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Mussolini Seizes Power
Mussolini brought Fascists into Rome from all over Italy. The important buildings were taken over throughout Rome. Mussolini demanded the resignation of the government and to put a fasicst government into play instead. In an effort to avoid civil war, the King summoned Mussolini and he declared him Prime Minister. -
Stalin Coming to Power Following Lenin's Death
Stalin outmaneuvered his rivals for control of the Bolshevik party once Vlademir Lenin died. Once in power, he had potential enemies executed or sent to forced labor camps. He collectivized farming and became Allies with the US and Britain during WWII -
Japan Invades Manchuria
The Japanese controlled the Manchurian railway and claimed that Chinese soldiers has sabotaged the railway. In turn, Japan attacked the Chinese army. By February of 1932, Japan had conquered all of Manchuria and thousands of Chinese were left dead. -
FDR Elected to his First Term as US President
FDR was elected President at a time when 13,000,000 people were unemployed and almost every bank was closed. In his first 100 days, he proposed a program that was put into play in order to bring relief to the unemployed and to those who were in danger of losing their homes. In time, the nation started to achieve some forms of recovery. -
Hitler is Elected Chancellor
Adolf Hitler is appointed Chancellor of Germany after long fighting with the President of Germany, von Hindenburg. Adolf Hitler took the reins of the German Democratic Republic at a time of economic standstill during the Great Depression. He helped Germany during this time and brought faith back into the lives of the German people. -
Italy Conquers Ethiopia
In order to divert attention away from stressful affairs in Italy, Mussolini went to war with Ethiopia. He also thought Ethiopia would be a good way to expand the Italian population due to increasing numbers. Ethiopia was a prime source because it was still a free country unlike the rest of Africa that was owned by Britain and France. Mussolini felt that he needed to keep up with the rapid power groth of the rest of the major European Powers. -
Hitler takes the Rhineland
Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles by sending German military forces into the Rhineland to remilitarize. This was Hitler's first illegal act in foreign relations since coming into power. No European Powers did anything about this direct violation. -
Japan Invades Mainland China
China was split between Communism and Nationalism which made them vaunerable. Japan needed resources from China so they saw the vaunerability and took advantage of it. Throughout time all of Northern China was taken over by the Japanese. -
Hitler Annexes Austria
German troops marched into Austria to annex the nation for the third Reich. Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian Government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. The Chancellor of Austria found out about the conspiracy and met with Adolf Hitler who convinced the Chancellor to name several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. The Chancellor resigned and the Nazis took over. -
Munich Conference
The leaders of Great Britain, France, and Italy agreed to allow Germany to annex the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia.Hitler wanted this area because many were of German orgin. At the conference it was determined that all areas with a population of more than 50% Sudeten German would be returned to Germany. -
Hitler adds Sudetenland
The Sudetenland was obtained by Germany after the Munich Conference. Germany obtained many natural resources by receiving the Sudetenland. Adding the Sudetenland to Germany helped avoid bloodshed for the timebeing -
Hitler Conquers Remainder of Czechoslovakia
Hitler told the European leaders that the Sudetenland would be the last of his territorial advances but he wanted to obtain all of Czechoslovakia due to its stratregic importance. The Nazis inside Czechoslovakia caused political unrest and made Nazism seem very appealing to the Czechs. Over time, Czechoslovakia was taken over the same way the other countries were. In order to hold off war a little bit longer. -
Invasion of Poland
After the initial invasion, the Polish army was defeated in a matter of weeks. The Germans led the attack with over 2,000 tanks and over 1,000 planes. They broke through the Polish defenses and advanded on Warsaw. After heavy shelling and bombing, Warsaw surrendered on September 27, 1939. -
Britain and France Declare War on Germany
Britain and France declare war after the German invasion of Poland.Tons of anti-Nazi Propaganda is used throughout Britain and France in order to take away support from the Nazis once war is declared. The US stayed neutral at this point in time. -
Soviets seize Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
Nazi Germany created a pact with the soviets that handed over Estonia Latvia and Lithuania to Stalin. At the outbreak of the war, Estonia declared itself neutral, but Moscow forcd them to sign a mutual assistance pact. Due to Russian dominance over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, The inhabitants of these countries found Nazi Germany as their Liberators. -
Hitler conquers Denmark and Norway
Germany invaded Norway and within hours of the invasion the German Minster in Oslo demanded Norway to surrender. Norway refused and continued to fight alongside Britain but the British troops had to retreat to France which led to a German victory. The Denmark army could not fight off the German army as well. -
Hitler Invades Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France
Hitler sent his troops into Belgium and the Netherlands, completely disrespecting their neutrality. His excuse was that the Begiiuans and Dutch had been conducting military taleks with the Western Powers and that Germany had to take power in these countries in order to maintain their neutrality. The Germans bombed the towns even after they surrendered due to late communication. -
France Surrenders to Germany
Paris fell to the Germans and Italians, therefore the Prime Minister announced to the public that he would be signing an armistice with the Nazis. The Nation was divided into a German and Vichy (Italian) state which caused the French citizens to suffer.
