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World War II Begins
Germany invades Poland -
Declaring War on Germany
France and Great Britain declare war on Germany -
Period: to
Germany Takes Over
Germany invades and takes control of Denmark and Norway. -
Period: to
Lightning War
Germany uses quick strikes called blitzkrieg, meaning lightning war, to take over much of western Europe including the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France. -
New Leader
Winston Churchill becomes leader of the British government. -
Italy Joins
Italy enters the war as a member of the Axis powers. -
The Battle of Britain
Germany launches an air attack on Great Britain. These attacks last until the end of October. -
Axis Alliance
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact creating the Axis Alliance. -
Attacking Russia
Germany and the Axis Powers attack Russia with a huge force of over four million troops. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack the US Navy in Pearl Harbor. The next day the US entered World War II on the side of the Allies. -
Battle of Midway
The US Navy defeats the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway. -
The Allies Takeover
The Allies invade and take the island of Sicily. -
Italy Surrenders
Italy surrenders to the Allies. -
Mussolini Escapes
Germany helps Mussolini to escape and set up a government in Northern Italy. -
D-Day and Normandy Invasion
Allied forces invade France and push back the Germans. -
Paris Liberated
Paris is liberated from German control. -
Germans Lose to the Allies
The Germans launch a large attack in the Battle of the Bulge. They lose to the Allies sealing the fate of the German army. -
Marines Capture Iwo Jima
US Marines invade the island of Iwo Jima. After a fierce battle they capture the island. -
Crossing the Rhine River
The US Third Army under General Patton crosses the Rhine River. -
Roosevelt Dies; Succeeded by Truman
US President Franklin Roosevelt dies. He is succeeded by President Harry Truman. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
Adolf Hitler commits suicide as he knows Germany has lost the war. -
Germany Surrenders
Germany surrenders to the Allies. -
US Drops Atomic Bomb
The United States drops the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The city is devastated. -
2nd Atomic Bomb
Another atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. -
Japan Surrenders; World War II Ends
Japan surrenders to US General Douglass MacArthur and the Allies.
