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Japanese invasion of Manchuria
This was an attempt by the Japanese to gain control over the whole province in order to eventuallly encompass all of East Asia. This is said to be one of the causes of WWII. -
Hitler made Chancellor of Germany
The German people were looking for someone to lead their country and make changes, by what he said, he was the right choice. This later did not prove true but he sure made the German people listen to him. After he gained power Germany looked for power and land wherever they could find it. -
The Anschluss
Occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany. This was a part of Hitler's first major steps of gaining power. The Treaty of Versailles also stated that Germany and Austria were not supposed to be joined. -
Kristallnacht
This was a major attack on Jews throughout the German Reich. This is also known as the The Night of Broken Glass. Mob violence broke out as Natzi strom troopers along with members of the SS and Hitler Youth beat and murdered Jews, brutalized Jewish women and children and broke into and wrecked Jewish homes and buisnesses. The reaction outside of Germany was outrage. This was one of the first major steps of the persecution of the Jewish people. -
Invasion of Poland
This was the first military engagement in WWII otherwise known as the "spark" of the war. Hitler decided to invade Poland so there was a better chance of a french-Polish military alliance before Germany had a chance to get ready. -
Dunkirk
This battle, fought between the Allies and Germans was the first "real" battle after what was called th "Phoney War". One of ther German commanders after this battle called Hitler's failure to order a full-scale attack on the troops on Dunkirk his first fatal mistake of the war. This would only lead to Hitler's following mistakes and failure to win the war. -
Pearl Harbor
This was a very important day in the events of WWII. Before this day American had tried to stay isolated but the Japanese had been planning on attacking America. Pearl Harbor was the place for all naval vessels, battleships and airplanes. The Japanese managed to destroy most of this. Congress had no other option but to delclare war on Japan. -
Bataan Death March
Forced march of Americans and Fillipinos after they surrendered to the Japanese at the Bataan Peninsula. Killed 7,000-10,000 during the 65 mile march. This march took many lives and showed the Japanese were very serious about war and how they went about it. -
Battle of Midway
One of the most decisive battles fought in WWII. This effectively destroyed Japan's naval strength when the Americans destroyed four of its aircraft carriers. -
D-Day
This battle was fought between the Allies and Germans at Normandy. It still remains the largest seaboune invasion in history. This was a battle fought like none other. Dwight D. Eisenhower moved his army 100 miles across the English Channel and stormed the beaches. 9.000 Allied soldiers were dead or wounded but more than 100,000 had made it to shore and fought there. -
Battle of the Bulge
Major offensive campaign launched through the densly forested Ardennes region. It was the costliest balle for casualities for the U.S. This battle depleted Germany's war materials greatly. -
Yalta Conference
This was a conference held by three chief Allied leaders, President FDR, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. They ment to plan the final defeat and occupation of Nazi Germany. The main problem discussed was how to deal with the defeated or liberated countries of eastern Europe. This was an important event in the war becuase they agreed that the liberated nations of Europe would create democratic governments of their own choice and Germany would be divided into occupation zones. -
V E Day
This day marked the day of victory for the Allies. The surrender of Germany was signed at Rheims and ratifited at Berlin. -
Bombing of Hiroshima
On this day American bombers dropped the world's first deployed atomib bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. After 80,000 deaths, plus 40,000 more from another atomic bomb on Nagaski, Japan surrendered from the war. -
V J Day
In Tokyo Bay, the Japanese foreign minister and the chief of staff of the Japanese army signed the "instrument of surrender." Representing the Allied victor was the U.S. Army. This marked the end of the war between the Allies and Japan.
