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Hitler elected
Video of a Hitler speech Hitler's democratic election in March 1933 was one of the first steps to war in Europe. Hitler almost immediately passed laws that attacked the fragile democracy in the Weimar Republic and began leading the country on a path towards recovery from the Treaty of Versailles. This would very quickly bring fascist Germany in conflict with democratic nations in Western Europe. -
Germany annexes Austria
In March 1938, Austrians voted to join the Nazi German country. This was part of "Anschluss," an idea that all German-speaking people should be unified within one country for the benefit of all Germans. This was a significant step on the march to war in Europe because it demonstrated Hitler's desire for "lebensraum," or growing room, for the German people, and showed Europe how expansionistic Hitler really was. -
Germany's invasion of Poland
Hitler invaded Poland on this day in 1939, which caused the Allies to officially declare war and begin WWII. A Polish doctor wrote of the invasion, "The town is crowded with Germans... The police curfew is from 10 P.M. until 5:30 A.M. The restrictions applying to Jewish shops change from day to day. Sometimes the Jews are allowed to open their shops, and sometimes they are not. It seems that most of the orders are aimed at the Jews." -
FDR and Churchill sign the Atlantic Charter
FDR and Churchill signed the Atlantic Charter in 1941, which defined the two countries' goals for World War II (similar to Wilson's 14 points). The Charter served to help explain why the Allies opposed the Axis powers, and talked about the rights of nations and human rights. Full text of the Atlantic Charter. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
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Battle of the Bulge
This was one of the last German offenses in World War II. It took the Allies completely by surprise, and occurred in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. At first the Germans were successful, which is why the battle is so named -- it caused the front lines to "bulge" inward as the Germans advanced. However, the Allies ultimately won the battle, all but ensuring Nazi defeat. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
The United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on this date. It was the first time an atomic bomb had been used in combat; about 70-80,000 people died in the initial blast and firestorm, while another 70,000 were injured. America's motives for the use of the bomb are debated; it may have been to avoid a costly ground invasion, or it may have been to demonstrate the bomb's power to the USSR. Video of the bomb dropping.
