Important Events During WWII with bibliography

U.S. History - World War II

1922 -Mussolini becomes dictator of Italy- Mussolini founded fascism and ruled Italy for almost 21 years, most of the time as a dictator. He dreamed of building Italy into a great empire, but he led his nation to defeat in WWII and was executed by his own people.

World Book M.13 2003 edition

1931 -Japan invades Manchuria- In the Japanese War, Japan defeated Russia and took control of the Liaodong Peninsula. In 1931, the Japanese conquered the rest of Manchuna. They made the region a puppet state called Manchukuo. During WWII, Manchuria was an important industrial base for Japan.

World Book M.13 2003 edition

1933 -Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany- On January 30, 1933, Hitler became the German Chancellor. At the time many people in Britain thought this was a good thing for Germany. But soon there was much concern as Hitler's followers attacked Communists and Jews.

Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in Munich, Germa...

Mussolini (left) and Hitler sent their armies to N...

From left to right (front): Chamberlain, Daladier,...

They were arrested and imprisoned without trial. The first concentration camp was opened at Dachau. Jews could not be teachers, doctors, lawyers, run businesses or hold German citizenship. Hitler withdrew from the disarmament conference in 1933 and from the League of Nations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/sceptred_isle/page/196.shtml?question=196

1933 -Hitler announces a policy of rearmament- Hitler began to build up his armed forces. In 1935 he introduced conscription (calling up men to the army). This broke up the Treaty of Versailles, but Britain and France let him get away with it.

http://www.johndclare.net/RoadtoWWII3.html

1933 -The Nazi Party in Germany is given dictatorial power and becomes the sole political party of Germany-

1935 -Italy Invades Ethiopia- The Italians had claimed Ethiopia as their territory. With economic conditions getting bad at home, Mussolini needed to do something that would distract the Italian people. In 1936, the Italians fought against poorly-armed Ethiopian troops in Addis...