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Adolf Hitler's rise to power
Joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party and won the people of Germany by being a powerful public speaker and organizer -> became leader. Prommised the people he would bring Germany out of chaos. -
Mein Kampf
Hitler's book on the basic beliefs of Nazism. German Fascism based on extreme nationalism. Wanted to enforce racial purification since Germans that were blue-eyed, blond hair ( Aryans) were the master race.
Get rid of Inferiors - Jews, Slavs, and all nonwhites
National Expansion was Germany's need for more living space. -
Benito Mussolini's fascist Gov in Italy
Establishes a totalitarian regime in Italy that produced unemployment and inflation which creatd sometimes communist led strikes. Mussolini responded to Middle and Upper class cries for help to fight back these strikes. He got the support of his people by playin on fear of economic collapse and communism. Established Fascist party in 1921 that placed intersts of the state above individuals. Marched to Rome with "Black Shirts" and was given rule after the army backed him up.Became Il Duce -
Joseph Stalin's totalitarian government in the Soviet Union
Took control after Lenin died. Russia experienced a civil war ending in a communist state.
Focused on agricultural and industrial growth
Abolished privately owned farms and replaced them with collectives which were large gov owned farms worked by families
Five year plans - rural to industrial nation. Economic activity placed under state management. Eliminated everyone that threatened his power. Repsonsible for 8 to 13 million deaths and more due to famine. -
Japanese Invasion of MAnchuria
Militarists of Japan believed in Hitler's belief of having more living space. Launched a suprise attack and took control of Manchuria inChina. Had tons of natural resources. League of Nations condemned Japan for its acts and Japan quit LoN -
StormTroopers
Due to Great Depression more than 6 mil people were unemployed. Germany relied on American loans to support economy. Unemployed joined Hitler's private army the Storm Troopers/ Brown Shirts -
Third Reich
Hitler appointed chancellor and quickly gets rid of democratic Weimar Rep. Establishes the Third Reich - Third German Empire
suppose to last a thousand years. -
Hitler's Military buildup in Germany.
Pulls Germany out of LoN to and began rebuilding the military. Violated the Treaty of VErsailles. Hitler sends troops to the Rhineland and remilitarized it, another violation of Treaty of Versailles. -
Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia
Begins building new Roman empire. Targest ethiopia one of the few independent African countries. Leauge responds with ineffective economic boycott. Did nothing and ethiopia fell to Italy. -
Hitler invades the Rhineland
Hitler sends troops to the Rhineland and remilitarized it, another violation of Treaty of Versailles. borders France and Belgium -
Rome-Berlin Axis
Hitler and Mussolini support FF and forge a close relationship between the 2 dictators and signed a formal alliance. -
Francisco Franco
Spanish officers led by FF rebel against Spanish republic all over spain beginning the Spanish civil war.inspires 3k Americans to make Abraham Lincoln Battalion to fight against Franco. An act to stop Fascism.Hitler and Mussolini back FF with troops, weapons, tanks, and fighter planes. Franco wins after 500000 lives lost. Becomes a fascist dictator. -
Hitler's Annschluss
Hitler targest Austria as his first target. German troops march into Austria with no opposition since Austria wanted unification as well. Announced Anschluss/union with Austria a day after. -
Munich Agreement
Hitler invites French premier Edouard Daladier and British PM Neville Chamberlain to Munich. Hitler says Sudentenland is his last territorial demand. DAL and CHAM want to avoid war with Germany so they say ok and sign Munich Agreement -
Nonagression Pact
Hitler begins to prepare for invasion of Pland when Stalin signs a nonagression pact with hitler. 2v1 against Poland. Agree to never attack eachother. Signa second secret agreement that agrees to divide Poland between eachother. -
Blitzkrieg
Germany's newest military strategy which was called lightning war. Used the advancement of militray tech like tanks and powerful aircraft to take enemy by suprise and then quickly crush opposityion. -
Britian and France declare war on Germany
France and britain cannot stand by anymore after Hitler broke the Munich Agreement. WW2 starts -
Phony War
French + British troops station along the Maginot Line. It was a system of fortifications along France's Eastern border. Both sides waited for eachother and nothing happen. Germany had its own line the Siegfried Line. Sitzkrieg -
Hitler's Invasion on Denmark and Norway
