Download World History - 20th Century - Teacher Copy

Name: ___________________
Mr. Wiley
The 20th Century: The Bloodiest Hundred Years of World History
Year
1900
WORLD EVENTS
Germany
1888-1918
KAISER
WILHLEM
Russia
China
1901-1909
THEODORE
ROOSEVELT
1894- 1917
CZAR
NICHOLAS II
1913-1921
WOODROW
WILSON
1910
1914-1918
WORLD WAR I
1930
1929-1939
GREAT DEPRESSION
1936-39
SPANISH CIVIL WAR
1940
1917-1924
LENIN
1917
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
1920
USA
1939-1945
WORLD WAR II
1933-1945
HITLER
1949
CHINA’S REVOLUTION
1950-1953
KOREAN WAR
1950
1933-1945
FRANKLIN D.
ROOSEVELT
1924-1953
STALIN
1949-1976
MAO
1945-1953
HARRY
TRUMAN
1955-1964
KHRUSHCHEV
1960
1945-1991
COLD WAR
(US vs Soviet Russia)
1962-72
VIETNAM WAR
1961-1963
J.F. KENNEDY
1969-1974
NIXON
1970
1973-present
ABORTION is LEGALIZED in
the UNITED STATES
1980
1985-1991
GORBACHEV
1990
2000
Sept 11, 2001
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
1981-1989
RONALD
REAGAN
World History Project
My Country is…
_______________________________________________
For the entire semester, this is your country. As we study the 20th century, you should be taking notes on and
researching this country. At times, you will be asked, “What would you do at this moment…”. At other times
you will gather with your “ally” countries to discuss a situation. But you must stay in part. You must ask
yourself, what would my country do?
Assignment
Toward the end of the semester, each student will present a summary of their country’s involvement in the
history we’ve studied. I’ll provide more details on the assignment and how it will be marked later.
Homework
For now, try to find the following answers.
1. Today, the population of my country is ________________________.
2. The capital city is ___________________ and this many people live there: _____________________.
3. Today, the leader of my country is ___________________________________; in World War I, it was
________________________________________ and in World War II, it was
_______________________________________.
4. Three things I’ve learned about my country are:
5. Here is my attempt at drawing my country’s flag:
Events Leading Up to the 20th Century
Map of Europe 1853
1.
Find the following:
- Britain
- France
- Spain
- Portugal
-
Russia
Austria
Germany
Italy
-
Greece
Who or what is an
Ottoman Empire?
Important Things to Know
Karl Marx
Communism
Prussia
Ottoman Empire
Imperialism
Colonizing
A four hundred year old Islamic State in the Middle East
Timeline of World History Leading up to the 20th Century
1776

The United States of America gains independence from the British Empire
1815

The Napoleonic War finally comes to an end. From 1815 until the end of WWI,
England can be considered to be the most powerful country in the world.
1821

Mexico gains independence from Spain
1829

Greece gains independence from the Ottoman Empire
1833

Britain abolishes slaver y in the British Empire.
1837

Queen Victoria takes the throne of England (Britain). She rules as monarch of
England until her death in 1901. For that reason, her reign is often called the
“Victorian Age”.
1847

Freed American slaves found the tiny country of Liberia on the west coast of Africa.
1848

Karl Marx publishes Communist Manifesto. Karl
Marx promoted Socialism/Communism which is the
idea that the workers should unite together and
over-throw their governments in a revolution. Once
the workers were in control, Marx said they should
abolish the rich and Christianity.
1853

Crimea War. Russia invades land claimed by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). As a
result, Britain and France form an alliance with Turkey to defeat Russia. The war is a
disastrous failure for Russia.
1854

Japan opens its borders to foreigners. After having closed itself off from the rest of
the world for over 200 years, Japan opens its borders to America. This marks the
beginning of Japanese industrialization. By the 1890s, Japan had rapidly westernized
and industrialized and was as powerful as any western empire.
1867

Canada becomes a country

Austria-Hungarian Empire is formed: The two powerful empires of Austria and
Hungary, under the reign of Franz Joseph, join together.
1869

Opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt
1870

Italy becomes a country

Franco-Prussian War (1870-1): In 1870, Germany, as a country, did not yet exist.
There were many smaller, still powerful, states within the region. This war is the two
year war between France and Prussian, the most powerful of the German states.
1871

Germany wins the Franco-Prussian War. After the war, neither France nor Germany
trusted the other.

