-
Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev was born in 1931. He was the general secratary of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was also president of the USSR in 1990. Gorbachev advocated in democracy and his efforts contributed to the fall of the USSR. For his efforts, he recieved a Nobel Prize in peace. -
Japan's Invasion of China
Japan had always had interest in Chinese territory since they left the United Nations and even since the Mukden incident. Japan invaded China and occupied large amounts of territory in eastern China including Beijing. The invasion was also known as the Second Sino-Japanese War and resulted in many war atrocities and deaths. -
Germany Invades Poland
In agreement with Hitler's plan, Germany invated Poland after signing a non agression pact with the Soviet Union. The USSR and Germany planned on splitting up Poland after it was defeated. France and Britain later declared war on Germany partly due to the fact that Germany had signed a non-agression pact with Poland previously. -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was a decisive British Victory over the German forces that waged during the summer of 1940. The Battle of Britain was one of the first major battles fought entirely by air forces. The battle began with German intent to gain superiority over the Royal Air Force and destroy British aircraft factories. Because of German failure to achieve their goals, the Battle of Britain is considered a crucial turning point in the war.
The image shows a lookout scanning the sky for danger. -
Period: to
Battle of Britain
-
Tripartite Pact
The Tripartite Pact was an agreement signed that basically formed a mutual alliance between Japan, Italy, and Germany. The pact recognizerd that the contries would support each other against any force. -
Lend Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act was signed by FDR and declared that the president can help any nation who is willing to help the US. It also said that repayments were not necessarily in money but could be in property or any other means. -
German Blitzkrieg on Soviet Union
After the non-agression pact was violated, Germany attacked the Soviet Union with intent to get a solid victory. When the Red Army launched a devastating counter, Hitler realized that he would lose the war. Hitler's plan of defeating the Soviets quickly failed. -
Leningrad Blockade
The Leningrad Blockade, also known as the Siege of Leningrad was a operation that was one of the goals of the German Operation Barbarossa. Germany brutally destroyed Leningrad in such a way that only minimal supplies could enter the city. Many inhabitants starved and died of natural cause. The siege ended when Soviet forces forced the Germans to retreat. The siege lasted 872 days and took the lives of one million Soviets. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
THe bombing of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military attack on the US navel base located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japanese attacked to keep the US Pacific fleet from interfering with military plans. The Pearl Harbor base was attacked by 353 Japanese bombers and planes. Thousands of Americans were killed at the expense of only 65 Japanese. Because the attack was a surprise, it was a shock to America and led America directly into WWII. -
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of members of the Nazi Germany government that decided how the Jews should be dealt with. The conference gave birth to the "Final Solution". The Nazi's origionally planned on shipping the Jews to Africa but then they changed to move them into labor (concentration) camps. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a naval battle that took place at Midway Atoll during WWII. The Battle was against the United States and Japan. The Battle was a decisive American victory that helped prevent further expansion of the Japanese. It was also the first Japanese naval defeat in the war. -
D-Day
D-Day also known as Doomsday was the first day of the attacks on Normandy which were apart Operation Neptune. D-Day was used to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi occupation during the second world war. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was a metting in which the heads of government of the US, UK, and USSR discussed the reorganization of Europe after the war. The conference called for the division of Germany into 4 zones which the US, UK, France, and USSR would occupy. The conference also set up a commission to look into war reperations.
The conference lasted for 8 days. -
Battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa
The Battle of Iwo Jima was battle in which US forces captured the island of Iwo Jima from Japanese forces. The invasion was code named Operation Detachment -
Hitler's Suicide
While Hitler was in his Fuhrerbunker in Berlin, he committed suicide along with his wife by taking cyanide poison. However, accounts differ on his death some say he died of a self inflicted gunshot wound while chewing on cyanide. -
VE Day
VE day is also known as Victory in Europe Day. This was the day that Nazi Germany surrendered to the allies. While the war was not completely over (Japan) there was a ceasefire in Europe. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was a meeting between the head of states from the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States. The purpose of the conference was to determine a punishment for Nazi Germany. Later in the conference, the head of state from Nationalist China joined and outlined terms for Japanese Surrender,
The conference took place for 16 days
The image shows conference attendees. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
After the new scientifc discoveries made in science after the Modern period, the Manhatten Project resulted in the formation of atomic bombs with enormous amounts of energy. The world's first atomic bomb was dropped by the United States on the city of Hiroshima in Japan. Later, a second one was dropped on Nagasaki. -
VJ Day
VJ Day or Victory over Japan Day is the name for the day on which the Japanese surrendered. It was the same day fighting in WWII ended.
