World War II

Selective Service System

May 18, 1917

Maintains information on those potentially subject to the military. Males 18-25 were required by law to register for the military.
It provided all the information for the people registering.
By using this process, we had men who were willing to step up and fight for our country.

Rape of Nanking

Dec 13, 1937

Episode of mass murder and mass rape committed by Japanese troops against Nanking. Tens of thousands of Chinese civilians were murdered by the Imperial Japanese Army.
Remains a political issue, could have been fabricated or exaggerated for propaganda purposes.

Invasion of Poland

Sep 1, 1939

Germany invaded Poland, World War II officially begins.
Hitler thought this conquest would bring "living space" to the German people.
Poland was divided between Germany, Soviet Union, and Slovakia.

German Blitzkrieg

Sep 1, 1939

Highly mobile form of infantry and armour working in combined arms teams.
Germany wanted to build its empire.
Germany built its empire.

Fall of Paris

May 10, 1940

German invasion of France, defeating French forces.
Hitler wanted to defeat the Western European nations.
Germans won it in six weeks, wave of euphoria among German population, Hitlers popularity reached its peak,

Propaganda Posters

Mar 28, 1941

Used to increase support for the war and committment to an Allied victory.
Used to format hatred for the enemy and support for America (home land).
It caused soldiers to fight and people to support.

Operation Barbarossa

Jun 22, 1941

Code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union.
Hitler claimed that Germany needed more living space.
It allowed the Soviet Union to dominate economically and politically.

Office of Scientific Research and Development

Jun 28, 1941

United States governmtent created the USRD to coordinate scientific research for military purposes during World War II.

Office of Price Administration

Aug 28, 1941

They control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II,
That was people regulated their money, and wouldn't spend it foolishly.
People learned how to spend their money wisely.

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Surprise military attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy against U.S. Naval base. It led to the United States' entry into World War Two.
It intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U.S. Pacififc Fleet from interfering with Japans military actions.
America then declared war against Japan.

War Production Board

Jan 16, 1942

Agency of the United States government that supervised war production during World War II.
It rationed commodities such as: gas, heating oils, metals, rubbers, and paper.
Regulated spending and production, helped reduce potential economic catastrophe later on.

Bataan Death March

Apr 9, 1942

Forcible transfer by Imperial Japanese Army of Filipino and American prisoners of war.

Doolittle Raid

Apr 18, 1942

Air raid by the United States on Tokyo.
In retaliation for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Victory for the United States.

Manufacturers

Jun 23, 1942

Production of merchindise for use or sale using labor and machines.
Machines and people are what create the items we have.

Battle of Guadalcanal

Aug 7, 1942

Military campaign on and around the island of Guadalcanal.

Battle of Stalingrad

Sep 12, 1942

Nazi Germany and allies fought the Soviet Union for control of Stalingrad.
Germans tried to invade Soviet land.
The Germans lost out due to being unprepared.

Operation Torch

Nov 8, 1942

British-American invasion of French North Africa.
It would clear the Axis Powers from North Africa, improve naval control and prepare for invasion of Southern Europe.

D-Day (Normandy Invasion)

Jun 6, 1944

Largest amphibious invasion to ever take place. It is the date of the initial assaults.
Happened in order to end World War II in Europe.
Germany was weakened by ariel bombings and was won by having troops on ground to control territory.

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

Surprise attack on Frace to end World War II in Europe.
This battle cost Germany any any chance they had to have a victory.

Battle of Iwo Jima

Feb 19, 1945

United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from Japanese Empire.
American wanted to capture the entire island and use it as a staging area for attacks on Japan.
America was then portrayed as ruthless animals.

Hitler's Final Days

Apr 30, 1945

Committed suicide by gunshot along with his wife who committed suicide by ingesting cyanide.
Hitler seen the people around him die in a crucial way, and he didn't want to be remembered that way.
Germany surrendered and the Nazi party was removed from power.

V-E Day

May 8, 1945

"Victory in Europe Day" is celebrated to mark the acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's surrender of its armed forces.

Trinity Test

Jul 16, 1945

First detonation of a nuclear weapon conducted by the United States Army.
Beginning of the Atomic Age.

Potsdam Conference

Jul 17, 1945

Stalin, Churchill and President Truman gathered to decide how to administer Germany, establishment of post war order, peace treaties issues, and countering the effects of war.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Aug 6, 1945

Atomic bombings in Japan conducted by the United States during the final stage of World War II.
We wanted a surrender from Japan.
Destruction of a large area and death or injury to much of the population. Japan surrendered.

V-J Day

Aug 14, 1945

The day that Japan finally surrenderd. Also known as "Victory over Japan Day".
Its what ended World War II.