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Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany and the Allied Nations, formally ending WWI. The treaty required Germany to pay financial reparations, disarm, lose territory, and give up all its overseas colonies. The signing of this led to WWII because it was too harsh of Germany, and wrecked their economy causing anger from the Germans. This caused Germans to become loyal to Hitler, starting WWII. -
The March on Rome
The March on Rome brought Mussolini to power in Italy. Thousands of fascists marched towards Rome, threatening to seize power, but Mussolini was invited to take power. The March marked the rise of fascism, and signified the doom of liberals and communists. -
The Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash occurred in the US, and caused a sharp decline in US stock market values contributing to the Great Depression. This affected Germany because of the Dawes Plan, where the US loaned money to Germany to pay war debt. The Stock Market Crashed stopped Dawes Plan and Germany began to fell apart again. Germany falling apart led to the rise of Hitler, and the start of WWII. -
The Fall of the Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic took power in Germany after WWI, it was a democratic government that was tasked with paying war reparations. It's rule is characterized by political turmoil and violence, economic hardship, and new social freedoms. Economic hardship and general distrust caused the Weimar Republic to fall, this caused Hitler to take over, and rule Germany. -
The Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement was a settlement reached by Germany, Great Britain, and Italy that allowed Germany to take Sudetenland, a region in Czechoslovakia. Germany violated the agreement though, by occupying the rest of Czechoslovakia. This is an example of the appeasement policy the British had towards Nazi Germany, leading to WWII. -
Germany's Invasion of Poland
Germany invaded Poland using Blitzkrieg tactics. Britain and France declared war on September 3, but gave little military aid. On September 17, the Soviet Union invaded from the east, and Poland was quickly overwhelmed. Warsaw surrendered on September 27, and by October 6, all resistance ended. Germany and the Soviet Union divided Poland, marketing the start of World War II and leading to brutal occupation policies. -
Fall of Paris
Germany invaded the Low Countries and France. German armed forces overran Belgium and the Netherlands, drove the British away from the continent, and captured Paris, forcing the surrender of the French government. The fall for France gave Germany dominance in the continent, with no allied forces to contest him. Charles de Gaulle led the French resistance to Nazi occupation. France was liberated in 1944. -
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was the first battle fought entirely in the air. It was the successful defense of Britain against the air raids conducted by the German air force in 1940 after the fall of France. The British were able to defend their country due to their use of radar, and the superiority of the RAF over the Luftwaffe. This battle was important because it kept the war on mainland Europe, and proved the Nazis weren't invincible. -
The Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of Nazi officials in Berlin to plan "final solution" to the "Jewish question". The conference marked a turning point in Nazi policy towards Jewish people. They first wanted to deport them to Madagascar, but this seemed impractical during war. Instead, they rounded all the Jews in Europe, and sent them East to organize them in labor gangs. -
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was the successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad. It stopped German advance, and marked the turning point of the war in favor of the Allies. Hitler attacked Stalingrad because it was a major industrial center, the Soviets surrounded the entire German Sixth Army and forced its surrender once it became apparent the Germans wouldn't win. This battle had one of the highest number casualties in WWII. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was Jewish Poles' resistance to the Nazi deportations from Warsaw to the Treblinka extermination camp. The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest Jewish Ghetto in German-occupied Europe. A newly formed group, the Jewish Fighting Organization took effective control of the ghetto. Jews started hiding and building fighting forces to resist, but on Hitlers birthday, Nazis cleared the ghetto, ending all resistance efforts. -
D-Day
D-Day was led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. US, Canadian, and British forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. It's considered history's greatest Naval invasion, it broke through German defenses within three months. D-Day opened another major front, and led to the liberation of France, denying Germany any further exploration of the country. D-Day was significant world wide because it eventually led to the defeat of the Germans, and established the US as the dominant global power. -
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was significant because it was the last German offensive of the war. It's named after the bulge it created in the Allied line. Conditions were below-zero, making the casualties high on both sides. Initially, the Germans made significant advances, but stiff American resistance slowed German advance. The Germans lacked supplies and reinforcements leading to their defeat. This Battle is considered one of the greatest in American history, and solidified German defeat. -
Liberation of the Concentration Camps
At the end of the war, Allies came across concentration camps filled with sick and starving prisoners. The first major camp to be liberated was Majdanek, the Germans tried to cover the evidence of their mass murder but it was impossible. As the Soviet Army advanced, Nazis tried to transport prisoners away, and many sadly died on their long journey. In January 1945, Auschwitz was liberated by Russian soldiers, upon liberation, only a few thousand prisoners remained. -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day is when Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the allies. Celebrations erupted across the world to mark the end of WWII. With Berlin surrounded, and Hitler dead, his successor Grand Admiral Karl Donitz quickly negotiated to end the war. Although fighting ended in Europe, it continued in the Pacific where the US and Allied forces fought the Japanese. Many countries now celebrate this day every May 8th as a holiday.