World War Two

Japan attacks Manchuria

Sep 19, 1931

Japan claimed that China had attacked a railway of theirs, and went in to attack Manchuria.

Mussolini Attacks Ethiopia

Oct 3, 1935

Mussolini attacked Ethiopia in 1935, and the League of Nations didn't do a thing about it when he did.

Hitler takes over the Rhineland

Mar 7, 1936

The beginning of Hitler's takeovers, where he gets back a demilitarized zone from France.

Anschluss

Mar 15, 1938

Hitler invades Austria so that Austria and Germany will "reunite." Most people are willing to go along with Hitler's plan.

Munich Conference

Sep 29, 1938

Roosevelt, Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain, and Daladier appease Germany by giving them the Sudentland (Czechoslovakia). They hope that Hitler will stop taking over countries if he is given this land.

Kristallnacht

Nov 9, 1938

A night where thousands of Jews were sent to concentration camps after having their businesses damaged.

Nazi-Soviet Nonagression Pact

Aug 23, 1939

Hitler and Stalin sign an agreement not to fight, even though they hate each other and have completely different views. This pact leads to both of them attacking Poland.

Hitler Invasion of Poland

Sep 1, 1939

Hitler invades Poland, which leads to the start of World War II (France declares war).

Battle of the Atlantic

Sep 3, 1939

Allied success due to sonar detection, convoy systems, and air attacks.

Germany takes over France

Jun 22, 1940

France finally surrenders to Germany.

Operation Barbarossa

Jun 22, 1941

Germany invades the Soviet Union and Leningrad, one of the largest cities in Russia, is taken over.

Atlantic Charter

Aug 14, 1941

Defined the allied goals for the post-war world, created by Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Japan bombs Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Because the U.S. refused to help Japan, they bombed Pear Harbor, which ruined many warships and killed 2,400 Americans. The bombing of Pearl Harbor forced America into the war.

America Declares War

Dec 8, 1941

After being bombed, America finally declares war on Japan.

Germany & Italy declare war

Dec 11, 1941

Germany and Italy declare war on the United States of America right after they declare war on Japan.

Bataan Death March

Apr 9, 1942

After their surrender in the Phillipines, thousands of American and Filipino troops were marched to prison camps. This sixty five mile trip was the largest surrender for the United States.

Battle of Coral Sea

May 8, 1942

America realizes the Japanese plan to attack New Guinea and ends up greatly damaging the Japanese. Aircraft carries started to become the most significant weapon.

Battle of Midway

Jun 7, 1942

Mainly an aircraft carrier-based attack on the Japanese, which crippled them and led to a crucial victory for the allies.

Operation Torch

Nov 8, 1942

U.S. invades North Africa under direction of Dwight Eisenhower in order to get Germany out of Africa.

Stalingrad

Feb 2, 1943

Germany attempts to take over Stalingrad in the USSR and ends up surrendering after months of a tough winter that they weren't prepared for.

Invasion of Sicily

Jul 9, 1943

The Allies took Sicily from the Axis powers.

Invasion of Mainland Italy

Sep 3, 1943

After months of fighting with 300,000 casualties on the Allied Powers side alone, the Allies took over Rome in 1944.

Operation Overlord/D-Day

Jun 6, 1944

American invasion of Normandy, France. The allies broke through German lines and Hitler was forced to retreat.

Battle of Saipan

Jun 15, 1944

A bloody battle on the Mariana Islands which led the Japanese navy to take a major hit and forced them to retreat.

Battle of Leyte Gulf

Oct 23, 1944

The most decisive navel engagement in the Pacific, the Battle of Leyte Gulf cost Japan 4 aircraft carriers and 2 battleships.

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

The final large battle for the German army, which the Allies win by not breaking their line.

Yalta Conference

Feb 4, 1945

Allied leaders get together and plan for postwar peace.

Battle of Iwo Jima

Feb 19, 1945

Extremely bloody fight between Japan and the USA.

Battle of Okinawa

Mar 23, 1945

The final great battle of World War II, which caused the death of 49,000 troops.

Hitler's Death

Apr 30, 1945

After years of fighting, Hitler finally decides to end his life. After taking poison and then shooting himself in the head, Hitler's body is set on fire by some of his men.

V-E day

May 8, 1945

Surrender of Germany after Hitler's suicide.

Bombing of Hiroshima

Aug 6, 1945

America drops the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Bombing of Nagasaki

Aug 9, 1945

The second atomic bomb dropped on to Japan, which caused around 200,000 casualties.

Japan Surrenders - End of War

Sep 2, 1945

After being bombed, Japan finally surrenders to the Allied Powers, which ends the war.