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Japanese Invasion of Manchuria
Japan broke the rules of the League of Nations by attacking Manchuria without declaring war. The reason was to take Manchuria's natural resources since Japan didn't have much. -
Hitler was Appointed Chancellor
Hitler was appointed Chancellor by President Hinderburg. -
Nanking Massacre
Aka the Rape of Nanjing, Japanese imperial soldiers killed thousands of people in the Chinese city of Nanjing. This lasted six weeks. -
Munich Conference
A meeting between Germany, France, Italy, and Great Britain that gave Germany permission to take Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia. -
Kristallnacht
Aka the Night of Broken Glass, is when the Nazis vandalized and torched Jewish businesses, homes, and synagogues. -
Non-aggression Pact was Signed
Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union shocked the world by creating a nonaggression pact promising no military action against each other for 10 years. -
Germany Invades Poland/Blitzkrieg
Germany invaded Poland to recover lost land with the Soviet Union joining in sixteen days later. The two countries split Poland once it was defeated. -
Selective Training & Service Act is Passed
This act made it a law that men ages 21-45 must register for the draft. If they were drafted they'd have to serve for one year at least. -
Fall of Paris
Nazi Germany took control of Paris for the next 4 years. -
Dunkirk
An evacuation of the Ally troops saving many lives. -
The Blitz
"The Blitz" comes from the German word "Blitzkrieg" which was a large scale attack invented by Germany. -
Operation Barbarossa
Aka Operation Fritz, Germany discarded their pact with the Soviet Union and tried to attack them. However, the winter proved to be too harsh resulting in Hitler's first defeat of the war. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan launches a surprise attack on the U.S intending to stop them from interfering with their planned military actions. -
Bataan Death March
60,000-80,000 American and Filipino war prisoners were forced to march around 66 miles to San Fernando. -
Battle of Midway
Six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, a naval battle took place on the Pacific Ocean. American codebreakers were able to intercept the Japanese messages resulting in a victory. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Soviet Union stopped Germany and their allies from taking their city, Stalingrad, now known as Volgograd. -
D-Day
The Allied forces took back France from the Nazis. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Germans intended to stop the Allies from using a Belgian port and force them to negotiate a peace treaty. The Germans lost. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
American forces took over the Japanese Island of Iwo Jima. Not only was it necessary war strategy but a symbolic capture of their homeland. -
Battle of Okinawa
This was the last major battle of WW2. It was fought between Japan and the U.S. -
Hitler's suicide
April 30th, Hitler commits suicide in his underground bunker. -
VE Day
VE Day marks the victory in Europe and the surrender of German armed forces. -
VJ Day
VJ Day symbolizes the victory over Japan and the end of the war.