Germany becomes a country. The result of the Franco-Prussian war was the
unification of the German states.
1878

The Ottoman Empire is growing weaker and its control of the Balkan Peninsula is
collapsing. As a result, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Romania all gain their
independence.
1882

Triple-Alliance: Germany did not trust France so she formed an alliance with AustriaHungary and Italy. They all agreed that if any one of the three members were
attacked, the other two would help fight.
1884

The Berlin Conferences (1884-5): During these meetings in Berlin, Germany, the
European Empires laid out plans on how they would colonize Africa (colonize is
when one country settles and controls a distant region). While the conference was
specifically about Africa, it sparked a “New Imperialism”, which sent the nations of
Europe across the globe searching for new regions to colonize. It resulted in the
colonizing of most of Africa and Asia. It also increased the rivalries between the
nations of Europe.
-
The Scramble for Africa: By 1914, the countries of Europe had taken control of the
entire African continent (with the exception of tiny Liberia and the ancient
Kingdom of Ethiopia).
-
o
France claims Morocco in 1830; Algeria in 1847; and Tunisia in 1881;
o
Britain claims Egypt as a “protectorate” in 1882;
o
Germany claims east Africa in 1884
o
Belgium takes control of the Congo in 1885;
o
Britain occupies Sudan in 1899;
o
Italy conquered Libya in 1911
Colonization of Asia
o
Britain took control of Hong Kong in 1842; India in 1857;
o
France colonized Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos around 1862;
o
Russia, by 1870, took control of most of the land we recognize as Russia
today;
o
Germany and Britain took possession of many Pacific Islands in the 1880s;
o
United States gained control of the Philippines in 1898;
o
By 1914, England, France, Russia, Germany and Japan held parts of China.
1886

Karl Benz produces the first automobile (car) in Germany.
1887

Discovery of radio waves

Serbia gains its independence from the Ottoman Empire in a violent revolution.
Eventually Serbia hopes to gain control over the entire Balkan Peninsula.
1888

Wilhelm II becomes Kaiser of Germany
1889

Adolf Hitler is born in a small town in Austria.
1893

Mao Tse-tung (Zedong), who would become the Communist leader of China, is born.
He holds the ugly distinction of being the world’s worst mass murderer (Stalin is
second and Hitler is third).
1894
1898

Czar Nicholas II comes to the throne in Russia. He reigns until 1917.

France forms an alliance with Russia

Japan and China go to war

Spanish-American War: Spain is utterly humiliated in its loses to the U.S. In fact,
Spain loses the battle to defend Cuba, its largest colony, in a battle that lasts less than
an hour. Spain also loses control of the Philippines.
History of the World – World War I
Map of Europe in 1914
Name: _________________________
th
European Geography – 20 Century
1.
Geography World War I
Neatly Label the following countries:
a. Britain
g. Russia
b. Spain
h. Germany
c. Portugal
i. Poland
d. France
j. Austria-Hungary
e. Belgium
k. Ottoman Empire
f. Netherlands
l. Greece
(Holland)
m. Serbia
n.
o.
p.
q.
Bulgaria
Romania
Italy
Algeria (French
Africa)
2. Colour the following countries:
a. Britain
b. France
c. Russia
d. Germany
e. Austria-Hungary
f. Ottoman Empire
3. Label the following capital cities
a. London
b. Berlin
g. Moscow
c. Sarajevo
d. Paris
h. Constantinople
e. Vienna
f. Rome
4. Label the following:
a. Mediterranean
Sea
b. Atlantic Ocean
Things to Know about World War I
World War I
1914-1918
Triple Entente
Triple Alliance
Balkan
Peninsula
Balkan Wars
Emperor Franz
Joseph
Last Emperor of Austria-Hungary (1848-1916)
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand and
Duchess Sophia
Maria
Kaiser Wilhelm
II
Czar Nicholas II
Vladimir Lenin
Russian
Revolution
Treaty of
Versailles
Last Kaiser (Emperor) of Germany (1888-1918)
Last Czar (Emperor) of Russia (1894-1918)
Leader of the Bolshekiv Revolution in Russia, 1917
Premier of Soviet Russia (1917-1924)
World War One Timeline
1901

