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Japan invades Manchuria
The Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931 in hopes of gaining more natural resources to support their massive expansion and militarization. They no longer wanted to rely heavily on the U.S for resources and decided Manchuria was ideal for a Japanese expansion since it was already fighting a civil war between nationalists, communists and warlords. -
Nuremberg Laws
Nuremberg Laws are passed in Germany, revoking citizenship from Jews and prohibiting them from marrying non-Jews. (Read Picture) -
Germany invaded Poland
Germany invaded Poland and the Luftwaffe (German air force) began providing close air support to the German Army. The Luftwaffe also began eliminating strategic objectives and bombing cities and civilian population in Poland. -
Declared war on Germany
France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany and that same night the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) began attacking German warships along the German coast with the North Sea. -
US is neutral
The United States declares its neutrality to avoid American involvement in World War II. Reasoning to be neutral, because the US was in the middle of the "Great Depression". we thought we had "won" the Great War (WW I) for the Allied side.We didn't need to add to our troubles by going to war. The attack by the Japanese against our fleet instantly ended all thoughts of neutrality. -
Nazis invades
Nazis invade France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Germany uses quick strikes called blitzkrieg, meaning lightning war, to take over much of western Europe including the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France. -
France surrenders Battle of Britain Begins
The Battle of Britain was the German air force's attempt to gain air superiority over the RAF from July to September 1940. Their ultimate failure was one of the turning points of WWII and prevented Germany from invading Britain. -
Tripartite Pact
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact. -
Germany attacks Soviet Union
Operation "Barbarossa," Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the largest German military operation of WWII. The destruction of the Soviet Union by military force, the permanent elimination of the perceived Communist threat to Germany. Germay gaining more land. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack the US Navy in Pearl Harbor. The next day the US enters World War II on the side of the Allies. The goal of Pearl Harbor was to disable the American fleet for a few months to give them enough time to conquer the Dutch East Indies and to absorb its resources to finance their war in China and the US once the US' navy was rebuilt. during the attack 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. -
Declaration of the United Nations
Declaration of the United Nations signed by 26 Allied nations; An international organization of countries set up in succession to the League of Nations, to promote international peace, security, and cooperation. Allied nations fighting against the Axis Powers met in Washington, D.C. to pledge their support for the Atlantic Charter by signing the "Declaration by United Nations". This document contained the first official use of the term "United Nations". -
Japanese defeated at the Battle of Midway
Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the One of the most decisive naval battles of World War II, a important turning point in the Pacific campaign. On June 4, 1942, US aircraft flying from USS Enterprise, USS Hornet, and USS Yorktown attacked and sunk four Japanese carriers, forcing Yamamoto to withdrawal. -
Soviets defeat Germans at Battle of Kursk
Kursk was to be the biggest tank battle of World War Two and the battle resulted in a severe crisis for Nazi Germany’s war machine in Russia. -
Nuremberg
The Battle of Nuremberg: 5 day battle between the forces of the United States 7th Army on one side, and Nazi Germany and Russian volunteers. Took 4 days for the US to capture the city. Here trials were held for the Nazi's accused of war crimes. -
US drops bombs on Japen
United states drops atomic bombs on Japan- Japan surrenders -
Japan formally surrenders,
Having agreed in principle to unconditional surrender on August 14, 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II.
