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Prewar Events: Invasion of Manchuria
Japan needed more raw materials since it's industries were growing. They invaded Manchuria, a Chinese province. -
Hitler becomes Chancellor
Hitler promised to help the economy of Germany and to build up the German military. In 1934, he increased the size of the German army, began building warships and created a German airforce. -
Invasion of Ethiopia
Italy invades Ethiopia, which is one of the only independent nations in Africa. Italy officially adds Ethiopia to the "Italian Empire" in 1936. -
Munich Conference
At the conference, the British prime minister tried appeasing Hitler so Britain could avoid future conflict. He promised Hitler more land and territory -
Kristallnacht
Also known as the Night of Broken Glass, Nazis in Germany burned down synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools, and businesses. This was meant to get rid of the "Jewish problem" in Germany. -
Non-Aggression Pact
Hitler and Stalin created the Non-Aggression Pact. It eliminated danger of a Soviet invasion from the east. -
Invasion of Poland
Germany invades Poland by using Blitzkrieg, which is a fast, concentrated land and air attack. The Nazis imprisoned and murdered Jewish citizens. The Soviet forces join the attack and Stalin seizes Eastern Poland for the Soviet Union. -
Invasion of France
The Germans surround British and French forces near Dunkirk, France. The Allies lost the battle and 300,000 British and French soldiers were forced to evacuate Dunkirk. The Germans made their way into France. -
Battle of Britain
Hitler ordered bomb raids on Great Britain, increasing the intensity. The German airforce, Luftwaffe, attacked Britain night after night. Churchill refused a peace settlement. -
Stalingrad
Hitler changed his mind about giving parts of Europe to the Soviet Union and invaded U.S.S.R. The scorched-earth policy hurt the Germans, and after 6 months, the Soviets defeat the Germans. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese invaded areas of French Indochina. Soon, Japan attacks the U.S. naval fleet in Hawaii. 8 battleships and 300 planes were destroyed. There were 2,403 American casualties On December 8th, Congress declares war on Japan. -
Bataan Death March
The U.S. surrendered on the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon. 75,000 American and Filipino troops were forced to walk 65 miles to prison camps. -
Battle of Midway
This battle was between the U.S. and Japan, 6 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. won, and destroyed Japan's hope of neutralizing the United States. -
Normany Invasion (D-Day)
156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France's Normany region. D-Day is also known as Operation Overlord. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was the last German push and it occured in the winter of 1944. The Allies suffered high casualties, but turned the German amry away. The Allies suffered 82,000 deaths, while Germany suffered 100,000. -
Yalta Conference
The Allies held many conferences to discuss what will happen to Germany. They eventually decided that Germany will be divided and occupied by Allied troops. -
Iwo Jima and Okinawa
The U.S. used a strategy called Island Hopping to capture some Japanese islands. Some islands were skipped and left without supplies. -
V-E Day
V-E Day was a rush towards Berlin with the Germans fading fast. The Americans and the Soviets met in the German capital of Berlin. Hitler committed suicide in his secret bunker 2 days before April 30. It was a huge victory in Europe, and the Allies' attention soon turned to Japan. -
Atomic Bombing of Japan.
The U.S. dropped bombs on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagaski. There were 120,000 Japanese dead immediately. -
V-J Day
The Japanese surrenders on August 14, 1945, a couple of days after the atomic bombings. Japan was put under control of General Douglas McArthur.
