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Germany opens Dachau concentration camp
This was the very first concentration camp opened by the Germans. It was originally meant for political prisoners. -
Mussolini's Italian forces take Ethiopia
Mussolini sent his army to take Ethiopia, and the army used poison gas and other deadly weapons to do so. This was the first time ever that Ethiopia lost its independence. -
German troops occupy Rhineland
Hitler decided to break the Treaty of Versailles and build up his military strength in the Rhineland. -
Nazis take Czechoslovakia
Hitler threatened to bomb Prague unless he got free access to the Czech borders, which he was granted, proving that the Munich Pact merely delayed his inevitable attempt to conquer the world. -
Nazis invade Poland
This was the catalyst that sparked the beginning of WWII. -
German 'Blitzkrieg' overwhelms Belgium, Holland, and France
Blitzkrieg was a German term that meant "lightning war". It was a military tactic that used a dense concentration of modern military vehicles and communication technology. -
Hitler begins Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was Hitler's plan to invade the Soviet Union. It ultimately turned the war to the favor of the Allies due to its failure, making Germany fight the war split to two sides. -
Mass murder of Jewish people at Auschwitz begins
The first, experimental gassing of Jewish people happened this month. After that, it was a daily occurrence until liberation. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan initiated a surprise attack on a US naval base in Hawaii. They destroyed many ships, and caused the US to join WWII. -
U.S. enters the war
This date, Franklin Roosevelt called for a declaration of war against Japan, and the vote was almost unanimous. Germany and Italy had also declared war on the US already. -
US cracks Japanese codes
The US was able to crack the Japanese codes with some effort, and used them to plan against and intercept Japanese attacks -
Singapore falls to the Japanese
Singapore was a strategic military location for Great Britain and a British colony. Japan attacked and battled the British starting in December until the British had to retreat. -
American naval victory at Battle of Midway
On this day, America defeated the Japanese. This victory was aided by their ability to read Japan's coded messages. -
Surrender at Stalingrad
Although Hitler said surrender was out of the question, the Germans surrendered to the Soviet forces. -
Normandy invasion
The invasion of Normandy began on this day, also known as D-Day. This battle resulted in the liberation of western Europe. -
Paris is liberated
On this day, Paris was freed from the grasp of the Germans by US and British troops after over 4 years. -
Big three in Potsdam
This was the date that the final conference between the US, UK, and Soviet Union ended. It was at this conference that they demanded surrender from Japan. -
Hiroshima
The date that the Americans bombed the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Tens of thousands of people were killed. -
Nagasaki
The date that the Americans bombed the city of Nagasaki, Japan. Once again, thousands were killed.
