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Hitler Becomes Chancellor
Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany. -
Mussolini Invades Ethiopia
Italy, under the leadership of Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, invades Ethiopia. -
Neutrality Act
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the 1937 Neutrality Act, which bans travel on belligerent ships, forbids the arming of American merchant ships trading with belligerents, and issues an arms embargo with warring nations. -
Japan Defeats China
The Japanese defeat Chinese forces in a clash near Peking, taking control of North China. -
Roosevelt Limits Ships to Asia
President Franklin D. Roosevelt forbids U.S. ships from carrying arms to China or Japan. -
Roosevelt Quarantines War
In response to Japanese action in China, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers a speech in which he calls for peace-loving nations to act together to "quarantine" aggressors to protect the world from the "disease" of war. -
Attack on the Panay
Japanese warplanes dive-bomb the American gunboat Panay in the Yangtze River in China. Japan apologizes and pays reparations for the lives lost. -
March of Time
Time Inc. releases an anti-Nazi propaganda newsreel entitled March of Time in Nazi Germany. -
U.S. Against Japan
In the United States, popular support for American action against Japan far exceeds support for action against Nazi Germany. -
Hitler Supports Japan
German Chancellor Adolf Hitler announces support for Japan. -
Anschluss
German Chancellor Adolf Hitler declares Austria part of the Third Reich. -
Hermann Goering Warns Jews
Hermann Goering, marshal of the Third Reich and Hitler's second in charge, warns all Jews to leave Austria. -
U.S. Recognizes Austria
The United States grants recognition to the new Austrian government. -
Mussolini Joins Hitler
In a speech in Rome, Benito Mussolini, fascist leader of Italy, promises to fight the democracies alongside Adolf Hitler's should war break out. -
Naval Expansion Act
The U.S. Congress passes the Naval Expansion Act giving President Franklin D. Roosevelt one billion dollars to enlarge the navy. -
Hitler Aims for Sudetenland
Adolf Hitler is poised to invade and conquer the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. -
Sudetenland and Appeasement
Leaders of France and Great Britain meet with representatives from Germany, including Adolf Hitler, to discuss Germany's demands, ultimately granting Hitler the Sudetenland in the hopes of gaining "peace with honor." The Czechs are not consulted. -
Hitler Promises Peace
Adolf Hitler, in return for the Sudetenland, promises to leave the rest of Czechoslovakia alone. -
Kristallnacht
During the German Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), 7500 Jewish businesses are looted, 191 synagogues are set afire, nearly 100 Jews are killed, and tens of thousands are sent to concentration camps. -
Hitler is Time Man of the Year
Time magazine prints its 1938 Man of the Year edition choosing Adolf Hitler for the title, but does not show the Nazi leader's face on the cover of the publication. -
Roosevelt Writes Hitler and Mussolini
President Franklin D. Roosevelt writes letters to both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, requesting they promise not to attack a list of nations for at least ten years. Hitler would respond on behalf of the Italian leader and himself, assuring Roosevelt that he had nothing to fear. -
Hitler Annexes Czechoslovakia
Adolf Hitler reneges on the promise made in September of 1938 and takes all of Czechoslovakia.