suprise invasion to protect those countries freedom and independence. True intent was to build bases along the coasts to fight Britain. -
Hitler's invasion of the Netherlands
Hitler attacks the Netherlands along with Belgium and Luxembourg ending the Phony war. -
Germany and Italy's invasion of France
Hitler sends tanks through the Ardennes to avoid British and French troops. The German offensive trapped 400k British and French soldiers which fled to the English Channel. Italy invaded France from the South and Germany on the north. June 22 Hitler gave the surrender terms to fRench officials -
Marshal Philippe Petain
AFter surrender agreement is made NAzis set up a Nazi controlled puppet gov in France headed by MPP. who would set up Vichy. French General, Charles de Gaulle, sets up govinexile in England -
Battle of Britain
Germans assemble an invasion on French coast along with a air war at the same time. Luffwaffe begain making air runs ofver Britain. Hitler had 2600 planes to use and had bombing runs everyday for two months. targeted airfields and aircraft; and then it targeted cities and civilians. RAF fought back using radar to track German flight paths and shot 185 planes in a single night. Forces Hitler to call off the invasion -
Pearl Harbor Attack
Roosevelt sends out war warning after US intercepts Japanese communication codes that it will prepare for a strike. Japan refuses US peace propsitions. Japanese warplanes fly low to avoid detection and bombed the US aircraft carriers without any trouble. Killed 2400 Americans and injured 1200. Sunk 21 ships, 8 battleships, and 300 aircraft. Only 3 Aircraft carriers survived. -
Battle of the Atlantic
Hitler orders submarine raids on American ships on the EAst coast. Goal was to prevent food and war materials from reaching Britain and Russia. Allies responded to German wolf packs with convoys after Germans destroyed 700 ships -
Operation Torch
An invasion of Axis controlled North aFrica led by Dwight D. Eisenhower. 107k Allied troops land in Casablance, Oran, And algiers in NA.Attacked the Afrika Korps led by General ErwinRommel. Surrendered in My 1943. -
Battle of Stalingrad
1941- Germans in Nov had to reatreat due to bitter cold. waited til spring to bring tanks in.
1942- Hitler hopes to capture Oil fields and Stalingrad which was a major industrial center on the Volga river.
Stalingrad was in flames when Germany was done with it. Stalin orders army to defend his city no matter the cost. Germans took Stalingrad house by house, had 9/10s of the city. Winter sets in and Soviet begin counterattack by suurrounding the City. Soviets win losing 1.1 mil soldiers. Turninpt -
US Convoy System
US sets up convoy system to protect cargo ships heading to Russia and britain. Convoys were led by battleships that had sonar to detect submarines underwater and Airplanes with improved radar to destroy Uboats. Karl Doenitz who was the Commander of the U boats had to stop since more Uboats were being destroyed than made. US then launch crash shipbuilding program to make liberty ships. -
Unconditional Surrender
Roosevelt, Churchill, And their commanders meet in Casablanca to discuss Unconditional surrender. Would only accept unconditional surrender of Axis powers in which enemy nations would accept whatever terms of peace the ALlies made. -
Bloody Anzio
Hitler wants to stop Alles in Italy so they dont fight in Germany. Lasted 4 months 25k Ally casualties 30k Axis casualties. -
D-Day
Eisenhower planned to attack Normandy with 3 million British, French, and American troops. Tricked Germans by giving them false information that they were going to attack a French port of Calais in which Hitler set up a large army at Calais. 3 divisions parachuted in whilke thousands of soldiers came in on beaches. GEn Bradley provided a gap in German line allowing GEn Patton and his 3rd army to advance to Paris. Helped elect Roosevelt for a fourth term. -
Battle of the Bulge
8 German tank divisions broke through American defenses hoping to break up American and British forces witha a victory. German tanks went out 60 mi into Allied territory and the SS killed prisoners in the open. When the battle was over the Germans were pushed back resulitng in nothing being gained. Germans lost 120000 troops, 600 tanks, and 1,600 planes that could not be replaced -
Harry S. Truman
Roosevelt has a stroke on April 12, 1945 allowing Truman to become the 33rd president -
Death of Hitler
Hitler marries Eva Braun and writes a will. Blames the jews for starting the war and his generals for losing the war. Thanks the soldiers for fighting for him
Shoots himself while his wife swallows poison. Both bodies burned. -
VE Day
General Eisenhower accpets the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich resulting in Victory in Europe day ending war in Europe.
