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Adolf Hitler becomes leader of Nazi Party
During the year of 1921, Adolf Hitler was becoming fairly well known as an amazing public speaker, and in the summer of that year, Hitler took a visit to visit “Nationalist Groups”, and without his presence, the Nazi party began to realize that he was really the reason why the group was successful. Hitler then announced his resignation on July 11th, 1921; despite this, he told the Nazi party that if he were to return, he would need to be made chairman, and be given a dictatorial status, they did -
1921 (November) Washington Naval Conference
The Washington Naval Conference was held in November of 1921, held by the US and was attended by nine nations, not including Soviet Russia-- who was not invited. This event was important because the treaty agreed upon was to end building battleships fleets, and the few that were fully built were limited in almost everything, including arms and size; also other larger ships were destroyed. -
1925 (January) Josef Stalin becomes dictator of the Soviet Union
After Lenin's death, Josef Stalin decided that he was to destroy the old party, and become leader and he did just that. He began exiling and denouncing people, to create his perfect empire. This was an important time because Stalin would become a key player in WWII, and he showed how aggressive and demanding he could be. -
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Maginot Line Built
The maginot line was built from 1929-1938, as a tactic to slow the Germans down, it was never designed to completely stop them; and included an underground tunnel system, and had storage for artillery, kitchens, and living quarters (including bathrooms, and sinks). The building of this was important because it allowed, what france considered, a leg up to the Germans, and was going to help in the impending war. -
Japan Seizes Manchuria
In 1931, Japan marched into and eventually took, Manchuria, a region in northeast asia, following the Mukden Incident. After this event, the League of Nations was outraged, that the Japanese would break the pact to not harm one another.This was important because this was what is going to lead Japan into its future of dictatorial leading, and allowed the government to show that they were something to be feared. -
1932 (January) Stimson Doctrine
This was a policy used to publicly not acknowledge the territory fights of Japan and China. This was important because it was a way to quietly denounce their actions, while still remaining out of the war. -
Hitler appointed as Chancellor of German Reich
On January 30th, 1933 Adolf Hitler is appointed Chancellor of Germany, by President of Germany, Paul von Hindenburg. He had done so at the demand of the German people that he governs, the Weimar republic. As a chancellor he is below the president, but still has the ability to ratify laws, and can suspend the German version of Parliament from making decisions. A year after this, the president dies of lung cancer, and Hiter establishes the Fourth Reich. This event is yet another example of Hitle -
1933 (March) Inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt
In March of 1933, president Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated into office, at the height of the Great Depression. This was an important event because for the first time the nation was allowed hope of a new life with a new leader in this decade, so they surely trusted him and his decision making. -
1933 (April) Gestapo formed
1933 (April) Gestapo formed -
1933 (April) Gestapo formed
This was a group formed by Hermann Göring, to combine the executive and judicial branches into one power. The goal of this group's goal was to police people using Nazi powers. -
1933 (May) Nazi book burning
In May of 1933, the Nazi’s felt the need to destroy any books that could be considered un-nazi, and even vaguely against beliefs that the group thought were correct. This was an important series of events because this allowed the Nazis to fully begin brainwashing the German people. -
Italy Invades Ethiopia
On October 3rd, 1935, Italy invaded the Ethiopian border, fairly easily defeating Ethiopia's poorly trained army. This event was one of the first that also showed that Italy was still holding a grudge, from the previous invasion. By invading, Italy was trying to prove that they could be looked upon like the big guys, and wanted to actually fight. The League of Nations was surprised that Italy would go and invade Ethiopia, and was offended that once again, another country broke the agreement. -
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Neutrality Acts
These acts stated that arms, ammunition shipments, and trading between or to ‘belligerent countries’ (hostile countries), cannot exist, and warned Americans that if they were traveling by ship into a ‘warring territory’, they are at their own risk. Eventually, Americans were banned from traveling in ships going to said countries.These Neutrality acts were fairly successful in keeping the USA out, it allowed them to supply goods, while not ever stepping foot on the ground. This was of importance -
Hitler Reoccupies the Rhineland
On March 7th, 1936, Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles, and sent German troops into the Rhineland, which is a demilitarized area along the Rhine River, in Western Germany. This is also an important event because it shows once again how Hitler feels entitled, and feels like he has the need to control large areas. -
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Spanish Civil War
This was a war fought by the Spanish Republicans, and the Spanish Nationalists, the Nationalists won, and ruled Spain for the next 39 years. This war was important because it showed the allies that Spain had began, including Italy, and Germany (key players in World War Two). -
1936 (November) Anti-Comintern Pact
This was a pact signed by Nazi Germany, and the Empire of Japan, that was anti communist. The goal of this pact was to push the communists back from prohibiting the nations from doing what they wanted. -
