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Period: to
WWII
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Nuclear Fission
Nuclear fission is discovered by German scientists. This discover is what leads to the atomic bomb. -
Action T4
The Germans begin gassing the physically and mentally disabled. This action is called T4. Over two years between 200,000 and 250,000 people are killed. -
WWII Begins
Germany invades Poland. WWII begins. This will begin a long, devestating war spanning over 6 years. Many nations of the world join the fight. The war streched from Europe to Africa, all the way to Japan. -
Enigma Machine Captured
The first German enigma coding machine is captured by the British. -
Britain Studies Nuclear Weapons
Britain begins studying the feasibility of nuclear weapons. -
National Defense Research Comittee Founded
Roosevelt founds the National Defense Research Comittee. This is the group that studied the feasibilty of nuclear weapons. -
German Blitz on London Begins
The German blitz on London begins. This is also known as "The Battle of the Beams". -
MIT Radiation Labrotory Opens
The MIT Radiation Labrotory opens to study radio waves. They use Britain's magnetron technology to help them. -
Germans Firebomb London
Germans firebomb London over December 29th and 30th. This is the most destructive bombing in the war. -
Britain Reports Nuclear Bomb Possible
Britain sends a report to America. This report was sent over the summer of 1941. It stated that nuclear bombs were a viable weapon. -
Auschwitz Begins
Auschwitz begins gassing their prisoners. This is the beggining of one of the six death camps in Poland. -
Britain Expands Nuclear Research
Britain creates a new wing in their Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. It is called Tube Alloys. Tube Alloys is the group that studies nuclear development in Britain. -
U.S. Begins Their Nuclear Bomb Program
The U.S. begin a crash-course project to create an atomic bomb. This project is code-named Manhattan Project. It is the largest research project in America up to that date. British and Canadian scientists are transferred to the project, which will end up costing over $2,000,000 and employing over 100,000 people. -
Pearl Harbor
Tora! Tora! Tora! The Japanese Imperial Navy attacks the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor. Luckily none of the carriers were in Pearl Harbor that day. It is a day that will forever live in infamy. On December 8th America declares war on Japan. -
Japanese Air Attacks
Japanese aircraft sink the Brtish ships Prince of Wales and Repulse. These attacks spur the development of anti-aircraft guns. This is a very important technology. It helps protect ships from torpedo-bombers and cities from air raids. -
Germany Abandons Nuclear Project
Hitler abondons his quest for atomic weapons. He declares physics a "Jewish science" due in part to the large number of Jewish physicists that wee now in exile. The Allies are unaware of this abandonment and continue their research. -
Battle of Midway
American Admiral Chester Nimitz led a considerable force to Midway Island. His fleet included three aircraft carriers. Of those three (the Yorktown, the Hornet, and the Enterprise) only the Yorktown was lost. Over 5,000 Japanese soldiers were killed. After the battle the Japanese threat to the Eastern Pacific was over. -
Atomic Pile Goes Critical
In Chicago an atomic pile assembled by Enrico Fermi and Arthur Compton of the Manhattan Project goes critical. This is a very important breakthrough. It proves that a reaction can create energy and produce the new element plutonium. -
D-Day
On June 6, 1944 Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy. It is the largest invasion in history. The invasion was led by Dwight D. Eisenhower and had an invasion force of over 200,000 men. The worst fighting was on Omaha beach. -
Hiroshima
The atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima. Later another is dropped on Nagasaki. These two cities are utterly destroyed. This forces Japan into an unconditional surrender.
