WW2 Notes

Great Depression begins

Sep 4, 1929

Began on September 4, 1929. Was caused by the stock market crash.Lots of people lost jobs and money became useless.

Japan conquers Manchuria in northern China

Sep 19, 1931

Was conqured on September 19, 1931. Japan forces marched into and took control of Manchuria.

Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany

Jan 30, 1933

He becomes Chancellor on January 30th, 1933. Is leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party or NAZI party.

Roosevelt first elected president

Mar 4, 1933

Elected March 4th, 1933 as the president of the United States. Elected during the great depression.

Nuremberg Laws

Sep 15, 1935

Written September 15th, 1935. Marriages between Jews and citizens are forbidden. Jews are forbidden to display the Reich and national flag or the national colors.

Hitler & Mussolini form the Rome-Berlin Axis

Nov 1, 1936

Formed axis on November 1, 1936

Germany invades Austria (

Jan 1, 1938

• Happened in 1938

Germany & Soviet Union have a nonaggression pact

Aug 9, 1939

• Happened august 1939

Germany invades Poland

Sep 1, 1939

• Invaded on september 1, 1939
• Start of WW2

Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and France

Apr 3, 1940

• Happened april 1940
• France not invaded until june 1940

German air force (Luftwaffe) bombs London and other civilian targets in the Battle of Britain

Aug 28, 1940

• Happened on the summer and fall of 1940

Japan joins the Axis Powers

Sep 27, 1940

Joins in Septemner 27, 1940.

Lend-Lease Act

Mar 11, 1941

• Signed March 11th, 1941
• Was the principal means for providing U.S. military aid to foreign nations during World War II
• Britain, the Soviet Union, China, Brazil, and many other countries received weapons under this law.

Germany invades the Soviet Union

Jun 7, 1941

• Invaded June 1941
• Inflicted heavy damage until December 1941

Tuskegee Airmen

Jun 20, 1941

A group of African-American pilots who fought in World War II.
Formed after june 20, 1941.

Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

• Japs bombed U.S. naval base, Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941
• About 2,400 people died in total

Manhattan Project

Jan 1, 1942

• Made up in 1942
• Was a top-secret program to build an atomic bomb
• It took 3 years to construct

Bataan Death March (

Apr 9, 1942

• Happened April 9, 1942
• 2,500–10,000 Filipino and 100-650 American prisoners of war died

Battle of Midway

Jun 16, 1942

• Happened June 1942
• Was THE turning point in the war

German forces surrender at Stalingrad

Sep 16, 1942

• Attacked on September 1942

Guadalcanal

Nov 12, 1942

• Happened November 12-15, 1942
• Was a four day naval battle

D-Day

Jun 6, 1944

• Happened June 6, 1944
• 5,000 ships carrying 150,000 soldiers attacked

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

• Happened in December 1944
• 120,000 german casualties and 80,000 american casualties

Yalta Conference

Feb 7, 1945

• Happened February 1945
• Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin planned to end the war and the future of Europe

Iwo Jima

Feb 16, 1945

• Invaded in February 1945
• U.S. planted flag atop Mount Suribachi to signal victory
• More than 18,000 Americans died and more than 120,000 Japs died

Okinawa

Apr 6, 1945

• Invaded April 1945
• More than 18,000 Americans died and more than 120,000 Japs died

Roosevelt dies, Truman becomes president

Apr 16, 1945

• Died in April 1945
• Harry Truman succeeded him and continued the war effort.

Formation of the united nations

Apr 25, 1945

April 25, 1945-50 nation met in san Francisco to discuss new peacekeeping organization to replace the weak and ineffective league of nations.June 26,1945- all 50 nations ratified the charter, creating a new international peacekeeping body known as the untied nations.Unlike the league of nations, the united states is a member of the united nations.President Roosevelt had urged Americans not to turn their backs on the world again.

Allied forces advance on Berlin, Germany surrenders

Apr 28, 1945

• Germany surrendered late April 1945
• Hitler killed himself on April 30, 1945
• 6 million Jews were killed
• About 11 million killed total

Potsdam Conference

Jul 17, 1945

July 17-August 2,1945. Allies held the Potsdam conference to plan the wars end. Decided top officials was made to put Nazi war criminals on trials

Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Aug 6, 1945

• Bombed Hiroshima in August 6, 1945.
• Bombed Nagasaki in August 9
• American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer built the bomb

Japanese officials sign an official letter of surrender on the U.S.S. Missouri, ending World War II

Sep 2, 1945

• Met on September 2, 1945
• Met on the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo bay
• Ended WWII

Nuremburg trials

Nov 20, 1945

November 20,1945-October 1,1946.24 defendants, including some of Hitler’s top officials. Hermann goring- creator and head of gestapo (secret police). Charged with crimes against humanity. 19 found guilty, 12 sentenced to death. People are responsible for the actions, even in wartime

Marshall plan

Jan 1, 1948

Congress approved secretary of state George marshals plan to help boost European economies. The U.S. gave more than $13 billion to help the nations of Europe get back on their feet