WWII Timeline

By ereed23
  • WWI Ends

    WWI Ends
    After Germany's surrender, all nations agreed to stop fighting and negotiate peace. After the signing treaty of Versailles, the war was formally ended.
  • Treaty of Versailles

    Treaty of Versailles
    Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Russia signed this treaty to formally end the Great War. This was an agreement between Germany and the Allied Nations.
  • League of Nations Founded

    League of Nations Founded
    Founded in response to the Treaty of Versailles in hopes to prevent the repetition of the horrible war. This was rejected by the League of Nations.
  • U.S. stock market crash

    U.S. stock market crash
    In 1929, the US economy rapidly expanded, helping to accelerate the Great Depression. Nearly half of American banks failed and unemployment reached over 15 million people.
  • Japan Invades Manchuria

    Japan Invades Manchuria
    The Japanese attack on China in response to claims against Chinese soldiers. China did not fight back, because they knew Japan was simply searching for a reason for war.
  • Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany

    Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany
    Paul von Hindenburg named Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi party, chancellor of Germany. His charismatic speaking skills brought his rise and under his rule, Nazi/Communist representation in the Government was won.
  • German Occupation of the Rhineland

    German Occupation of the Rhineland
    The occupying armies included American, Belgian, British, and French forces. Under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was banned from all territory near the Rhine, but they broke the treaty.
  • Rome- Berlin Axis

    Rome- Berlin Axis
    An agreement between Germany and Italy formally linking the two fascist countries. This was later formalized with the Pact of Steel.
  • Rape of Nanking

    Rape of Nanking
    Over a six week period, Japanese Armies brutally raped, tortured, and massacred thousands of Chinese women and children.
  • Winter War

    Winter War
    After the Soviet invasion of Finland, Finland saw Germany as a potential ally in gaining back its lost territory. German troops were allowed on Finnish territory in preparation for French invasion.
  • Nazi-soviet Pact

    Nazi-soviet Pact
    A shocking pact signed at the start of World War II promising no military action between Italy and Germany. This changed the course of the war by preventing war on Italy from extremely powerful Germany.
  • German invasion of Poland

    German invasion of Poland
    Germany invaded Poland with no fear of Soviet intervention. The Polish were brutally defeated within only a few weeks of invasion.
  • Great Britain and France Declare war

    Great Britain and France Declare war
    Two days after German Invasion of Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany. This event spread the involvement of the Great war and brought more offensive strategies against Germany, such as French invasion of Germany's Western border.
  • Fall of France

    Fall of France
    German forces invaded areas of France pushing British and French forces back toward the sea. Six weeks after German invasion, France signed an armistice and ended the war.
  • Atlantic charter

    Atlantic charter
    America and Great Britain issued a joint agreement setting out a vision for the post-war world. Later, 26 Allied Nations agreed and signed this treaty for support.
  • Pearl Harbor Attack

    Pearl Harbor Attack
    Surprise military strike by Japanese Navy against the United States, killing more than 2,300 Americans. This attack served to surprise Americans and give Japan a chance to conquer over seas territories.
  • Battle Of Midway

    Battle Of Midway
    The U.S. Navy defeated a Japanese attack on Midway. This marked a turning point in the war by showing that Japan's powerful Navy can be defeated, and will.
  • Battle of Stalingrad

    Battle of Stalingrad
    Successful Soviet defense in the city of Stalingrad. This stopped Germany from advancing farther into Russia and marked a turning point in the war in favor of the Allies
  • Invasion of Sicily

    Invasion of Sicily
    Allied powers invade Sicily. This lasted 38 years and until America and Britain finally drove Germany and Italy's troops out of the city.
  • Tehran Conference

    Tehran Conference
    This was the first time that the "Big Three" met; America, Britain, and Russia. They met with hopes of setting the direction of the war into Europe.
  • Battle of the bulge

    Battle of the bulge
    Germans launched the last major offensive of the war on this day. This was an attempt to push the Allied front line West toward Belgium.
  • Normandy Invasion

    Normandy Invasion
    Often referred to as "D-Day", when almost 200 thousand troops from multiple countries landed on France's coasts. This was a combined air, naval, and land assault.
  • Yalta Conference

    Yalta Conference
    Second wartime meeting between Italy, Great Britain, and America in hopes to demand Germany's surrender and plan for the post-war world.
  • Germany Surrenders

    Germany Surrenders
    In Spring of 1945, the Soviets were pushing the lines of German Berlin from the East and Allies were pushing from the West. Knowing that defeat was imminent, Hitler committed suicide and Karl Donitz surrendered the Nazi party.
  • Nuclear Attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

    Nuclear Attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
    Air strikes were dropped in hope to force Japan into surrender. After the first strikes devastation was not sufficient enough, another was dropped on Nagasaki and Japan was forced into surrender. These ended the war and prevented further devastation for both sides.
  • Japanese Surrender

    Japanese Surrender
    Likely due to the devastation brought by the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. The united stated immediately accepted this surrender.
  • Munich conference

    Munich conference
    Leaders of Italy, Germany, Great Britain, and France met to allow Germany annexation rights to certain parts of Czechoslovakia. This conference was an attempt at appeasement for Germany.