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Japan Invades Manchuria
The Japanese military seizing Manchuria in 1931 led to the proclamation of the independent state of Manchukuo. This was historically significant because it worked to the military's advantage; making civilian politicians reluctant to raise objections. It represented the Japanese fear of a reunited China. -
Italy Invades Ethiopia
In 1935, Italy conquered Ethiopia through overwhelming military force. This event was historically significant because it revealed the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations, and encouraged Mussolini's nation military power. Defenseless cities were bombed and mechanized armies made use of poisonous gases. -
Franco Becomes Dictator of Spain
Both the Italian and German air forces used the Spanish conflict as a training ground for their bomber pilots. Support from Hitler and Mussolini was critical to Franco's destruction of the republican government and seizure of power. This event was historically significant because with the Italian and German support, Franco's legions were well-supplied and the relief attempts of the Soviet Union proved futile. He began a dictatorial rule in Spain that lasted for decades. -
Germany Re-Occupies the Rhineland
The remilitarization of the Rhineland by the German Army took place on March 7th, 1936 when German military forces entered the Rhineland. This was historically significant because it violated the terms of the Locarno Treaties. It was also significant because it was the first time since the end of World War I that German troops had been in this region. -
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War was a military revolt against the Republican government of Spain. Mussolini and Hitler intervened in the Spanish Civil War in the mid-1930s. This war was historically significant because it was used as a training ground for the Italian and German air forces, and Mussolini and Hitler's support was critical to Franco's rise in power. This war ended April 1st, 1939. -
Rome-Berlin Axis Pact
The "Rome-Berlin Axis" became a full military alliance in 1939 under the Pact of Steel. It was historically significant because the creation of the axis attested to the open preparation of the fascist states for the unleashing of World War II. It encouraged a union of policies concerning the military and economy. -
Anschluss in Austria
The Anschluss was historically significant because it was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938. It ended March 13th, 1938. A referendum in which Austria was to vote on its independence resulted in the unexpected transfer of power to Germany. This showed the Anschluss was also significant because it showed Germany's invasion of the Treaty of Versailles, and was among the first steps of Hitler's creation of a Greater German Reich. -
Munich Agreements
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. It was historically significant because Czechoslovakia was not included at the conference determining the fate of Sudetenland, and has been referred to as a dictate. Today, it is widely regarded as a failed act of appeasement toward Nazi Germany. -
Britain Signs a Pact with Poland
This signing was known as the Anglo-Polish military alliance. This pact was historically significant because it contained promises of mutual military assistance between Great Britain and Poland if one was to be attacked by another European country. Britain sought to prevent German aggressions by signing this secret pact. -
Hitler Renounces the Provisions of the Treaty of Versailles
In Germany, Hitler renounces the disarmament clauses of the treaty, and begins an "open re-armament and conscription of soldiers". He overturned the territorial provisions of the treaty and this was historically significant because on September 1, 1939, Hitler and the Nazis invaded Poland. This is shown in the picture to the left. -
Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact is Signed
The nonaggression pact was Hitler's way of preparing the way for assault on the Soviet Union. It was historically significant because it divided smaller states that separated their empires, and within days of signing the agreement, Hitler ordered the Naxi armies to overrun western Poland. The Soviets then occupied the eastern half of the country that had been promised to them. -
Germany Invades Poland
The brutal Nazi invasion of Poland put an end to any lingering doubts about Hitler's contempt for treaties and repeated assurances that gerany's territorial ambitions had been satisified. It was historically significant because it led to the British and French declaration of war on Germany. This was the beginning of World War II. -
Britain and France Declare War on Germany
On September 1st, two days prior, a brutal Nazi invasion of Poland took place. The British and French felt they had no choice but to declare war on Germany. This was historically significant because this declaration set the stage for the inevitable second world war. The British and the French prepared for a defensive war in the West, where they waited for the Nazis to turn to for further conquests. -
Hitler Invades France
