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Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany and the Allied Nations, formally ending WW1. The treaty made Germany pay reparations to the Allies and they lost a ton of territory. Their military was also restricted to 100,000 troops, enough to defend themselves but not enough to attack. Along with that they weren't allowed to have an air force, submarines, and tanks. The Rhineland was demilitarized. Germany was forced to sign this treaty and take responsibility for WW1. -
The establishment of the League of Nations
The League of Nations was an international organization established after WW1 to prevent further conflicts. Its purpose was to resolve international disputes peacefully, and prevent wars. Some problems with the League was that the US, even though Wilson came up with the idea, never joined, and there was no real military power to enforce it's decisions. Later Germany and the USSR both left the League too so it lacked all the major powers. -
Stock Market Crash
The US faced huge economic depression starting in 1929. The Stock Market crashing forcing the Us into extreme isolation. This had an effect on Europe too because the US was currently financially aiding Germany. The US had to cancel all foreign and Germany began to fall apart again. -
Nuremberg Laws
The Nuremberg Laws were a set of antisemitic and racist laws enacted in Nazi Germany. They laid the legal foundation for the persecution of Jews, and were a major step in the Nazis' efforts to marginalize, segregate, and ultimately eliminate Jewish people from German Society. There were 2 main laws: 1) The Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor. 2) The Reich Citizenship Law. -
The Munich Agreement
This agreement allowed Nazi Germany to take control of the Sudetenland, a region with a large ethnic German population. Hitler claimed the Germans there were being mistreated. He used this to demand control over this part of Czechoslovakia, but promised not to take over the rest. Germany gained the Sudetenland without a fight, and it was thought that this agreement had bought "peace to their time". Hitler soon violated this agreement and took the rest of Czechoslovakia. It was clear this failed. -
Invasion of Poland
Hitler wanted to expand German territory and reclaim land lost after WWl. The Nazis also aimed to eliminate Polish culture and leadership, and eventually enslave large parts of the population. This invasion triggered WWll, as Britain and France declared war on Germany after. Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. It led to brutal occupation policies and the beginnings of the Holocaust. -
Fall of Paris
The Fall of Paris took place when German forces entered the city without any resistance. France had declared Paris an open city to avoid its destruction after rapid German advances. The French government fled, and signed an armistice with Germany. Paris fell under German occupation, which lasted until the city was liberated by Allied forces. The fall of Paris marked a major turning point, showing the power of Nazi Germany early in the war. -
Battle of Britain
After France was taken by Germany, Britain was the only hold out in Europe. In August of 1940 Germany launched a major offensive to gain control of Britain using their air force. Britain was successfully able to defend their country with the use of radar and their Royal Air Force. Britain's resistance and counterattacks forced Hitler to call off the operation. -
Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, 1941, when Japan launched a surprise military strike on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. The attack aimed to cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet and prevent American interference in Japan's plans to expand in Asia. Over 2,400 Americans were killed, and numerous ships and aircraft were destroyed or damaged. The U.S. declared war on Japan the next day. This was a turning point because it officially brought the U.S. into the war. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point for WWll. It was one of the bloodiest battles. It was fought between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union for the control of the city of Stalingrad. Germany wanted to capture the city to secure oil fields in the south. The Soviets held off the German army, leading to brutal street fighting and massive casualties on both sides. The soviets launched a counterattack on the Germans, cut their supplies off and forced them to surrender. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
The Allied Invasion of Italy began in 1943, following their victory in Africa, with the goal of removing Italy from the war to have an attack on Germany. The invasion started in Sicily, which led to the fall of Mussolini. Germany quickly took control of Italy and fought against the Allies. The Allies had to battle their way to the Italian peninsula through German defenses. Rome was eventually liberated, and forced Germany to surrender. This played a significant role in weakening the Axis power. -
D-Day 1944
The D-Day operation of June 6, 1944, brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest. invasion in military history. Northern France was soon taken back from German forces. -
Liberation of Concentration Camps
The Allied countries found concentration camps as they were moving across Europe. Russian soldiers overtook the largest concentration camp, Aushwitz. All of the concentration camps were terrible and brutal. They took the Nazis as prisoners and they released the people in them. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was an important battle fought between Japan and the US. The island was important for the US because it provided a point for invasion of Japan. Despite being heavily outnumbered the Japanese forces had put up a fought. There was lots of casualties as they moved across the island. In the end the US captured the island but lost over 6,000 lives and over 20,000 Japanese lives were lost. -
Atomic bombing
The United States dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. the bomb dropped on Hiroshima instantly killed 70,000 people, with tens of thousands more dying later from radiation exposure. Three days later the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing around 40,000 people immediately. These bombings caused massive destruction and forced Japan to surrender, effectively ending WWll.