender of Japan. Japan signs the two instruments of surrender. -
Nuremberg Trials
German leaders tried for suspected war crimes by the International Military Tribunal.