The French were not prepared to defend against a full scale invasion from the Germany army in 1940. This invasion was historically significant because it featured Hitler's utilization of blitzkrieg (lightning warfare). It resulted in the defeat and surrender of the French on June 22nd, and 70% of France became part of a Nazi puppet government called Vichy France. -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was the 1940 Nazi air offensive including saturation bombing of London and other British cities, countered by British innovative air tactics. It was historically significant because it resulted in the victory of the British and Hitler and the Nazis had to abandon their plans for conquest of the British Isles.The battle ended October 31st, 1940. -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the codename for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II. This operation was historically significant because over 3.9 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR; the largest invasion in the history of warfare. Seeing how this operation failed was a turning point in the Nazi Germany's fortunes, and it also opened up the Eastern Front, to which more forces were committed than in any other theater of war in world history. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was an American naval base in Hawaii. The attack on this base was historically significant because it crippled the American fleet in the Pacific and caused the entry of the United States into World War II. The attack was intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. -
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea was a World War II Pacific battle. It was historically significant because it resulted in a standoff between the United States and Japanese forces. It was more significant because for the first time, the Allies had stopped the Japanese advance. This battle lasted until May 8th. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for the control of Stalingrad in Russia. It was historically significant because not only was it the largest battle on the Eastern Front and one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare, but it resulted in the defeat of the Germans, making it a viable turning point in the war. This battle ended February 2nd, 1943. -
Allied Victory in Africa
The Allied victory in Africa occurred in Northern Africa. The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers. The Allied war effort was dominated by the British Commonwealth and exiles from German-occupied Europe. The U.S. entered the war in 1941 and began direct military assistance in North Africa. This victory was historically significant because once the Allied forces encircled the Axis forces and forced their surrender, it set the stage for the following Italian campaign. -
Allied Conference in Tehran
The Allied conference in Tehran was a meeting among leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union. This conference was historically significant because it led to the Tehran Declaration, which stated their aim to fight Nazi Germany until Hitler's forces were completely defeated and Europe was free from Nazi control. It led to the agreement of opening a new front in Nazi-occupied France. The conference lasted 4 days. -
D-Day
D-Day, the Allied invasion of Northern Europe on June 6th, 1944, opened up a second front that forced Hitler to send forces west, which took pressure off the Russians. It was the greatest seaborne invasion of history. The historical significance of this day was that a successful landing in Normandy paved the way for the Allies to liberate all the Occupied Countries of Europe. -
Battle of the Bulge
Once the United States entered the war, the tables were turned on Germany. The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler's last-ditch effort to repel the invading Allied armies in the winter of 1944. It was historically significant because it anticipated the upcoming defeat of the Germans. Germany was being invaded by the Allies in the west and Red armies in the east. -
Allied Conference in Yalta
The Yalta conference was a meeting between the United States, Britain, and the Sovit Union. It was historically significant because it allowed Soviet entry into the Pacific war in return for Manchurian possessions. It was also significant because it led to the organization of the Model UN. This conference lasted until the 11th. -
Germany Surrenders
On May 7th, the Germans signed a surrender document in the French city of Reims. 2 days later, the Russians insisted that a separate signing take place in Berlin. The surrender of Germany was historically significant because it marked the end to the war in Europe, after six catastrophic years. -
Allied Conference in Potsdam
The Allied conference in Potsdam was a meeting among the leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union just before the end of World War II. This conference was historically significant because of the resulting agreements. The Allies agreed on Soviet domination in eastern Europe as well as dividing Germany and Austria among victorious Allies. The conference lasted until august 2nd. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the Allies of World War II conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. These bombings were historically significant because it caused the instant reduction of two cities to ashes, and resulted in the surrender of the Japanese. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date. The Nagasaki bombing happened three days after the Hiroshima bombing. -
Separate East German Government Established
At the Yalta Conference during World War II, the Allies (U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union) agreed on dividing a defeated Germany into occupation zones. This division of Germany was historically significant because it was the result of Germany's defeat in World War II. East Germany also proclaimed itself the first socialist state on German soil.
