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Great Depression
Started on Black Tuesday, when the stock market crashed in October 29th, 1929. This produced the worst economic downfall of the USA. Signified the end of the roaring 20's. Ended in 1939. -
German invasion of Poland
Hitler rallies forces and mounts an attack on Poland, taking the country using a new warfare tactic called, Blitzkreig. -
Opening of Auschwitz
Infamous Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz, is opened for business. Though it is first used to house prisoners of war, throughout the rest of WW2, it is used for the culling of Jews, homosexuals, and others as part of Die Endlosung, The Final Solution. It was liberated by the Soviet Union in 1945. -
Die Endlosung, the Final Solution
Adolf Hitler's plan to systematically exterminate Jews. The chief architect of which was Heinrich Himmler. It was the final and most deadly phase of the Holocaust. It lasted from 1941 up until 1945 -
Lend Lease Act
US sent supplies to other allied nations without compensation. -
Defense Bonds/War Bonds are sold
War bonds (first called Defense Bonds) are sold by the government in order to fund the war effort. -
Pearl Harbor
Japanese forces mount an attack on Hawaii. Displayed the power of the Japanese navy and caused Americans to see the Japanese as savages. USA starts war with Japan soon after. -
The Philippines Campaign
Invasion of the Philippines conducted by the Japanese, defended by Filipino and American forces. The Japanese were able to take the Philippines during a two year long invasion between 1941 and 1942, which resulted in General MacArthur leaving stating, "I shall return,". It was subsequently taken back by the combined forces of the United States and Philippines during a year long campaign between 1944 and 1945. -
The Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research project undertaken by various Allied nations, mainly the US, Canada, and UK, spearheaded by J. Robert Oppenheimer. The project was aimed to be able to produce the first ever nuclear weapons in order to win the war. Occurring in over 30 sites all across the three countries, it was a large project and employed over 125,000 people, it would produce the two most famous atomic bombs, Fat Man and Little Boy. It would last until 1946. -
Japanese-Americans are sent to internment camps
Issued by President Roosevelt through Executive Order 9066. Japanese-American citizens were relocated and imprisoned in concentration camps in response to the growing fear of the Japanese people by the Americans. Between 110,000 and 120,000 Japanese-Americans were imprisoned during this time. The act was issued on the 9th of February, 1942 and lasted until the end of the war. -
Bataan Death March
Forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps throughout the Luzon region in Northern Philippines. Around 60,000 to 80,000 POWs were transferred. They were made to march between 60-70 miles on foot, resulting in about 5,500 to 18,650 deaths in total. -
Dolittle's raid
Represented the first allied air attack on the Japanese home islands. The air raid was conducted by James H. Dolittle, and barely struck the Japanese capital of Tokyo. -
Battle of the Coral Sea
This battle marked the first air-sea battle in history. The Japanese were attempting to gain control over the Coral Sea via an amphibious assault on New Guinea, but the plans were intercepted by the Americans. By the time the Japanese had landed in the area, the Americans were already waiting. It resulted in a decisive Allied victory, lasting four days from May 4th to 8th 1942. -
Battle of Midway
Battle conducted between the Japanese and the US, taking place from June 4th, 1942 and lasting until June 6th of the same year. Represented the first Japanese loss in the war in the Pacific. -
Battle of Guadalcanal/Guadalcanal Campaign
Marked the first major offensive by the United States against Japan. The battle resulted in a decisive win for the United States, although lasting almost a year. The battle was done in order to maintain control over a Japanese airfield which the Americans held. The Japanese were unable to regain control, and thus 12,000 Japanese troops were forced to evacuate the island. The battle ended in February 9th, 1943. -
Pacific Island Hopping Campaign
Also known as leapfrogging, island hopping was a strategy employed by American forces by making their way from island to island slowly but surely attempting to get close enough to mainland Japan in order to mount an attack. The United States first employed this strategy in 1943 up until the end of the war. -
Operation Fortitude
Deception strategy used by Allied nations in order to trick Germany into expecting an attack on Norway and Pal de Calais, when an invasion was actually going to occur in Normandy, France. -
Rosie the Riveter on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post
Cultural icon of WW2, Rosie the Riveter, first appears on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post, inspiring the hearts of millions of American men, children, and especially women who took up jobs left over from the men who went to war in their stead. -
Invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of the island of Sicily, resulting in an Allied victory. An amphibious and aerial assault was first undertaken followed by a month and a half long land campaign. The attack was done because British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, deemed it the "soft underbelly of Europe". Started on the 9th of July, 1943 and ended on August 17th, 1943. -
Operation Overlord
Often referred to as D-Day, Operation Overlord was an Allied assault which occurred on the shores of Normandy after the deception that was Operation Fortitude. The plan was kept in complete secrecy and was conducted with the intent to invade German-occupied Western Europe. It is the largest amphibious assault in history, resulting in an Allied win. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Organized allied assault of the small island of Iwo Jima in Japan. Only battle in the pacific theater wherein the Japanese took less casualties than the United States, with the Allies losing over 26,000 people. The attack was conducted in order for the US to gain strategic positions where it was close enough for an aerial attack on Japan to be possible. The battle lasted 1 month and 1 week, ending in the 26th of March, 1945. -
Battle of Okinawa
Major battle in WW2 occurring on the island of Okinawa, signifying the last battle of WW2. The plan was conducted in order to potentially launch a full scale invasion of mainland Japan. It lasted for almost 3 months, ending in a decisive Allied victory in June 22nd, 1945. -
Potsdam Conference
The third conference between the three Allied nations, Stalin (USSR), Truman (USA), and Atley (UK). This was conducted in order to discuss peace treaties and Japan's surrender, and the aftermath of the war overall. Lasted from July 17th, 1945 until August 2nd of the same year. -
Enola Gay drops Little Boy on Hiroshima
The first atomic bomb ever dropped in warfare. Little Boy was one of the two atomic weapons (the other being Fat Man) to have resulted from the Manhattan Project. It was dropped by the Enola Gay onto Hiroshima, Japan. -
Fat man is dropped on Nagasaki
The second atomic bomb to have ever been used in warfare, "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan with the intent to destroy Japanese resolve and finally strike the killing blow after years of brutal warfare in the Pacific Theater. -
Japan announces unconditional surrender
Defeat and dismantling of Japan after the drop of both atomic bombs. Japan was disallowed from further expansion. Unconditional surrender of Japan was discussed in the Potsdam conference.