Queen Victoria of England dies.
1903

First movie is released.

Wright brothers make the first successful air flight
1904

Russia and Japan go to war.
1905

Russia surrenders land to the Japanese after suffering several embarrassing loses.
1906

Kellogg’s starts selling corn flakes.
1907

An Alliance called the Triple Entente [Ahn-tahnt]: England, France and Russia is
formed. Their alliance is a result of Germany’s Triple Alliance with Italy and AustriaHungary.
1908

Ford releases the first model-T
1909

Plastic is invented
1911

Turkish-Italy War: Italy defeats the once powerful Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
-
1912
This is the first time aircraft are used in war

Titanic sinks.

Balkan Wars: From 1912-13 there are two wars fought over the Ottoman Empire’s land
on the Balkan Peninsula. In the first Balkan War, 1912, the Ottomans Empire loses to
an alliance between Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro.

Both Russia and Austria-Hungary watch this war carefully, because both would like
to expand their empires into the Balkans.
1913

In the second Balkan War, Bulgaria attacks Serbia and Greece and is defeated after
Romania intervenes and Ottoman Empire recaptures a small area of land in Bulgaria.
STOP: View WWI PowerPoint
1914

On June 28th, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the AustrianHungarian Empire, and his wife are assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia (Balkan
Peninsula) by Serbian terrorists. It is likely that the government of Serbia helped
with the murders.

July 28th: Austria-Hungary, suspecting Serbia’s involvement in the murders, declares
war on Serbia. (Remember the Triple-Alliance?)

July 29th: Russia, who feared that Austria-Hungary would take away her land in the
Balkans, ordered its army to prepare for battle.

Germany, Austria’s ally, warns Russia to stop amassing troops on the Russia/German
border. Russia ignores the warning.

On August 1st, Germany declares war on Russia and two days later declares war on
Russia’s ally, France.

On Aug 3rd, Germany attacks France by sending troops through the small neutral
nation of Belgium.

On Aug 4th, Britain, Belgium’s ally and the most powerful country in the world,
declares war on Germany. Since Canada was part of the British Empire, Canada was
at war, too.

Thus begins World War I: Germany and Austria-Hungary versus Britain, France and
Russia.

Later in August, Japan, responding to an offer of land from Britain, declares war on
Germany.

WWI: Trench Warfare: Germany’s attack on France was not entirely successful. The
French quickly stop the German army’s progress and soon both sides settled in for a
long, drawn out, trench warfare.

In November, the Islamic Ottoman Empire abandons its neutrality and the Sultan
declares a Jihad (Holy War) against Great Britain, France and Russia.
1915

WWI: Italy stayed neutral at first. Italy did not rush to help her former allies in the
Triple Alliance. This gives Britain a chance to offer Italy enormous areas of land if
she joins the Triple Entente. Italy agrees. In April, Italy entered World War I, against
Germany, her former allies, and with France, Russia and England.

Then the Ottoman Empire joins with Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Christian Armenian genocide in Turkey (Ottoman Empire); as many as 1 million
Armenians were murdered by the Turks.

