WWII and the Early Cold War Years by Kamdyn Eisenhaur

1930- Hitler Appointed German Leader

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:14:00 UTC

The year 1932 had seen Hitler’s meteoric rise to prominence in Germany, spurred largely by the German people’s frustration with dismal economic conditions and the still-festering wounds inflicted by defeat in the Great War and the harsh peace terms of the Versailles treaty.

1939- Hitler invades Poland

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:15:14 UTC

A joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Soviet Union; which marked the beginning of World War II.

1940-France falls to the Nazis

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:15:55 UTC

The Maginot Line fortresses fell one by one, though some held until July. Meanwhile the main attacks across the Somme and Aisne, initially checked by the French, eventually broke through, and succeeded in taking Paris on 14 June. On 22 June the French signed an armistice, surrendering to the Germans. France had fallen.

1941-Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:16:37 UTC

Pearl Harbor was the site of the unprovoked aerial attack on the United States by Japan on December 7, 1941. Before the attack, many Americans were reluctant to become involved in the war in Europe. This all changed when the United States declared war on Japan, bringing the country into World War II.

1942-Battle of Midway

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:17:28 UTC

World War II naval battle, fought almost entirely with aircraft, in which the United States destroyed Japan's first-line carrier strength and most of its best trained naval pilots.

1942-America joins the war in North Africa

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:18:18 UTC

It was the place German and American armies first faced off against each other. After early and terrible losses to the Germans, soldiers from America joined the ongoing Allied effort in North Africa and helped turn the tide of war decisively against the Axis. Next would come landings in Sicily and southern Italy.

1943-Allies invade Sicily (Italy)

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:18:56 UTC

Allies launched Operation Husky before sunrise, a massive amphibious assault on the southern shores of the island. For the next three days it involved more than 3,000 ships landing over 150,000 ground troops, covered by more than 4,000 aircraft.

1943- Tehran Conference

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:33:36 UTC

During the Conference, the three leaders coordinated their military strategy against Germany and Japan and made a number of important decisions concerning the post World War II era. The most notable achievements of the Conference focused on the next phases of the war against the Axis powers in Europe and Asia.

1944-D Day

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:34:37 UTC

Brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The operation, given the codename OVERLORD, delivered five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France.

1945-Battle of the Bulge

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:35:09 UTC

Germans forces launched a surprise attack on Allied forces in the forested Ardennes region in Belgium, Luxembourge and France.

1945-Germany surrenders (V-E Day)

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:35:33 UTC

Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies, including the United States. On May 8, 1945 - known as Victory in Europe Day or V-E Day - celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of World War II in Europe.

1945-Potsdam conference

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:35:54 UTC

The Big Three—Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced on July 26 by Prime Minister Clement Attlee), and U.S. President Harry Truman—met in Potsdam, Germany, from July 17 to August 2, 1945, to negotiate terms for the end of World War II.

1945-US drops Atomic Bombs/ Japan Surrenders

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:37:29 UTC

A remarkable German assault on north-west Europe, known as the Battle of France, resulted in the capture and subjugation of not only France but three other countries – Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium.

1947- Truman Doctrine

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:37:47 UTC

With the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian force

1948- Marshall Plan

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:38:55 UTC

For the United States, the Marshall Plan provided markets for American goods, created reliable trading partners, and supported the development of stable democratic governments in Western Europe. Congress's approval of the Marshall Plan signaled an extension of the bipartisanship of World War II into the postwar years.

1948-49- Berlin Airlift

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:39:23 UTC

When Soviet forces blockaded rail, road, and water access to Allied-controlled areas of Berlin. The United States and United Kingdom responded by airlifting food and fuel to Berlin from Allied airbases in western Germany.

1949- NATO

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:39:48 UTC

Formed in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty, NATO is a security alliance of 30 countries from North America and Europe. NATO's fundamental goal is to safeguard the Allies' freedom and security by political and military means.

1950-53 - Korean War

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:42:16 UTC

After five years of simmering tensions on the Korean peninsula, the Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when the Northern Korean People's Army invaded South Korea in a coordinated general attack at several strategic points along the 38th parallel, the line dividing communist North Korea from the non-communist Republic.

1957- Sputnik

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:42:33 UTC

The Sputnik 1 spacecraft was the first artificial satellite successfully placed in orbit around the Earth and was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at Tyuratam (370 km southwest of the small town of Baikonur) in Kazakhstan, then part of the former Soviet Union.

1958- NASA Established

ke206695 — 2024-01-31 14:43:18 UTC

Bipartisan agreement between a Republican President and a Democrat-controlled Congress led to the drafting of legislation to create a civilian agency to oversee America's non-military space activities. President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 into law on July 29, creating NASA.