1936 (December) Hitler Youth formed
In December of 1936, Hitler, following the belief that the future of a nation is its children, began to create a form of “Hitler Children”, that practiced almost all Nazi beliefs. This was yet another important example of Hitler's brainwashing of Nazi Germany, to create his idea of a perfect nation. -
Anschluss
On March 12th, 1938, Hitler announces the Anschluss, which is an agreement between Austria and Germany that effectively forces Austria to succumb to Germany, and become German territory. The Lebensraum, states that Hitler wanted the German speakers to live together, and in this he will create living space for them.This agreement showed the world how Hitler was really going to go out and ‘unite the German speaking’ countries. -
Evian Conference
This was a meeting to figure out what to do with the overflow of Jewish people escaping Hitler's persecution. This was held while the Holocaust was growing, and Hitler was showing his colors. This event was important because it showed how the world was willing to begin to help the refugees, and they began to realize that Hitler was not just a little German boy, he knew what he wanted and we went to get it. -
Munich Conference
This conference was held to cement that the Nazi Party would annex the Sudetenland; Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, Mussolini, and Ciano all were in attendance. This event was yet another example of how Hitler wanted Lebensraum, and wanted to get all German speaking people under the same name. -
German Occupation of the Sudetenland
In October of 1938, the Nazi’s came and actually occupied the Sudetenland; they were met with both tears and excitement. With the occupation came fortified borders, and extreme Nazi rule. This was an important event because it showed the world how the Nazi party had the ability to walk into a new place, and twist arms until they got what they wanted. -
1938 (November) Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht translated, quite literally means night of crystal, this refers to the extreme anti-jewish violence on November of 1938, in which building windows were destroyed, and vandalized. This was an important time because this let the world know how anti-Jewish the Nazi party truly was, and how far they were willing to go to destroy all Jewish people and their lives. -
Pact of Steel
In October of 1938, the Nazi’s came and actually occupied the Sudetenland; they were met with both tears and excitement. With the occupation came fortified borders, and extreme Nazi rule. This was an important event because it showed the world how the Nazi party had the ability to walk into a new place, and twist arms until they got what they wanted. -
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
In October of 1938, the Nazi’s came and actually occupied the Sudetenland; they were met with both tears and excitement. With the occupation came fortified borders, and extreme Nazi rule. This was an important event because it showed the world how the Nazi party had the ability to walk into a new place, and twist arms until they got what they wanted. -
Cash and Carry
In September of 1939, to increase the economy, President Roosevelt decided to pull back the Neutrality act, to allow sales to the belligerent countries, but they would pay immediately in cash, and carry all goods on their own ships. This showed how the world was desperate to make a cash flow once again, and was willing to give non-war goods to the belligerent countries. -
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Phony War
This was an eight month period where war had been declared, but neither the western allies, or the Nazi’s were making any Military advances. This period was ended once the Germans attacked other low countries and France. This was an important period because it allowed a ‘stalemate’ in a sense, but mostly allowed both sides to really get themselves together, because they were now going to fight a war that was hoped wouldn’t happen. -
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Blitzkrieg
This was the period after the Phony war, in which German believed that they could win fighting short fast battles. Blitzkrieg translates to ‘lightning war’, which is exactly what happened. This was an important period of time because it let the Germans show the world how ready they were for another war, and were not going to back down. -
Destroyers for Bases
This was an agreement signed by the United States and Britain that allowed the US to access air and naval ports in all US colonies, in exchange for 50 US destroyers. This agreement allowed the US to enter the war with ease, and while only losing a few of their fleet. -
Lend Lease
In March of 1941, an agreement was formed, and a ‘Lend Lease’ was signed, that allowed Americans to sell, lend, or loan war goods, or anything that could be considered helpful in this war, to the allies. This was an important moment because Britain was beginning to run out of money, and this was a prime opportunity for them to get the goods they were needing. -
Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941 just before 8 in the morning, Japanese Warplanes dropped a multitude of bombs and bullets onto the American warships below. This damaged twenty vessels, eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes; killed 2,000 soldiers, and wounded over 1,000. This day was important, because it showed how the Japanese were angry, and that America really should enter, then the day after this occured, America declared war on Japan, ultimately entering the war two years after it had started. -
1942 (January) Wannsee Conference
This was a conference held by the 15 top Nazi party leaders, to decide how they were going to destroy the 11 million Jewish people awaiting death. This was an important event because it continued to show how anti semitism the Nazis were and how serious they were about starting a Jewish-free nation, a perfect nation in Hitler's eyes.