WWI: The British ship, the Lusitania, is sunk by a German submarine. (128
Americans were on board)

WWI: Battle of Ypres: The young nation of Canada supported the Allies with 630,000
Canadians (that means almost 1 in 10 Canadians at that time served their country in
war!) The Battle of Ypres (in France) was the first opportunity for the Canadian army
to prove themselves. Unfortunately, it was also the first time the Germans used
chemical weapons in war. The poison gas killed many of the young men. Many
French soldiers began to flee; however, the Canadians held their ground by breathing
through urine soaked clothes. From this battle, the Canadians gained a reputation
for bravery. (A soldier named John MacCrae, who fought and lost friends in Ypres,
afterwards wrote the poem, “In Flanders’ Fields”.)
1916
1917

WWI: Battle of the Verdun

WWI: Battle of the Somme

Margret Sanger open the first Planned Parenthood

Russian Revolution begins
-
In the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin and Trotsky, seize power
in a violent coup d’état. Russia is now called the Soviet Union (USSR).

WWI: Several American cargo ships are sunk by German submarines.

WWI: In Aug, USA declares war on Germany

WWI: The Battle of Cambrai: The English use the tank successfully for the first time.

WWI: Battle of Vimy Ridge: In the Battle of Vimy Ridge, 11,000 Canadians died
pushing the Germans back off a strategic ridge in France.

Our Lady of Fatima: Our Blessed Mother, Mary, appears to three children in Fatima,
Portugal and tells them that the war will end. However, she warns that if Russia were
not consecrated to her Immaculate Heart, it would cause war and persecution around
the world.
1918

WWI: The newly formed USSR signs a treaty with Germany and exits the war.

WWI: Huge numbers of American troops arrive in France which overwhelms the
exhausted German troops.

WWI: In October, the Ottoman Empire withdraws from the war.

WWI: In November, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire surrenders.

WWI: On November 9, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany, is forced to abdicate his throne
and a German Republic is declared.

WWI: Germany surrenders. The war ends at 11:00am, November 11, 1918. During the
years of war, nine million men were killed.
1919

Spanish Flu epidemic, which kills an estimated 20 million people in just two years.

USSR: Czar Nicholas II and his family are murdered by the Bolsheviks.

WWI: Treaty of Versailles: Representatives from all the victorious nations met in
France to work out a peace treaty.
-
Germany had to give land to France and colonies to England, France and Japan.
-
Austria-Hungary was split up into separate nations: Austria, Hungary,
Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.
-
The Ottoman Empire was
greatly reduced in size.
England, France and
Greece took control of the
rest of their land, which
was all in the Middle East.
-
The Versailles Treaty
blamed Germany for the
war. Thus, Germany had
to pay reparations (war
damages) for loss of land,
factories, farms, ships and
other things destroyed in
the war. This made the
German people very bitter.
STOP
1921

Allies impose an insurmountable debt on Germany to pay them for the damage they
caused during WWI.

Extreme inflation is Germany results in massive economic instability.
1922

Mussolini marches on Rome, Italy. He forms a Fascist government in Italy.
1923

Britain and France divide up the former Ottoman Empire.
1924

USSR: Revolutionary leader Lenin dies and Joseph Stalin becomes dictator. Stalin
rules through fear and terror.

1925

Germany: Hitler publishes his hateful book, Mein Kampf.
1926

Japan: Emperor Hirohito ascends to the throne in Japan. He remains emperor
throughout WWII until his death in 1989.

