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November Criminals
Many germans believed that the armistice that was signed November 11, 1918 was actually signed by republicans who overthrew the government and that it did not actually reflect german views or opinions, and betrayed germany bu surrenduring. Many germans belived that they had not lost the war. -
Treaty of Versailles
The treaty that ended the first world war and layed the foundatoins for the second. The trety basically blamed germany for everything and forced them to pay millions in reparations, when they weren't exacty accountable. -
Munich Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler tried to seize power and overthrow the government with others on November 9th 1923. His attempt failed as it was not well planed or executed, however it put him in jail where he wrote "Mein Kampf" or "My Struggle" in english. This caused him to gain popularity. -
Invasion of Manchuria
Japanese Armies invaded Manchuria, leaving a trail of destroyed villiages, raped women, and dead. The devestation was major. -
Burning of the Reichstag
The burning of the Reichstag, or the german parliment building, gave hitler an excuse to blame communists and gain emergency powers. These powers allowed him to gain more power than was originally possible and therefore allow him to do anything he pleased. -
Proxy War
The spanish civil war provided an opportunity to try battle tactics and strategies as well as new weapons for germany and russia as they backed opposing sides of the civil war. it was called a Proxy War because the fighting was between Russia and Germany indirectly though spain. -
Sinking of the U.S.S. Panay
Japanese airplanes sank a U.S. ship in the pacific, causing panic and a grudge against japanese from america, even though the japanese supposedly did not see the american flag on the ship and apologized, also repaying the U.S. for the damage. -
Anchluss
The german annexation of austria was called the anchluss. Most austrians were happy about this development and welcomed it, they wanted to be part of "The Empire" that they belived Hitler was building. -
Munich Pact
This pact made in munich germany between Chamberlain and Hitler, basically gave germany the sudetenland in return for a promise to stop expanding across western europe. This was appeasement from Chamberlain, which would eventually turn him out of office. -
Non-Agression Pact
This pact between Germany and Russia declared that they would both invade poland however that they would put of fighting eachi other while they got their other affairs handled. Hitler would eventually break this treaty, Potentially losing him the war as he decided to fight two fronts at a time. -
Start of World War II
The start of World War II was the invation of Poland by Germany and Russia, -
Tripartite Act
This act united Germany, Italy, and Japan in the war, as it was signed in berlin germany. -
Battle of Britan
This was a battle fought by airplanes over great britan. The british won as they had radar and better pilots and planes. All the germans (luftwaffe) had on their side was numbers and in this war quality beat quantitiy. -
Lend-Lease Act
This pact made by the United States basically agreed that we would aid britan and china in money and provisions for the war, but that we would not get involved in fighting, and that we expected out equiptment returned after the duration. It basically ended our position of neutrality. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan flew over Pearl Harbor early sunday morning December 7, 1941, causing the U.S. to declare war on Japan. Many lives were lost as well as battleships and planes, Including the U.S.S. Arizona. -
Order 9066
This was the law that froced and americans of japanese ancestry to be placed into internment camps or fight in the war. It was placed in order to prevent information leaks or spies from compromising the homefront. -
Doolittle Raids
These raids were lead by a man named doolittle, they were bombings over japan that were extrememly dangerous because planes cannot land on carriers and they didn't have enough gas to come back so the pilots had to land in china. They did little damage but they were a huge morale boost for the U.S. -
Midway
The U.S. beat japan in thew battle to obtain midway, which helped us win the war as it had launch pads. Had Japan won, they would have had a straight shot at Hawaii. They knew the japanese were coming as they pretended to be out of water and listened in on japan's radios and cracked the code. This is known as the most important naval battle in the Pacific Theatre. -
Bataan Death March
After the Japanese took the phillipines, they forced many civilians and U.S. troops to march 50 miles in a week with no food or water, in the hot sun with heavy abuse and random killings. This made the U.S. even more determined to beat japan. -
Operation Torch
This was the first attack the U.S. launched in europe, going in through north africa to take europe by the soft underbelly, which was Italy. -
Operation Overlord
This was the operation that involved launching an attack on the atlantic coast of france into normandy. This was the bloodiest battle of World War II, thousands were killed on the beaches as they were required to go at low tide because of hitlers defenses, howvere we were succesful and continued to push east through france to liberate europe. The launch was aided by paratroopers who came in from behind enemy lines. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was germany's last major counter-offensive toward the U.S. It happened in the Ardennes in the brutal cold, the U.S> soldiers held the line which gavethe battle it's name as the line buldged but did not break. This was a major turning point and signaled the imminent ending of the war in the European theatre. -
Yalta Conference
This conferance was where roosevelt, churchill, and stalin discussed the end of the war arangements, where stalin got what he wanted (poland) and Stalin returned to russia, turning his back on the world war and beginning the cold war. -
Potsdam Declaration
This declaration warned Japan that unless they surrendured they would face imminent and utter destruction, however we were not specific about the Atom bomb we proceded to drop. This was Truman's decision, and he made it as it would undoubtedly save millions of American lives. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing
The bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki is still affecting the japanese people today as the radioation hung around for so long, mutilating the people in it's path. The devastation was immense and it is argued stilll today of whether this tactic used was neccessary. Japan surrendured a few days later.
