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Japan's invasion of China
Japan, eager for the natural resources in China, invaded and occupied Manchuria. Using their Manchurian base, Japan went on to take control of all of North China. -
Germany invasion of Poland
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. The Polish army was defeated within weeks of the invasion. German units attacked with more than 2,000 tanks and 1,000 planes and broke through Polish defenses near the border. Warsaw surrendered to Germany on September 27, 1939. -
Battle of Britain
Attack on Britain by the German Air force, the Luftwaffe, that desroyed much of London but was unsuccessful at taking breaking British moral. -
Tripartite Pact
The Axis powers were formed when Germany, Italy, and Japan become allies with the signing of the Tripartite Pact in Berlin. This Pact provided assistance if any of the members suffered an attack by any nation not already involved in the war. -
Lend-Lease Act
U.S Act created to provide supplies to allied countries during the war. -
D-Day
Americasn forces stormed Normandy Beach and took control of the French coastline from the Nazi's -
Germany takes Leningrad
Nazi blckade of modern day St. Petersburg, then a center of industrial output for russia -
Bombing of Pearl Harbour
Japanese fighter planes attacked the American navay base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii.President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan the next morning. -
Formation of the U.N.
Group that was set up between 51 nations in an effort to ensure peace in future years -
Wannsee Conference
Meeting of senior officials of Nazi Germany, held in the Berlin concering plans for Jews of German-occupied Europe to be deported to Poland and exterminated. -
Battle of Midway
The most important naval battle of World War II. U.S carriers fended off a Japanese ambush and renderd their Navy useless -
German Blitzkrieg on russia
Hitler's planned "lightning war" against the Soviet Union that failed. -
Mao Zedong
Founder of Communism and of The People's Republic of China -
Yalta Conference
Meeting held in Yalta amongst the big three for the purpose of discussing Europe's post-war plans -
Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Two small islands that the U.S captured in order to invade Japan -
Hitler's Suicide
After realizing the war is lost, Hitler and his wife kill themselves. -
VE Day
Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender marked the end of World War II in Europe. -
Potsdam Conference
A meeting in Potsdam, Germany, near Berlin, where the "Big Three" leaders met during the last days of World War II. President Truman, Stalin, and Prime Minister Churchill and Atlee discussed post-war arrangements in Europe. -
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
An American B-29 bomber dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. The explosion wiped out 90 percent of the city and instantly killed 80,000 people leading to an end to the Great War. -
VJ DaY
The name givent to the day that Japan surrendured, Ending WWII. -
Truman Doctrine
President Truman's speech that stated the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent them from being taken over by communism. -
Marshall Plan
Plan enacted to provide recovery aid to Europe after the war -
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization- member states agree to defend in response to an attack by any external party. -
Korean War
The result of the division of Korea by an agreement of the Allies at the end of World War II. -
Stalin's death; khrushchev
Joseph stalin, leader of the U.S.S.R dies Nikita Khrushchevtake control. -
Warsaw Pact
The treaty formed amongst eight communist states of Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. -
Vietnam War
War based of the spread of communism. -
Sputnik
Russian made satellite that beat the U.S by sending the first satellite into space and led to the begining of the Space Race. -
Bay of Pigs
A failed military invasion of Cuba by the CIA in an effort to overthrow Fidel Castro -
Berlin Wall
wall created to divide Eastern communist Germany from western Germany. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
nuclear stand-off between U.S and the Soviet Union backed communist Cuba. -
Mikhail Gorbachev
Last undisputed leader the Soviet Union -
Soviet Union Falls
the dissolution of the Soviet Union was finalized as russia signed over independence of the twelve republics of the Soviet Union.