Lindbergh, a pilot, makes the first solo plane flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Germany: economy collapses, which results in massive unemployment and poverty
1928

Penicillin discovered
1929

Beginning of the Great Depression: Oct 29th, 1929, the Stock Market crashes

Russia: Stalin’s Five-Year Plan: In an attempt to modernize Russian factories and
1927
farms, Stalin makes huge changes to Russia which result in the deaths of millions.
1930

In India, Gandhi’s great march

Stalin, in Russia, begin collectivizing agriculture. Millions starve to death in Russian
Famine.
1931

Communists in Spain destroy about 100 churches and religious buildings.
1932

Scientists split the atom
1933

Germany: Hitler and his Nazi Party are elected.
-
Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.
-
Parliament gives Hitler absolute power
-
Hitler declares his Nazi government the Third Reich and promises it will last a for
a thousand years.
1934

Nazi terror begins
Great Terror begins in Russia. Between 1934-39, Stalin began to murder his
opponents.
1935
1936

Mao Zedong begins his Long March

Germany: The Nazis issue the Anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws.

Italy: Mussolini and his fascist government invade Ethiopia (north Africa)

Spanish Civil War (1936-39): Spain falls into anarchy. Revolutionaries, funded by
Stalin in Russia, attack and burn hundreds of churches, Catholic schools and religious
building across Spain. Many priests and opponents to the communists are murdered.
The Civil War Begins. General Franco attempts to stop the violence and in a military
coup d’état his takes control of the country.

Germany: The Nazis occupy the Rhineland which violates the Versailles Treaty.
England and France do nothing to stop his aggression.
-
1937
Italy and Germany form an alliance called the “Axis”

Japan Invades China

Spain: Spanish communists send all of Spain’s gold reserves, to Russia in exchange to
weapons. They continue to fight Franco for control of the country.
1938

The Catholic Church condemns the Nazi’s actions.

Germany: Hitler annexes (takes without a war) Austria. Next the Allies, Britain and
France, allow him to take part of Czechoslovakia. In a meeting with Britain and
France, Hitler promises that he will stop expanding the German borders. They
believe him.

The Nazi’s set fire to Jewish synagogues and confiscate Jewish property.

Under the Nazi government, the economy begins to rebuild. Unemployment was
solved as millions of Germans were drawn into military service and rebuilding
Germany’s artillery. By the end of 1938, Germany could be considered the most
powerful country in Europe.

Spain: Franco comes closer to defeating the communists in Spain.
1939

Hitler does not keep his promise, in March, Nazi soldiers march into Prague, the Czech
capital and take control of the entire country.

Hitler demands that Poland give him land. England and France promise to protect Poland if
Hitler invades.

In August, Hitler and Stalin (Russia) sign an agreement not to attack each other. They agreed
to split Poland in half.

World War II began early in the morning on September 1, 1939 when German tanks rolled
into Poland. This Nazi attack was called a blitzkrieg or “lightning war” because of the speed
in which it conquered using the air force and tanks. Two weeks later, the Soviet Army took
the eastern half of Poland.

WWII: On Sept 3, Britain and France declared war on Germany. However, these two nations
were totally unprepared for war and were unable to counterattack until almost a year later.

WWII: On Sept 9th, Canada declared war on Germany. (Again, as in WWI, Canada would
send a disproportionately large force to support Britain’s war efforts; in fact over a million
Canadians served their country – out of 11 million people).
1940

WWII: USSR: Russia invades Finland

The Catholic Church condemns the Soviet Union’s actions.

Spain: The Communists in Spain surrender to General Franco.

WWII: In April, Germany strikes another blitzkrieg and conquers Norway and Denmark.
Then in May, Hitler unleashes his war machine and conquers Belgium, Luxembourg and
Holland (the Netherlands). It takes Germany only five days to conquer Holland and eighteen
for Belgium.

WWII: Winston Churchill is elected prime minister of England. He tells the world that the
English people will fight: in France, on the seas, in the hills, in the fields and in the streets.
He says, “We shall never surrender.”

WWII: In June, Germany invades France from the north while Italy invades from the south.
France surrenders and the Nazi troops march into Paris. Hitler now has control of most of
western Europe.

WWII: United States, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland declare their neutrality.

