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Mukden Incident
This event was the seizure of the Manchurian city of Mukden by Japanese troops. The seizure was followed by the invasion of all of Manchuria. This incident contributed to the international isolation of Japan.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Mukden-Incident -
Italo-Ethiopian War
Italy had tried multiple times to conquer Ethiopia. Due to a border squarish, the Italians finally had a reason to invade. The invading forces easily pushed back the ill-prepared Ethiopians and won a major victory on April 9, 1936. They took the capital on May 5, 1936.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Italo-Ethiopian-War-1935-1936 -
Germany and Italy
Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy sign a treaty of cooperation on October 25, and later on November 1, the Rome-Berlin Axis was announced.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rome-Berlin-Axis -
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
An incident between Chinese and Japanese troops outside Beiping. The Japenese noticed a soldier was missing after some fire between them and the Chinese and assumed they had taken the soldier. Both sides continued to go against one another until the Japanese mounted a full assault on them.
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/marco-polo-bridge-incident -
Munich Agreement
Czechoslovakia was forced to surrender its border regions and defense after Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France signed the Munich Agreement. -
Nazis Take Czechoslovakia
Germany was handed Sudetenland due to the Munich agreement. This gave them access to lots of Czechoslovakia's resources. The Czech president agreed to give passage to German troops into Czech borders. In that same day, German troops poured into Bohemia and Moravia.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nazis-take-czechoslovakia -
Anglo-Polish Military Alliances
United Kingdom and France pledged themselves to assure Polish independence. The agreement promised mutual military assistance between the nations if needed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Polish_military_alliance -
Hitler-Stalin Pact
Shocking the world, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggressive pact. Both signed it for different political advantages.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-hitler-stalin-pact -
Britain Declares War On Germany
Hitler's troops invaded Poland, and since Britain and France agreed to help in the case of a German invasion, they both declared war on Germany. -
Warsaw Falls to Germany
140,000 Polish troops are taken prisoner by German forces as Warshaw surrendered to Germany. They fought for 26 days before surrendering. -
Russo-Finnish War
The Soviet Union began to wage a war against Finland at the beginning of World War II. This did not end until March 12, 1940. -
November 1940
President Franklin Roosevelt is elected for a third term, going against the traditional two-term limit. -
Germany Invades Norway and Denmark
German warships entered most of the major Norwegian ports, deploying thousands of troops and taking Norway. While all that was happening, German forces overtook Copenhagen and other Danish cities.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-invades-norway-and-denmark -
Italy Declares War on Great Britain and France
Benito Mussolini finally declared war on Great Britain and France after withholding formal allegiance to either side of the war. -
Germany Invades Paris
German forces rolled into Paris and installed a curfew. Two million Parisians fled and the Gestapo went to work to detain them. Canada came to France's rescue. -
Leader of The Free French
General Charles de Gaulle was discovered as the leader of the Free French. They were a group set up in England dedicated to the defeat of the Germany and the liberation of the French.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/britain-recognizes-general-charles-de-gaulle-as-the-leader-of-the-free-french -
Matsuoka-Henry Pact
Vichy France signed the pact, allowing Japan to station troops in French Indochina and to use airfields, ports, and railroads.
https://www.sarahsundin.com/today-in-world-war-ii-history-aug-30-1940-1945/ -
The Tripartite Pact
The Axis powers were formed when Germany, Italy, and Japan became allies after signing the Tripartite Pact in Berlin. The pact provided mutual assistance should any of them suffer attack by any nation not already in the war. It was aimed at the United States, to make them think twice about joining the Allies. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-tripartite-pact-is-signed-by-germany-italy-and-japan -
The Amsterdam General Strike
300,000 people took part in in a general strike against German authorities. The strike began to spread to neighboring places, taking the Germans by surprise. -
The Truman Committee
The Senate decided to create a special investigative committee to get rid of waste, corruption and profiteering in the U.S defense industry.
https://www.politico.com/story/2008/03/truman-committee-formed-march-1-1941-008770 -
Croatia Declares Independence
Italian and German invaders of Yugoslavia set up the Independent State of Croatia. They placed Ante Pavelic in control of the puppet axis regime.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/croatia-declares-independence -
The Day Before Infamy
The day before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
https://seanmunger.com/2015/12/06/the-day-before-infamy-december-6-1941/ -
United States Declares War on Japan
President Franklin Roosevelt's request for war against Japan is accepted. U.S declares war on Japan.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-united-states-declares-war-on-japan -
Germany Declares War on United States
America is brought into European conflict as Adolf Hitler declares war on the United States.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-declares-war-on-the-united-states -
Bombing of Cologne
The German city was bombed 262 times, all on separate occasions. 34,711 bombs were dropped on Cologne and 20,000 people died.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Cologne_in_World_War_II -
Germany's Summer Offensive
German troops attack the Soviet Union in Stalingrad on the Volga River and the Caucasus.
