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Mao Zedong Heads Long March
In 1933, Chiang Kai-shek of the Nationalist Party of China launched a massive attack against Mao Zedong and the Communists. Within 12 months, the Communists had lost 50% of their previous territory and Mao knew that he had to change tactics. So, Mao and 87000 soldiers began the Long March to retreat from the attack. -
Germany invades Poland; France and Great Britain declare war on Germany
In the mid-1930's, Chancelor of Germany Adolf Hitler began invading and annexing countries. Even though this was against the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations did not act in order to appease the Nazis. However, Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939 proved to be the last straw, causing Britain and France to declare war on the Third Reich. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
By 1941, World War II was in full swing and the United States had decided to stay out of what they thought was a European conflict. However, this all changed when Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto decided to attack Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. On December 6, dozens of US ships were sunk causing over 2000 deaths. The United States then declared war on Japan and its allies. -
United Nations Formed
After World War II, the world knew that something must be done to prevent a future conflict like World War II. Thus, they created the United Nations, a long term replacement to the League of Nations. The first five members were the UK, the US, France, USSR, and China. -
Germany Surrenders
After the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes, victory in Europe was tipping in favor of the Allies. In March of 1945, the Allies crossed the Rhine River into Germany and liberated Berlin. On April 30, Hitler married his girlfriend, commited suicide and Germany subsuquently surrendered. -
Allies use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Even though the European war was over, the US was still fighting Japan. After Okinawa, the next stop for the allies had to be Japan. However, President Truman knew an invasion of Japan could cost the Allies hundreds of thousands of lives. He then made the descision to use the newly developed Atomic bomb on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over 140,000 people were killed, and Japan then surrendered.
