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First Nazi Concentration Camp
The Third Reich's first concentration camp, Dachau, was built in Oranienburg on this day. The camp was meant to hold 5,000 political prisoners that were a threat to state security. The site also held SS Officer training grounds and offices. The prisoners in the camp worked to expand the camp. -
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is Signed
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed on this day. The signing of the pact shocked the world. It was an advancement in Hitler preparing for war as the pact was one of non-aggression between Germany and The Soviet Union. This meant that Hitler would not be fighting a war on two of Germany’s borders. -
Germany Invades Poland
Hitler invaded Poland to annex The Free City of Danzig. Danzig was in Poland, but was a free state. Danzig was Primarily occupied by Germans. Hitler wanted Danzig in order to use it’s harbor as Germany was landlocked after the Treaty of Versailles. The invasion was the first hostile act of WWII. -
Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand Declare War on Germany
Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declaring war on Germany was the first escalation of Germany’s hostility towards European countries to a global level. Germany then stood to fight a war with 4 countries, but only one with a border to defend (France). This declaration of war was the beginning of WWII. -
United States Signs Lend-Lease Act
Roosevelt signing the Lend-Lease Act was the beginning of the U.S. becoming involved in the war. The act was to aid allies in fighting the war by manufacturing and sending supplies to them. The Lend-Lease Act was the end of the United States pretense of neutrality regarding the war and was the first step in the U.S. becoming involved. -
Germany Invades the Soviet Union
Hitler intended to invade The Soviet Union as early as 1925. The reasoning behind this was that he believed that the Germans would need the land to the east of them and the raw materials contained within the land. The Soviets shared mutual hostility towards one another and differing ideologies, but even still they retained a strong economic relationship with the Soviets supplying Germany with raw materials such as wheat and oil in exchange for machinery and military equipment. -
Germans Surrender at Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most important battles of WWII and one of the bloodiest with estimated casualties between 1,200,000 and 1,798,619. The Battle of Stalingrad was Germany’s attempt at gaining control of The Soviet Union. The Battle lasted for about five months. Germany’s surrender at the battle was the first major blow to Germany in a war where they kept the constant edge over their opposition. -
D-Day Invasion at Normandy
The United States led the Allies to invade Normandy from overhead and at the coast. Normandy is in France but at the time the region that it is in was in German control. Within less than a month the Allies had landed one million troops at Normandy. Once the Allies took France from German control they gained a new front to fight the war on, giving them an edge over Germany. -
Yalta Conference
(February 4th, 1945-February 11t, 1945) President Franklin, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin all met in Yalta to discuss how to govern post-war Europe. The leaders all had differing political interests for the meeting but agreed that their primary objective was the surrender of Nazi Germany. The Yalta Conference set up an infrastructure and plan to carry out in Europe once the fighting was over. It was one of the first signs of the war in Europe beginning to end. -
V-E Day (Germany Surrenders)
Although The Battle of Berlin ended nearly a week earlier, V-E day was the official acceptance of Nazi Germany’s surrender. V-E Day marked the end of WWII in Europe.