https://www.ushmm.org/learn/timeline-of-events/1942-1945/german-forces-launch-offensive-against-the-soviet-union -
Battle of El Alamein
The British launched an attack on El Alamein. The British had the advantage, forcing Germany to retreat to Tunisia.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-el-alamein -
Soviets Counterattack at Stalingrad
General Georgi Zhukov leads the Soviet Army into Operation Uranus, the great counteroffensive that turned the tide in the Battle of Stalingrad.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviet-counterattack-at-stalingrad -
Battle of Kursk
The battle of Kursk was Hitler's response to his defeat to the Soviets at Stalingrad. It was Germany's last chance to regain dominance on the Eastern Front.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-kursk -
Allies Land on Sicily
Britain and United States land on Sicily, off mainland Italy, and easily overcome the demoralized troops. In three days, 150,000 Allied troops were ashore.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/allies-land-on-sicily -
Benito Mussolini Falls From Power
Mussolini's own Grand Council votes him out of power and is arrested.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mussolini-falls-from-power -
Allied Invasion of Italy
The Allies landed on mainland Italy during the early stages of the Italian Campaign of World War II. This followed the successful invasion of Sicily.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy -
Battle of Anzio
The battle stemmed from the Allies attempt to get German troops off the Gustav Line. U.S and German troops were at a stalemate for four months.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-anzio -
Allies Free Rome
The Allied Troops entered Rome and freed it from German control. Although Italy had surrendered, Germany still fought for control of the Italian mainland.
https://www.mysticstamp.com/info/this-day-in-history-june-4-1944/ -
GI Bill
This bill was a hopeful way to reintegrate into society after the conclusion of World War II.
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/anecdote/days/025week_0622.htm -
Operation Cobra
This was the offensive attack by the United States, weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign. The attacks intention was to take advantage of the Germans while they were distracted by the British.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cobra -
Warsaw Uprising
The Poles tried to seize control of the city and oust German troops before the city became occupied by the Soviet army. The uprising's failure allowed the pro-Soviet administration to gain control of Poland.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Warsaw-Uprising -
Paris Liberated
French and U.S divisions liberated Paris from Germany's control. The resistance was light and German commander Choltitz signed a formal surrender.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-liberated -
King Michael's Coup
The king removed the government of Ion Antonescu after the Axis front in Northeastern Romania collapsed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Michael's_Coup -
End of the Battle of Normandy
By end of August all of Northern France has been liberated and later that spring the Allies had defeated Germany. The Allies landing at Normandy was called the beginning of the end of the war.
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day -
General MacArthur Returns
General MacArthur returns to the shores of the Philippine island of Leyte, fulfilling his promise to return to the area where he was forced to flee from. -
Battle of the Bulge
Germany launches Operation Mist, the last major German offense of the war. It was an attempt to push the Allied front line west from northern France to northwestern Belgium.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-the-bulge -
Hitler Dies
Hitler commits suicide in his refurbished air-raid shelter. He consumes a cyanide pill then shoots himself in the head. His "1,000 year" Reich collapses above him. -
Victory in Europe Day
A day celebrated as the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II by Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on May 8, 1945. -
Battle of Remagen
This battle resulted in the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine. The Bridge was rigged to explode by the Germans but only a portion of the explosives detonated, allowing the Allies to take the bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Remagen -
Battle of Berlin
The Soviet army surrounded and attacked Berlin from east and south. A third front attacked German troops from the North. Over the course of a week, the Soviet army took control of the city. -
Germany Surrenders to the Allies
General Alfred Jodi signs the unconditional surrender of all German forces, east and west, at Reims, in northeastern France.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-surrenders-unconditionally-to-the-allies-at-reims -
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
An American B-29 bomber dropped the worlds first atomic deployed bomb over Hiroshima. The explosion took out 90% of the city. Three days later, another atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Japan's emperor announced his unconditional surrender. -
President Truman Signs United Nations Charter
Truman signs the United Nations Charter and becomes the first state to complete the ratification process and join the new international organization.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-signs-united-nations-charter -
Japan Surrenders
Japan formally surrenders to the Allies aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. This surrender brought World War II to an end.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-surrenders