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First concentration camp established
Dachau, The first Nazi concentration camp, was opened. -
Hitler denounces the Treaty of Versailles
Hitler announces that Germany will no longer follow the Treaty of Versailles -
Germany Reoccupies The Rhineland
German troops moved into the Rhineland (The demilitarized zone between Germany and France). The French were still unwilling to risk war and appeasement was urged. -
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Spanish Civil War
Hitler and Mussolini send army to aid the fascist general Francisco Franco, the republic collapsed, and Franco became Spain's dictator. -
Bombing of Guernica
Francisco Franco's German allies bombed the ancient Basque city of Guernica in Spain. -
Austria is absorbed into the Third Reich
Hitler sends army into Austria, going against the Treaty of Versailles -
Munich Conference
The British Prime Minister believed that giving into Hitler's demands would preserve peace. Britain and France agreed to let Hitler take Sudetenland. Czechs were not invited. -
Kristallnacht
Nazi Stormtroopers attacked Jewish homes, Businesses, and synagogues across Germany. Close to 100 jewish citizens were killed. -
Nonaggression pact between Nazis and Soviets
Stalin bargained with Adolf Hitler instead of joining Britain and France; Signed pact -
Adolf Hitler Invades Poland
Hitler sends his troops into Poland -
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Britain and France finally declare war after Hitler's invasion of Poland -
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The Sitzkrieg
French and British troops waited along the Maginot line for an attack, Germany never attacked, both armies just stared at each other. There were no major military operations on the Western Front during this time. -
Stalin sends troops to Poland
Stalin sent his army to occupy the eastern half of Poland. -
Invasion of Denmark and Norway
Hitler launched a surprise attack on Norway and Denmark, ending the Sitzkrieg. -
The Evacuation of Dunkirk
Great Britain sends out over 800 ships across the English Channel and into German Fire. Eventually motorboats, steamers, and fishing boats joined in. The boats carried 338,000 worn-out soldiers to safety. This rescue ended on the fourth of June, 1940. -
Hitler Invades the Soviet Union
The German army invaded the Soviet Union while it was unprepared. -
Hitler forces Leningrad under siege
The German forces cut Leningrad off from the rest of the Soviet Union and starved the city. Despite his efforts, Hitler eventually was defeated by the Soviets. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor damaging 8 battleships and killing 2300 people. -
U.S. declares war on Japan
After the bombing of pearl harbor President Roosevelt declared war on Japan, congress accepts his request. -
The beginning of the "Final Solution"
Jewish people were taken from concentration camps to extermination camps and over 6000 people were killed a day. -
The Battle of Midway
Japanese forces attacked Midway Island but were attacked by hidden American planes. The plan was a success and all planes, aircraft carriers, and one support ship were destroyed. The battle ended 3 days later on June 7th. -
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Battle of Guadalcanal
Thousands of U.S. marines with Australian support landed on Guadalcanal to seize it's airfield. -
D-Day
American,British, French, and Canadian troops fought onto a 60 mile beach in Normandy. The allies held the beach despite massive losses. -
First Liberation of a concentration camp.
The Soviets entered the Majdanek camp in poland and freed the prisoners. They later overran several other extermination camps. -
Liberation of Auschwitz
Soviet Forces free Auschwitz prisoners. -
Buchenwald is liberated
American forces liberate Buchenwald, a camp located near Weimar Germany, a few days after Nazis began to evacuate it. The US forces also liberated Dora-Mittelbau, Flossenbuerg, Dachau, and Mauthausen. -
Bergen-Belsen is liberated
British forces enter Bergen-Belsen and free the prisoners. The British also liberated Neuengamme. -
V-E day (Victory in Europe day)
The war in Europe ended, Hitler committed suicide, and the Nazis surrendered. -
Bombing of Hiroshima
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. -
The Bombing of Nagasaki
The United states dropped another atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki. over 70,000 people were killed instantly. -
Surrender of Japan
The Japanese retreated after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and losing 100,00 troops.
