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WWI ends
Germany had a devastating loss. This loss became the catalyst to the rise of Nazi power and ultimately WWII. -
Signing of the Treaty of Versailles
The treaty was extremely damaging to Germany and put the nation under large financial stress. -
Hitler becomes leader of the Nazi party
Under Hitler, the Nazi party grew into a mass movement that later took over all german government. -
Germany joins the League of Nations
It solidified Germanies growing power, and at the same time weakened the league -
Wall Street Stock Market crash
The crash is what lead to America joining WWII. It caused a great depression and the fastest way to gain back financial stability was by winning a war. -
Germany leaves the League of Nations
Germany leaves the League of Nations to demonstrate their desire for their military rights to be restored -
Nazi Germany invade Czechoslovakia
German troops enter Czechoslovakia in order to take control of the Sudetenland which Hitler claimed as his. -
Nazi Germany Invade Poland
The Nazis invaded Poland - the event that would see the start of the Second World War as it forced allied countries into defensive action as Hitler directly violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact. -
Britain, France, New Zealand and Australia declare war on Germany
Two days after the Nazi invasion of Poland, allied countries declare war on Germany, marking the beginning of World War II -
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Germany Invasion of Denmark and Norway
Germany invades Denmark and Norway, resulting in a Germany control in these nations. -
Winston Takes Office
Winston Churchill takes office as leader of Britain -
Italy Becomes Axis Power
Italy joins Germany and Japan as one of an initial 3,Axis Power -
Battle of Britain
Series of airstrikes on Britain launched by Germany. July 1940-October 1940 -
Tripartite Pact
The Tripartite Pact, also knows as the Berlin Pact, cerated a defense alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan. The main purpose was to discourage the United States from entering the conflict. -
The United States declares war on Japan
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, president Franklin Roosevelt gave a speech to congress, requesting and recieving a declaration of war. Because of their prior alliance to Japan, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States in response and congress declared war on them right back. -
Operation Barbarossa
Hitler ordered a surprise attack onto the Soviet Union, breaking their nonaggression pact. German troops were unable to defeat the Soviet forces which was a crucial point in the war. -
General Hideki Tojo becomes Japanese prime minister
Hideki Tojo became prime minister when there were already plans formed to attack Pearl Harbor. He strongly believed that Japan should have a strong role in world affairs. Tojo led Japan until 1944. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japanese surprise attack US at a military base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The attack on Pearl Harbor shook Americans and sparked a fire. It gave Americans a reason to fight and reminded them of the significance of their own lives and freedom. The casualities were magnanimous, and soon, US launched counter nuclear attacks on Japan. -
Singapore falls to the Japanese
Britain realized the potential threat which Japan posed to her Empire in the Far East. Singapore's naval base and resources available were not enough to protect themselves and just two months after the Pacific War began, British Lieutenant-General Percival was forced to surrender 136,000 men in Singapore to the Japanese army. 25,000 prisoners were taken. -
Mass murder of Jewish people at Auschwitz begins
In the beginning of 1942 mass extermination of Jews in the gas chambers started. On March first Jewish deportation to Auschwitz of 69,000 Jews from France and 27,000 Jews from Slovakia commenced the concentration camps as well as Auschwitz II-Birkenau started functioning. -
American naval victory at Battle of Midway
The naval battle, fought almost entirely with aircraft, ended with the United States destroying Japan's first-line carrier strength and most of its best trained naval pilots. The Japanese motive was in hopes of avenging the bombing of the Japanese home islands two months earlier during the Tokyo Air Raid, finish off the US Pacific Fleet, and perhaps even invade and take Hawaii. -
Surrender at Stalingrad marks Germany's first major defeat.
The final group of Nazi troops under Marshal Friedrich Paulus finally surrendered on February 2, 1943. This was the first surrender by the Nazis since the war began. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was a meeting between President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchhill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. The "Big Three" used the meeting to establish what the fate of post-war Germany and the rest of Europe would be.
