WWII Aggression Timeline

By raylgheeheehee

  • Japan Begins its Invasion of Manchuria

    Britain's representative at the League of Nations commented "I do not think there is the slighest prospect of any war." The League condemned this act of agression but was unable to take any action against Japan.

  • Germany First Openly Violates the Treaty of Versailles

    Britain and France are shocked and anxious, are reluctant to take action. Again, the League of Nations is powerless.

  • Italy Begins its Invasion of Ethiopia

    The Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie II, calls to the League of Nations for help. Of course, the League has little real power and does nothing more than verbally condemn Italy.

  • The Rome-Berlin Axis is Formed by Germany and Italy

    This agreement between Germany and Italy caused the other European nations fear of a totalitarian coalition.

  • Japan Launches its Full-Scale Invasion of China

    Beginning Japanese victories later become stalemates as the Chinese gain ground. When the U.S. joins WWII, Japan is forces to fight a two-front war.

  • Anschluss: Germany Annexes Austria

    Although this takeover was peaceful and a voluntary decision of the German and Austrian peoples, Britain and France become uneasy as Germany gains more territory.

  • Germany Occupies the Czech Sudetenland

    Per terms of the Munich Agreement, Germany is allowed to take over the Sudetenland in northern and western Czechoslovakia.

  • Italy Invades and Annexes Albania

    Britain and France again decide to appease.

  • Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact is Announced in Moscow

    Germany and the Soviet Union promise not to attack each other, and secretly divide Poland up among themselves.

  • Germany Invades Poland From the West

    Britain and France are done appeasing Germany and declare war on Germany.

  • Soviet Union Invades Poland from the East

    Communists gain territory in Eastern Europe. The Allies are too occupied with Germany to care much.

  • Germany and the U.S.S.R. Divide Poland

    As part of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, Germany and the U.S.S.R. peacefully divide Poland.

  • The Soviet Union Invades Finland

    In contrast to the Baltic States, which all fell very quickly to the Germans, the U.S.S.R. had to send a million troops to conquer Finland.

  • Germany Invades Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg

    As part of the Schleiffen Plan, Germany invades France through the Low Countries.

  • Italy Declares War on Britain and France

    Motivated by Germany's recent victories, Italy joins the war.

  • Germans Enter Paris

    The Germans take Paris and establish Vichy France.

  • Japan Joins the Rome-Berlin Axis

    Through the Tripartite Pact, Japan allies itself with Germany and Italy.

  • Germany Attacks the U.S.S.R.

    Germany violates the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and invades the U.S.S.R. as part of Operation Barbarossa.

  • Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbor

    As retaliation to the trade embargoes imposed on Japan by the U.S, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, HI.

  • Japan Occupies Much of Southeast Asia

    Japan creates a Pacific Empire by taking one million square miles of land.