Download World-War-II-Timeline

World War II Timelines
Events Leading to WWII
1931: Japan invades Manchuria (NE China) for land and resources
1933: Hitler takes power in Germany (Chancellor, then President)
1935: Italy invades Ethiopia for revenge
1937: Japan invades China for resources (Nanking Massacre)
1939: Germany invades Poland (WWII starts in Europe)
1940: U.S. begins “Lend Lease” program; sends 50 destroyers to Great Britain
Germany defeats France; attacks Great Britain by air.
1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. U.S. enters WWII
Main EUROPEAN Theater Events
1941-42: Battle of the Atlantic (U.S. & G.B. vs. Germany)
1941-43: Battle for North Africa (Germany & Italy vs. U.S. & G.B.)
1941- 1945: Battle for Russia (Germany vs. Russia)
1943- 45: Invasion & battle for Italy (Germany & Italy vs. U.S. & G.B.)
Italy quits Axis and joins the allies (AGAIN—1943) Reason? Loss of Public support for the war and
Mussolini (ousted July 25)
June 6, 1944: D-Day Invasion of European Continent (Eisenhower leads the Allied forces in the invasion of
Normandy, France (U.S., France, G.B., Canada, Poland vs. Germany)
December 1944- January 16, 1945: Battle of the Bulge (U.S. & G.B. vs. Germany)- The last attempt by
Germany to attack and push allies back out of Western Europe, ends in German defeat.
Spring 1945 (last battles)
Eastern Front: Russia vs. Germany
Western Front: Allies vs. Germany
European War ends May 7, 1945 (V-E Day- May 8, 1945)
Main PACIFIC Theater Events
1937: Japan invades China (Nanking Massacre)
1940-1942: Japan defeats G.B., France, Dutch, U.S. in Southeast Asia
December 7, 1941: Japan attacks U.S. at Pearl Harbor, Philippines, Guan and Wake Island.
December 8, 1941: U.S. declares war on Axis Powers
1942: Battle of Coral Sea- stopped Japanese advance on Austrlia.
June 4-7, 1942: Battle of Midway- turning poing in the Pacific
August 1942: Battle of Guadalcanal- Allied forces (in a series of land, sea and air battles) stopped the
Japanese.
1944-1945: Battle for Philippine Island and Battle of Leyte Gulf (U.S. vs. Japan) First Kamikaze attacks and
this battle resulted in Japan’s loss of most of its remaining naval power.
Kamikaze attacks: Japanese suicide planes that crashed into Allied ships.
Allied strategy of island hoping began in 1943 and sought to neutralize Japanese strongholds with air and
sea power and then move on.
February 1945- Iwo Jima (Japan vs. U.S.)- over 99% of Japanese dead
April 1945- Okinawa (Japan vs. U.S.)- over 85% of Japanese dead
August 1945- Atomic Bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki- Pacific war ends.
Nazi Holocaust
1933: Hitler takes power. First concentration camp built: Dachau
1935: Jews lose German citizenship
1938: Jews must sell businesses
Kristallnacht- Night of Broken Glass- The attacks left the streets covered with broken glass from the
windows of Jewish-owned stores, buildings, and synagogues (over 1,000 burned down). 91 Jews were
killed and over 30,000 were arrested and put in concentration camps.
1942: “Final Solution” begins
1942- 1945: Six Death camps built (all in Poland)
1944: U.S. begins accepting European Jewish refugees.
1945: Allies liberate concentration camps
1945-46: Nuremberg Trails