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Period: to
World War II
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Nuclear Fission
The discovery of nuclear fission by German scientists is reported in the British science journal Nature.
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Germay Invades Poland
Germany launched the blitzkrieg during the Spanish Civil War upon Poland. Poland's two million man army was easily defeated, many of whom were on horseback against German tanks. The British declared war on Germany on September 3.
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Germany Invades Denmark & Norway
Hitler used the excuse that he had to protect Denmark and Norway. He rolled his tanks across its borders on April 9, 1940. Norway's government was headed by Vidkun Quisling.
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Germany invades Holland and Belgium
Hitler moved 136 divisions against Holland and Belgium on May 10, 1940. The Dutch were helpless against the blitzkrieg.On May 14, the Dutch port city of Rotterdam was bombed. Queen Wilhelmina escaped to England where a government-in-exile was established. The Dutch suffered 100,00 casualties before they
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France surrenders, Paris falls
The first air raids on Paris began on June 3, 1940.
2000 tanks then moved toward the capital quickly. Refugees fled from Paris. The government left on June 11. Marshal Henri Petain took control and surrendered to the Germans. Picture Source -
U.S. Studies Neclar Weapons
President Roosevelt creates the National Defense Research Committee to study the feasability of a nuclear weapon. Most of the committee's work was done with the strictest secrecy, and it began research of what would become some of the most important technology during World War II. -
NDRC
President Roosevelt created the National Defense Research Comitee to mobilize the nations scientists and engineers to work for the war effort. The NDRC sponsored development of radar, medicine, electronics computing, and other technologies. -
Battle of Britain begins
The German air force, Luftwaffe, dropped bombs on London and other major cities of Great Britain. 30,000 residents of London died, but Germany lost over 1,700 aircrafts. The plan was called Operation Sea Lion and directed by Luftwaffe chief Herman Goering. The plan to bomb Britain into submission was abandoned when Hitler launched his attack on the Soviet Union in 1941. Picture Source -
U.S. begins a nuclear bomb program
The United States begins a crash program to develop an atomic bomb. British and Canadian are transferred to the project. The project costed over $2 billion and employ more than 100,000 people. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941 the Japanese air force and navy attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. 2,350 Americans were killed and the The US Pacific Fleet in Battleship Row was severely crippled. 29 Japanese aircraft were downed. Roosevelt told a stunned Congress December 7 was "a date which will live in infamy." Picture Source -
Prince of Wales and Repulse
Japanese aircrafts sink British warships Prince of Wales and Repulse. This causes the development of anti-aircraft technologies. -
Germany Abandons their Nuclear Weapons Program
Germany Abandons their Nuclear Weapons Project, which is unknown to the allies. -
Philippines fall to Japan
Japanese control of the Philippines led to control over all of east Asia. The attack came the day after Pearl Harbor. General Douglas MacArthur only had 90,000 troops, which he pulled back to the Bataan Peninsula. MacArthur was forced to escape. Picture Source -
Battle of Midway
Admiral Chester Nimitz commanded a considerable force, due to effective code breaking after Pearl Harbor Including three aircraft carriers to Midway Island. Japanese fighters were met by a strong air response from the Hornet, Yorktown, and Enterprise. The Yorktown would be lost, and 5,000 Japanese fighting men were killed, but the Japanese threat to the Eastern Pacific was over. Picture Source -
Battle of Stalingrad
Severe house-to-house fighting in the Russian city of Stalingrad led to a German defeat. Thousands of Russian citizens and soldiers died each day in an effort to keep the Germans from taking the city. The German 6th Army, led by General Von Paulus, was forced to retreat under pressure from Soviet forces led by
Gen.Georgi Zhukov. The Germans were on the defensive in the East from then on. Picture Source -
British attack Egypt
Fighting at the Egyptian city of El Alamein was fierce. However the Allies prevailed with stronger fire power and an Axis fuel shortage. Rommel's end was near as American forces landed in North Africa with operation Torch. -
Battle of the Atlantic
German U-Boats patrolled the Atlantic against the British blockade of Europe and in an effort to stop supplies from America from ever reaching Britain. U-boats operated in groups of 10. The German navy under the command of Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, carried out total unrestricted submarine warfare to cut off Britain's imports and military supplies. The Allies developed a convoy system where merchant ships were guarded by destroyer escorts. -
D-Day
The Allies landed at Normandy in Northern France on June 6, 1944. Led by Dwight D. Eisenhower, over 200,000 British, American, and Canadian forces landed at beaches named Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah, and Omaha. The worst fighting was on Omaha beach, where Americans were killed as they stepped off their landing crafts. The Allies eventually established a beachhead and pushed inland. With landings behind German lines in the form of paratrooper support, the push to Paris was underway. Picture Source -
FDR Dies
After FDR's death Harry Truman becomes the next us president. Harry Truman was unaware of the plans for nuclear warfare
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