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Period: to
World War II
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United States Enacts Draft Bill
Registration of all men between 21 and 35. Limit of 900,000 men in time of peace. -
Destroyers for Bases Deal
U.S. transfers 50 old destroyers to Britain in exchange for use of eight British-Atlantic bases. -
Lend-Lease Act
U.S. would lend military equipment to cash strapped Britain. -
Atlantic Charter
FDR and Churchill agree to war-aims, self determination and condemnation of Naziism. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
361 Japanese warplanes attack American airfields and shipyards, disabling 19 ships, destroying 200 planes, and killing over 2300 men. Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Malaya, Philippines soon fall to Japan. -
Declaration of War
Congress approves entry into war. Germany and Italy declare war on U.S. -
Battle of Coral Sea
Carrier-based U.S. planes halt Japanese advance on Australia. -
Guadalcanal
Americans take first island in start of island-hopping strategy. -
D-Day
Allies use 4600 ships to invade German-held France. Suffering heavy casualites, the Allies were able to retake Paris in August. -
Tokyo Bombing Raids
Tokyo Bombing Raids -
Okinawa
Fighting from caves and bunkers, Japanese inflict 80,000 losses on Americans. Over 30 American ships are sunk by Japanese suicide missions -
V-E Day
German government issues unconditional surrender to Allied forces. -
Gen. MacArthur retakes Philippines
After Manila's fall to Americans in May, Japanese surrender here after inflicting 60,000 American casualties. -
Hiroshima
180,000 killed, wounded, or missing after atomic bomb is dropped. Two days later Soviet Union enters war against Japan. -
Nagasaki
Second bomb is dropped after Japanese delay surrender. 80,000 killed or missing -
V-J Day
Japan surrenders with one term: the emperor must retain his throne.