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Invasion of Manchuria
The Japanese invasion of Manchuria was a statement of power and influence of the Japanese. This takeover was similar to Germany's quest for Lebenspraum, where they simply wanted more territory. -
Hitler takes Power
Adolf Hitler rose to power by being a very adept speaker and winning favoritism of the people by promising better times if he was the leader. He was democratically selected to be the prime minister of Germany by popular vote because he was such an influence to people. -
Neutrality Acts
The Neutrality Acts of the 1930's were acts that stated America's neutrality in the time war was beginning. Most people viewed it as negative because it limited help to Britain and viewed all sides as beligerents. -
Spanish Civil War
Lasting for a whole 3 years, this war was a rebellion against the Spanish Republic lead by Francisco Franco. America stepped in and helped get rid of the rebellion with the Abraham Lincholn Battallion to attempt to stop Facism from spreading in Europe. -
Japanese invasion of China
As a begginning of the Pacific war, Japan launched an invasion of China. The war was the result of a decades long Japanese imperialist policy aiming to take over China. -
Munich Agreement
This agreement was between France, Britain, and Germany stating that France and Britain would not protect the Sudetenland, and Germany took over without any shots being fired. Hitler promised that this would be his last demand for teritory, and the Allies chose to believe him, but would later find that he was lying. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
To begin the fighting, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia with his propaganda views of "liberation" and told people he was taking it because German's were living terribly there. He also took it to use a a bridge to Poland and for more "lebenspraum" or living space. -
Non-Agression Pact
The Non-aggression pact was signed between Germany and Russia, saying that they would not attack each other during the war. This was also secretly an agreement to share Poland between the two knowing Germany needed a bargaining chip to use in order to be on the good side of a military giant. -
Invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland was Germany's testing of the Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war" tactic involving quick destruction using many over the top forces. Fighting only lasted for three weeks, and left Germany totally dominated wherever they attacked. -
Invasion of Denmark and Norway
Entitled "Operation Weserubung", these invasions were very swift, strategic, and successful for Germany. Hitler said that he was taking it because Germans in these countries were persecuted, but he wanted them for their strategic locations, right on the sea so that he could use ports in ocean wars. -
Fall of France
France's demise was brought by Germany and Italy, Germany taking the northern part and Italy invading the southern part. Hitler offered terms of surrender that involved a Nazi controlled government with a French figurehead. After France's loss, Charles de Gaulle went to England and set up a pseudogovernment. -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was a bombing from German planes on Major places in Britain that lasted for a solid month. Britain eventually won because of new war technologies like radar. -
Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease act was created as a loophole to help out a broke England. It stated that America can give aid to "any country who's defense is vital to the United States" The point of passing it, most congresspeople said, was that if Britain falls we would be in grave danger. -
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a declaration of war aims between the United States and Britain. It made both countries pledge collective security, disarmament, self determination, economic cooperation, and freedom of the seas. -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl harbor was a US naval base stationed in Hawaii that got surprised attacked by a Japanese air fleet of over 180 planes. Many US ships were destroyed by the many bombs and kamikaze's thrown at them for over an hour and a half. -
Doolittle's Raid
Tokyo city was bombed by a squad of 18 planes lead by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, America believed that they had avenged the attack on Pearl harbor by doing this, heightenting the mood of Americans. -
Battle of Midway
Midway island, an island north west of Hawaii, was the site of the first official successful battle in the Pacific for Americans. A turning point in the Pacific, Americans had decimated a Japanese fleet, destroying four aircraft carriers and over 250 planes. -
Battle of Stalingrad
One of the most devestating battles in history, certainly the most in the war, the Battle of Stalingrad lasted for four months, and more than 1,100,000 lives lost just on the Soviet side. The Soviets had a strategic advantage with the weather soon turning cold soon after the Germans attacked and broke the previous agreement of non-aggression. Russia finally came out on top and began to advance into Europe to hit Germany hard. -
Battle of the Atlantic
As German U-Boat submarine attacks were on the rise, America began building and launching several hundreds of convoy ships to protect Americans at sea. This battle lasted for more than 3 years. -
Operation Torch
Operation torch, commanded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, was done in order to gain more access to europe through North Africa and also to power down the Axis powers. America invaded and after months defeated Erwin Rommel the "desert fox". -
Italian Campaign
Allied leaders Rosevelt and Churchill met in Casablanca to plan for the end of the war, and that they would not give up until the Axis powers gave unconditional surrender. The Allies captured Sicile and forced Benito Mussolini to resign from power. They also met German opposition in Italy because they would not give up easily. -
Hiroshima
As a response to Japanese aggression in the Pacific war, The United States developed an atomic bomb that would devestate anything around its drop location. Hiroshima was the first site of the nuclear bomb drops, the entire city was leveled and it killed over 90,000 people. -
Nagasaki
The second site of nuclear bomb drops in the war, Nagasaki was bombed three days after Hiroshima. These bombings are the only nuclear power ever to be used in wars as of yet. -
D-Day
The d-day invasion was the largest invasion force in world history, invading Normandy, France and sending massive naval and air forces to surprise attack. -
Liberation of France
After the D-day invasion, the Allied troops could move farther into France, reaching up to the Seine river. They eventually got to Paris and freed it of Axis control, Liberating the rest of France as well while they secured the beach front and other areas they gained control of. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was named after the small bulge German forces made in the Allies lines in a last ditch attempt, but they were eventually thrown back into Germany to face their loss. The battle was also devestating to German forces and artillary, which was one of the decisive last battles of the war. -
Nuremburg Trials
The Nuremburg trials were a series of court hearings dedicated to punishing war leaders on the Axis powers side for their war crimes. Death camp discoveries lead to half of the defendents being killed. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta conference was a discussion between the Allies about what Germany's fate would be after the war had ended, which at this point it surely would. This is also how the United Nations became official with approval of almost the entire world. -
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima was the most heavily defended base in the world at the time, and it was to be invaded by American troops. The US won with resounding success, they left only 200 Japanese alive out of around 20,000. -
Okinawa
Okinawa was an island site of another successful American invasion of Japanese territory. Americans lost near 8,000 troops and the Japanese lost over 100,000. -
FDR's Death
FDR died of a stroke right before V-E day while posing for a portrait. Vice Presidend Harry S. Truman became President that night and became the 33rd president. -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe day was the day that declared the official end of the European World War II. A week after Hitler committed suicide, The Allies accepted Germany's uncdonditional surrender. -
V-J Day
The official end date of World War II in Japan, and also the end of the entire war was V-J day. After the Allies won the war, the US occupied Japan for several years.
