-
Germany Invades Poland
This was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a little bit of Slovak. This marked the start of World War II. The invasion began on September 1st, 1939 and ended October 6th, 1939. Germany and the Soviet Union divided Poland after defeating Poland. -
Period: to
World War Two
-
Peace Demonstration
Thousands of people of all faiths, attending the county fair, joined in a peace demonstration as Great Britain declared war on Nazi Germany. -
Defense Program
Industrial leaders met with public officials to plan mobilization of Pittsburgh district resources for the nation's $5,000,000,000 defense program. -
France Surrenders to Germany
The battle that led to the surrender consisted of two main operations. The first operation was Fall Gelb (Case Yellow). German units pushed through Ardennes to cut off and surround the Allied units that had entered Belgium. The British and French soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk in Operation Dynamo. In the second operation, Fall Rot (Case Red), happened on June 5, when German forces went around the Maginot Line to attack French territory. -
Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military attack run by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. This happened inn the morning on December 7, 1941. The next day the United States declared war on Japan. -
Pittsburgh Volunteers
More than 1200 Pittsburgh young men volunteered for enlistment in the armed services in one day. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign. This happened between June 4 and 7, 1942. About six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated an Imperial Japanese Navy attack against Midway Atoll. This caused devastating damage on the Japanese fleets. -
War Show
The Army War Show was given at Pitt Stadium. -
War Labor Board
United Steel Workers' wage policy committee, meeting at William Penn Hotel, accepted a 44-cents-a-day wage increase granted by War Labor Board to employees of "Little Steel" firms. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad. It took place between July 17, 1942 and February 2, 1943. The battle's outcome was disastrous for Germany. The battle marked the turning of the tide of war in favor of the Allies. -
D-Day
The Normandy landings were operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, June 6, 1944 (D-Day). The assault exised of an air assault landing of 24,000 British and an ambtious landing of Allied infantry. -
No-Strike
In a mass rally outside the East Pittsburgh plant, 20,000 employees of Westinghouse reaffirmed a no-strike pledge for duration of the war. -
War Contracts
A survey showed that war contracts completed to date or underway in Pittsburgh district plants totaled $903,398,644, with $322,000,000 of it delivered to the front lines. -
Allies Liberate Paris
The Liberation of Paris took place during World War II from August 19, 1944 until the surrender of the German garrison on August 25, 1944 and is known as the last battle in the Campaign for Normandy. -
Realty
Pittsburgh realty values dropped to $980,000,000, their lowest point in 25 years and about $30,000,000 under the 1941 assessment. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive attack launched towards the end of World War II through the Ardennes Mountains in Belgium,France, and Luxembourg. -
Education
Dr. John G. Bowman the nation's highest-paid educator of the day at $31,500 a year, resigned after 15 years as chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh; Dr. Rufus H. Fitzgerald, vice-chancellor, was designated his successor. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a battle in which the United States fought for and captured Iwo Jima from Japan. The battle produced some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific Campaign of World War II. -
Great Fire
The city marked the 100th anniversary of its great fire of 1845 with a parade and pageantry. -
FDR Dies, Truman Becomes President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States leading the time of worldwide economic crisis and world war. He was the only American president elected to more than two terms. He died just as victory was in sight. -
FDR Mourning
The city and county governments, business, schools, and all other activities were suspended, all churches scheduled special prayer services, and Mayor Scully asked all amusement places to close in mourning for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
The death of Adolf Hitler occurred on April 30, 1945 in Berlin where he committed suicide by gunshot and cyanide poisoning. -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates May 8, 1945 when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. -
College
Dr. Paul R. Anderson, dean of Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin, was elected president of Pennsylvania College for Women to succeed Dr. Herbert L. Spencer. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima
Together with the United Kingdom, and the Republic of China the United States called for a surrender of Japan. The Japanese government ignored this idea, so by the order of President Harry S. Truman, the U.S. dropped the nuclear bomb "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945 -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki
Six days after the detonation over Nagasaki, on August 15, Japan announced its surrender to the Allied Powers officially ending the Pacific War and therefore World War II. The bomb was called "Fat Man". -
Russia
Russian labor leaders arrived to tour the district's steel mills. -
V-J Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event. August 15 is the official V-J Day for the UK while the official US commemoration is September 2. The name, V-J Day, had been selected by the Allies after they named V-E Day for the victory in Europe. -
Japan
The city was jubilant over the surrender of Japan. -
War Contract
Pittsburgh district industries laid off 7000 workers as the first cancellation of a war contract became effective.
