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Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany
Joined a struggling group called the National Socialist German Worker's Party known as the Nazi Party where he proved to be a powerful speaker and quickly became leader. -
Mein Kampf
His book [My struggle] set forth the basic beliefs of Nazism that became the plan of action for the Nazi party. -
Benito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy
Employment and inflation produced bitter strikes. Fascism stressed nationalism and placed the interests of state above those of individuals. -
Joseph Stalin's totalitarion government
Created a model communist state and made agricultural and industrial growth the prime economic goals of the Soviet Union. Abolished all privately owned farms and replaced them with collectives- large government-owned farms. -
Japanese invasion of Manchuria
Nationalistic military leaders were trying to take control of the imperial government of Japan. Ignoring moderate protests of Japansese officials, militarists launched a surprise attack and seized control of Chinese province. -
Storm troopers
Men who were out of work and joined Hitler's private army -
Third Reich
Third German Empire that would be a 'Thousand-Year Reich' - it would last for a thousand years. -
Hitler's military build-up in Germany
Began a military buildup in violation of the Treaty of Versailles -
Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia
Tens of thousands of Italian soldiers stood ready to advance on Ethiopia while the League of Nations reacted with brave talk of 'collective resistance to all acts of unprovoked aggression'. -
Hitler invades the Rhineland
Sent troops to a German region bordering France and Belgium that was demilitarized as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. -
Francisco Franco
Led Spanish army officials to rebel against the Spanish republic. Spanish Civil War began. -
Hitler's Anschluss
Announced his union with Austria was complete. -
Munich Agreement
Agreement was signed which turned the Sudetenland over to Germany without a single shot being fired thus avoiding a war. -
Rome-Berlin Axis
An alliance that was formed between German and Italian dictators. -
Nonaggression pact
As tensions rose over Poland, Stalin signed with Hitler. Once enemies, fascist Germany and communist Russia committed to never attacking eachother. -
Blizkrieg
'Lightning war' made use of advances in military technology such as tanks and powerful aircraft to take the enemy by surprise and quickly crush them with overwhelming force. -
Britan and France declare war on Germany
Blitzkrieg tactics worked perfectly and World War II had begun. -
Phony War
The blitzkrieg gave way to what Germans called the sitzkrieg 'sitting war' and what some newspapers referred to as the phony war. -
Hitler's invasion of Denmark and Norway
Surprise invasion in order to 'protect those countries freedom and independence'. He actually planned to build bases against the coasts to strike at Great Britain. -
Hitler's invasion of the Netherlands
Hitler turned against the Netherlands and others ending the phony war. -
German and Italy's invasion of France
Hitler handed French offiicers his terms of surrender. Germans would occupy the northern part of France. -
Marshal Phillippe Petain
Nazi-controlled puppet government headed by Marshal would be set up at Vichy in southern France. -
The Battle of Britain
Goal was to gain control over skies by destroying Britains Royal Air Force. Hitler called off the invasion but civilians in both countries carried on. -
Pearl Harbor attack
Japanese dive-bomber swooped low over Pearl Harbor- the largest U.S. naval base in the Pacific. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Germans fighting in the Soviet Union. Despite staggering death toll, the Soviet victory marked a turning point in the war. From then the Soviet army began to more westward toward Germany. -
Battle of the Atlantic
Hitler ordered submarine raids against ships along America's east coast after Pear Harbor. Aim was to prevent food and war materials from reaching Great Britain and the Soviet Union. -
Operation Torch
The British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African Campaign of the Second World War. -
Unconditional surrender
Before the battle in the North Africa was won, Roosevelt, Churchill and their commanders met in Casablanca. Agreed to surrender of the Axis powers meaning enemy nations would have to accept whatever terms of peace the Allies dictated. -
U.S. convoy system
Group of ships traveling together for mutual protection as done in first world war. -
Bloody Anzio
An important battle of the Italian Campaign of World War II with the Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle against the German forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno. -
D-day
A name given to June 6, 1944- the day the Allies launched an invasion of the European mainland during WWII -
The battle of the bulge
Month long battle where the Allies succeeded in turning back the last major German offensive of the war. -
Death of Hitler
Blamed jews for starting the war and his generation for losing it. Shot himself while his wife drank poison to escape disgrace of capitulation. Soaked and lit on fire. -
V-E Day
'Victory in Europe Day' on which General Eisenhower's acceptance of the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany marked the end of WWII in Europe. -
Harry S. Truman
Nation's 33rd president
