WWII Timeline - Timeline

Prior Events that led to WWII: -Military aggression from Italy, Germany, and Japan -Discontent with the provisions from the Treaty of Versailles -War Guilt Clause -Italy getting nothing from the Treaty of Versailles -The League of Nations did nothing to stop military aggression

Mussolini attacking Ethiopia and the League of Nations only voicing disapproval and not doing anything

Germany, Italy, and Japan formed the Axis Powers in 1936.

As the Japanese economy suffered, military leaders pushed for expansionism as a solution to address the problems of markets and shortages of natural resources. This built on the nationalist feelings that had made the country a world power just prior to the turn of the century. The Japanese first acted on this policy beginning in 1931 with the invasion of the Chinese province of Manchuria and the league of Nations could only voice disappointment and nothing else

Germany and Italy sent troops and weapons to Spain to assist Francisco Franco in winning the Spanish Civil War in 1936. And the League of Nations failing at stopping Hitler coming to power.

The U.S passed the Neutrality Acts (A foreign form of Isolationism) to avoid war conflict and Great Britain and France switched to a policy of Appeasement falsely believing it would prevent another world war

Hitler was able to annex Austria in 1938 due to Britain's and France's policy of appeasement and their lack of a firm hand over Hitler's agression

Hitler then demanded the Sudetenland in western Czechoslovakia. During the Munich Conference of 1938, the British and French agreed to allow Hitler possession of the Sudetenland in return for the promise that his demands for additional territory would cease.

The policy of appeasement was proven a failure when Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia and Italy invaded Albania soon after. However, Britain France dopped the Policy when Hitler invaded Poland

The Soviet Union and Germany became allies in 1939 due to the Non-Aggression Soviet Pact

The Battle of Britain, which lasted from 1940 to 1941, The German air force repeatedly the country, but the British had technology to prepare for their attacks and could also decode secret German messages and weren't going to surrender.

Hitler betrays the Soviet Union and attacks them

In 1939, Congress amended its isolationist policy of neutrality to allow the United States to sell weapons to the Allies. These were paid for with cash and transported on their own ships. This was known as a cash and carry policy. This was done to try and help with the war but not have the U.S entirely get involved

Japan invaded the French colony of Indochina in 1941, and in response The United States placed an oil embargo on Japan to prevent further aggression.

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941 due to the oil embargo placed on them by the U.S causing congress to declare war on them the next day

After the Battle of Midway, The U.S began using the island-hopping or leap-frogging strategy. Which allowed them to bypass islands heavily secured by Japan and take islands that were strategically located in reach of the main islands

The Battle of Stalingrad, which Germans were very defensive about was a major turning point on the European front. due the Soviets being able to push back Germany

Timeline of WWII