Timeline of WWII: Battles, Strategies, and Consequences
Key Events Leading to World War II
How did it start?
- 1931: Japan invades Manchuria.
- March 1933: Japan is expelled from the League of Nations.
- October 1933: Germany leaves the League of Nations.
- October 1935: Italy invades Ethiopia.
- March 1936: Germany remilitarizes the Rhineland.
- October 1936: The Rome-Berlin Axis is formed.
- November 1936: Signing of the Anti-Comintern Pact.
- March 1938: Germany invades Austria.
- September 1938: The Sudetenland is transferred to Germany after the Munich Agreement.
- March 1939: Germany annexes Czechoslovakia.
- August 1939: The Nazi-Soviet Pact is signed.
- September 1939: Germany invades Poland.
The War in Europe and the Pacific
Western Front
Germany invaded Poland in one month using massed tank warfare (Blitzkrieg). Hitler then invaded Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Belgium, and launched an offensive in France. The Germans occupied Paris, and France was divided into two parts: the Atlantic coast under German control and Vichy France under General Petain. Winston Churchill replaced Chamberlain as Prime Minister of Great Britain. Germany lost the Battle of Britain.
Eastern Front
Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, aiming to capture Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev. The operation was ultimately unsuccessful.
Pacific War
Japan, a major Pacific power, attacked Pearl Harbor (a U.S. naval base) in December 1941. This attack signified the entry of the U.S. into the war on the side of the Allies.
Nazi Occupation and Atrocities
The Nazis implemented a policy of economic exploitation and political repression in occupied territories, including the persecution of Jews. Jews were imprisoned in labor and extermination camps.
Turning Points in 1942
- Stalingrad: The Germans, running out of gas and oil, failed in their attempt to conquer Stalingrad and secure reserves in the Caucasus.
- El Alamein: The Afrika Korps failed to conquer Egypt and control Middle Eastern oil.
- Midway: In the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese were lured into a trap intended to find survivors from Pearl Harbor.
Counterattacks in 1943
- The Germans were defeated at the Battle of Kursk.
- The Allied invasion of Italy began from Sicily. Mussolini was deposed, and King Victor Emmanuel III empowered Badoglio. The Germans managed to keep control of northern Italy.
- The Allies’ progress in the Pacific slowed after the Battle of Guadalcanal.
The Final Offensives (1944-1945)
The Normandy landings began, with the intention of opening a front in the West and reaching Berlin before Russia. The Allies broke through German defenses and liberated Paris. The Germans attempted a counterattack in the Battle of the Bulge but failed. On April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide, and Berlin was conquered. Mussolini was shot. The U.S. occupied the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. President Truman, desiring a swift end to the war and aiming to avoid further casualties, authorized the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Japan subsequently surrendered.
Post-War Conferences and Consequences
Yalta Conference
Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin discussed the situation in Europe. Stalin pledged to hold democratic elections, but this was met with skepticism. It was agreed that Germany would be disarmed and divided into four zones administered by the winning powers (U.S., USSR, Great Britain, and France). The United Nations was proposed to maintain a peaceful international environment.
Potsdam Conference
Disagreements emerged among the Allies. It was agreed that Nazi war criminals would be held accountable through trials.
Territorial Changes
The USSR retained Polish territories. In exchange, Germany received East Prussia, Silesia, and Pomerania. Austria was separated from German territory. Berlin and Vienna were also divided.
Loss of Life and Consciousness
Over 60 million people died (excluding deaths from starvation and disease), with 35 million wounded and 3 million missing. The majority of casualties were in Eastern Europe. The Allies discovered Nazi concentration camps and became aware of the use of military tactics to massacre civilians (e.g., strategic bombing, the atomic bomb).
Economic Loss
Communications were destroyed in Central Europe, oil supplies were scarce, and industrial production was significantly reduced. To prevent future economic crises, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank were created to help countries rebuild their economies and establish a new global financial system.
Political Changes
European countries lost their colonial empires, and the idea of European unification gained traction.
The United Nations
The UN Charter was drafted at the San Francisco Conference, outlining the organization’s four main objectives.