WWII: The Battle of Britain: England is alone against the Axis powers. All that separates it
from the Nazi military machine is the 21 mile (34km) English Channel. Hitler’s assault on
England is called the Battle of Britain. From the air, hundreds of German bombers and
fighters attacked the cities. From the sea, German submarines blocked food and supplies
from reaching England. Even though the English were slowly starving, Churchill would never
surrender.

WWII: Nazi’s open the Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

WWII: Soviet Russia annexes Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

WWII: Japan joins with Germany and Italy in the “Axis” alliance.

WWII: Battle of Hong Kong: Japan captures Hong Kong (China) along with the many
Canadian soldiers who bravery defended it.
1941

WWII: In June, Hitler breaks his deal with Stalin and invades the Soviet Union.

WWII: The Siege of Leningrad: By Sept, the Nazi army had reached Leningrad, they
surrounded the massive city and laid siege. Over the next three years, a million Russians
would die from disease, starvation and Nazi bombs.

WWII: Hideki Tojo becomes prime minister of Japan
WWII: Pearl Harbour: On Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japanese war planes attack Pearl Harbour,
Hawaii, USA and destroy much of the Americans Pacific air force and navy. Japan thought this
would destroy America’s ability to fight. It didn’t. The Japanese awoke a sleeping giant. The next
day, the United States of America declared war on Japan. A few days later, Germany and Italy
declared war on the U.S.
The history also shows that Hirohito opposed going to war with the United States in the buildup to the Japanese
navy’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, saying that Japan had no chance of winning such a war,
according to Kyodo.
“It is nothing less than a self-destructive war,” Kyodo quoted the emperor as saying on July 31, 1941.
1942

The T-Shirt is first introduced

WWII: By New Years’ Day of 1942, twenty-six nations were at war against Germany, Italy and
Japan.

WWII: Japan invades the Philippines

WWII: Nazi leaders agree on the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question” with officially begins
the Holocaust. Millions of Jews will be murdered by the Nazi throughout the remaining three
years of the war.

WWII: Battle of Midway, Pacific Ocean: The United States quickly puts a stop to Japan’s plans
in a massive naval victory at the Island of Midway. The damage to Japan’s navy means that
Japan has no chance to win the war.

WWII: Battle of Stalingrad, Russia: Despite a very harsh Russian winter, the German troops
continued their advance deeper into Russia until they reached Stalingrad. In weeks, the city
was almost completely reduced to rubble. However, the Soviets held out. By early in 1943,
the Russians were able to defeat the Germans at Stalingrad. The Germans were forced to
retreat. Though the war was far from over, this marked a turning point for the Nazis on the
eastern front and a huge victory for the Russians.

WWII: Battle of Dieppe: the Allies, including many Canadians, attempt to land on the French
Coast of Dieppe in order to test Hitler’s “Fortress Europe”. The assault is a failure.

WWII: Manhattan Project: The United States government begins to secretly build an atomic
bomb.
1943

WWII: Allies capture the island of Sicily, Italy.

WWII: Death of Mussolini: The people of Italy had had enough with Mussolini and his fascist
government. A mob violently kills Mussolini and overthrows the fascist government.
Immediately after, Italy surrenders to the Allies.

WWII: Allies Invade Italy from the south: Even though the Italian government had joined the
Allies, there were still German soldiers in the country. Over the next year the allies, including
my grandfather (a Canadian), pushed the German army north.
1944

WWII: Rome, Italy: The allies finally make their way a liberate Rome from the Nazis. Crowds
cheer!

WWII: June 6, 1944 – D-Day: In one of the most elaborate plans in history, the Allies,
Americans, British and Canadians, land on the beaches of Normandy, France. (The
Canadians landed on a section called Juno Beach.) The landing is a success and marks the
beginning of the end for Germany.

WWII: Liberation of Holland: Allied troops, including Canadians, pushed the Nazis back into
Germany. The Allies were welcomed by the people of Holland as heroes.