Aug 15 was the day when fighting stopped and Japan declared surrrender.
Sept. 2 was the day when the official surrender document was signed. -
Truman Doctrine is Declared
American President Harry S. Truman declared that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic countries under threat from authoritarian forces. The doctrine changed American foreign policy from the previous notion of withdrawal. -
Formation of the United Nations
The UN is an intergovernmental organization that was established to promote international cooperation. It is often claimed to replace the League of Nations. At the time it was formed the UN had over 50 members. The aim of the UN were to sustain world peace, make sure countries get along, and improve living conditions. FDR coined the name United Nations. It was declared in the Declaration of the United Nations. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was an American effort to aid European economies. The United States feared that after the war, the weak economies would create a unstable West Europe and lead to takeover by communist countries. The US gave about 17 billion dollars to the European economies. -
NATO
NATO was a defensive alliance that was established in 1949. The organization was created by the US, Canada, and western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. The Warsaw Pact was formed as a counter against NATO. -
Mao Zedong and People's Republic of China
Mao Zedong grew up in a farming family and became a Communist while working. He rose through the ranks and became the leader of the Chinese Communist Party of China. His group began to fight the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek. Mao later chased the Nationalists to the island of Taiwan. Mao renamed China to the People's Republic of China. -
Korean War
The Korean War was a conflict between Communist and non-Communist Korea at the end of WWII. Previously, like Vietnam, Korea was divided ain half by the 38th parallel into North Korea (Soviet) and South Korea (US). North Korea forces attacked South Korea leading to a bloody war. The war ends indecisivly with 2 sovereign countries with a DMZ. North Korea continued to be influenced by the Soviet Union and South Korea continued to gain American influence (like Cold War). -
Stalin's Death and Khrushchev
Joseph Stalin died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Stalin's death resulted in the promotion of Khrushchev to first secretary of the communist party. Stalin's death led to a temporary stall in Cold War tensions. Khrushchev denounced Stalin's policies and later created peace with the East and West after a summit between President Eisenhower and Khrushchev. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a defense treaty among 8 communist countries of Europe during the Cold War. Pact was the communist counter to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Pact lasted untill the end of the Cold War following the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and Soviet Union. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by USSR. China, and North Korea (pro-communist). South Korea was supported by the allies which included the US (pro-capitalist). This aggression was partially a result of the division of Vietnam along the 17th parallel previously. -
Sputnik
Sputnik 1 was the first satellite to be sent into space by any country. The Soviet Union launched it into orbit where its radio pulses were detectable all around the Earth. Sputnik caused fear among the Americans because it hinted the America was technologically behind, This triggered a Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.
The image shows a model of Sputnik 1. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was a bay located at the southern part of Cuba. The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed military invasion where hundreds of exiles invaded Cuba. The US intervened by financing their invasion. The invasion failed an resulted in the US exchanging $53 million dollars worth of food and medicine for 1,113 prisioners. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier that divided the city of Berlin so the East Germans could not go West. The wall was referred to as the "Iron Curtain" as it symbolized the physical boundary of the ideological conflict. Ronald Reagan gave his famous speech "Tear down this wall! Mr. Gorbachev" to challenge Gorbachev to destroy the wall. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union gave Cuba missiles to attack the US if needed. Cuba is located 90 miles from the American coast so the missiles could easily hit the US. In response, JFK blocaded Cuba to ensure no more missiles would be given by the USSR. -
Fall of Soviet Union
After a stagnant Soviet economy, criticism of Gorbachev's policies, and frustrated working class, the Soviet Union fell. The event that pushed the fall was the failed coup of 1991 when communists tried to remove Gorbachev from office. After 2 years, the Soviet Union dissolved.
