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Mussolini rises to power in Italy
Mussolini was appointed Prime Minister of Italy. His government contained a mixture of men with different political beliefs. His time in power almost collapsed after the murder of Matteotti. -
Hitler and Nazi party rise to power in Germany
Hitler became chancellor of Germany. He immediately begins a rearmament program. By April the industrialists that supported him agreed to remove Jewish workers from their factories. -
Neutrality Act
The neutrality act sought to avoid the reappearance of circumstances that most Americans believed had drawn the country into World War I. Some of them were arms sales and loans given to belligerent countries. -
Spanish Civil War
Failed military coup in Spain starts Spanish Civil War. Lasted till 1937 or 1939? The Spanish Civil War began as a series of right-wing insurrections within the military, staged against the constitutional government of the Second Spanish Republic. Because it was the first major military contest between left-wing forces and fascists, and attracted international involvement on both sides,it has sometimes been called the first chapter of World War II. -
Hitler adds Austria
Germany announces union with Austria (Anschluss). Hitler completed his dream of a German-Austrian union. The nazis begin publicly humiliating and arresting Austrian Jews. -
Munich Conference appeases Hitler and he promises to stop expansion
The agreement allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland portion of Czechoslovakia. -
Hitler takes the Sudetenland
The presence of 22% German occupants in the Sudetenland in Germany gives Hitler and excuse to annex this area of Czechoslovakia. -
Hitler takes Czechoslovakia
Hitler took the rest of Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain accelerated British rearmament and publicly repudiated his policy of appeasment, then established peacetime conscription. -
Non-aggression treaty signed between Russia and Germany
Trying to avoid a two front war in Europe, Hitler had a non-aggression pact between Russia and Germany signed. The [act permitted Germany to attack Poland without Soviet intervention. -
Hitler invades Poland
Hitler claimed that German borders had been attacked and then proclaimed that the Polish nation refused his efforts for a peaceful regulation of neighborly relations. -
Paris falls to the Nazis
Germany takes over the Northern part of France including the country's capital, Paris. -
London Blitz
A force of 1,392 bombers and 1,290 fighters with 704 serviceable aircraft began bombing England. The skies over England and the Channel became the battleground. -
Germany invades Russia and ends the non-aggression pact
Hitler decided to invade Russia which ended the non-aggression pact he had with Stalin. -
Atlantic Charter is signed
During August 9-12, 1941 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met in a secret meeting for the purpose of discussing the principles they saw as governing the post-War world. Their conference resulted in the Atlantic Charter, which was officially announced on August 14, 1941. -
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor
All but three of eight battleships are back in service before the war's end. The three U.S. Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers are at sea during the attack. They were not harmed. -
United States declares war on Japan
Because of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor. The United States declares war on Japan.