WWII: Battle of the Bulge, Belgium: By the fall, it is clear that Germany will lose the war. In
the east, the Soviet Red Army is approaching and in the west, the Allies were on the German
border.The Nazis make one last attempt at victory. In December, the Germans surprised
attacked the Americans. The attack failed.
1945

WWII: In March, the Ally Troops cross the Rhine River into Germany. They are heading
straight for Berlin.

WWII: In April, the Soviet Troops approach Berlin.

WWII: On April 30th, Adolf Hitler kills himself

WWII: On May 2nd, Berlin falls to the Red Army.

WWII: On May 8th, 1945, Nazi Germany surrenders unconditionally. US declares the Victory
in Europe Day or “V.E. Day”.

WWII: The Ally soldiers discover the concentration camps, like Auschwitz, and the reality of
the horrors committed by the Nazis is uncovered. (Millions of people: Jews, Christians and
Gypsies were systematically murdered in gas chambers.)

WWII: Battle for the Pacific: While the war was over in Europe, the Japanese were still
fighting. Thousands of American soldiers were dying and hundreds of thousands of Japanese
soldiers and civilians were dying. However, despite the fact Japan’s army, navy and airforce
was almost totally destroyed, Japan would not surrender.

WWII: The Atomic Bomb: In July, the allies gave Japan one last chance to surrender or face
destruction. Japan refused. On August 6th, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the
city of Hiroshima. Instantly 80,000 people, mostly innocent civilians were killed and, from
the effects of the radiation, another 50,000 eventually perished. Three days later, another
atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. (50,000 dead) On August 15th, Emperor Hirohito
surrendered. World War II was finally over.

WWII: The destruction left by World War II cannot be exaggerated. Europe, Japan China and
Russia were in ruins. Tens of millions of people lost their lives. And the only two powers left
in the world were the United States and the Soviet Union.

After the war, the victorious countries hold meetings and form the United Nations. The goal
of the UN is to prevent war.
1946

First electronic computer is introduced

In Germany, the Nuremberg Trials begin. The Nazi war criminals will be charged for their
crimes by the German justice system.
1947

In Britain, Winston Churchill gives his “Iron Curtain” speech

Dead Sea scrolls discovered

USA: President Truman introduces the “Truman Doctrine” which sends funding to Greece
and Turkey to help them against USSR.

India and Pakistan are given independence from Britain.

Berlin Airlift

Gandhi assassinated

State of Israel founded

NATO established

China becomes a communist country

Soviet Russia develops its first Atomic bomb

Korean War begins

First Credit Card introduced
1951

Colour TVs are introduced
1952

Car seat belts are introduced

Elizabeth II, our monarch, becomes queen at the age of 25.
1953

Stalin dies
1955

MacDonald’s Corporation founded
1956

Suez Crisis in Egypt
1958

China’s communist leader, Mao Zedong, launches the “Great Leap Forward”. Millions perish
1948
1949
1950
as a result.
1961

Berlin Wall in Germany separates the city into two.
1962

Cuban Missile Crisis

First Walmart opens
1964

“Beatlemania” hits the USA
1965

USA sends troops to Vietnam
1966

In China, Mao Zedong, launches Cultural Revolution”
1968

US president, John F Kennedy, is assassinated
1969

Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon


1973

Row vs Wade legalizes abortion in the United States

USA pulls out of Vietnam



1978

John Paul II becomes pope.
1979

Ayatollah Khomeini Returns as Leader of Iran

Iran Takes American Hostages in Tehran

Mother Teresa Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
1980

Mr. Wiley is born
1986

Chernobyl nuclear disaster
1989

Berlin Wall falls

Students murdered in Tiananmen Square Massacre
1991

Collapse of the Soviet Union (Russia)
1998

India and Pakistan test nuclear bombs
2001

9/11 Terrorists crash airplanes into the US Twin Towers and the Pentagon
1936 Depression “Migrant Mother”