History 1930-1945

By Michael Chandler

The period form 1930 to 1945 was a very tumultuous one. You had not one but several Historic events take place. You had the Great depression which affected the whole world. You had the rise of fascism and the expansion of communism. Leaders like Hitler, Tojo, Hirohito, Mussolini and Stalin kept people in fear. There was the brutality of the wars in Asia (Manchuria and China), Ethiopia, and the Spanish Civil War. But that was nothing compared to the misery that would be unleashed onto the world on September, 1 1939 when Hitler thrust the world into World War Two with the invasion of Poland. The next 6 years would see brutality and inhumanity on a scale never before witnessed. During that period the History did not stop. You had the Battle of Britain, The battle for Russia, Pearl Harbor, Stalingrad, D-Day, The Battle of The Bulge, Operation Market Garden, The Bataan Death march, the brave stand of the Marines at Wake Island, Midway, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and finally the end of the war on August 14, 1945 8 days after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Here is a brief Time Line by year some of the major events (this list is far from inclusive)
1930: The Stock market Crash fully grips America and starts its global sweep.
1931 Japan invades Manchuria
1933 Hitler Rises to power starts his plans for world conquest
1935 Invasion of Ethiopia by Italy
1936 Spanish Civil War begins
1937 Japan Invades China
1938 Munich conference in which Britain and France Kowtow to Hitler, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain pronounces “peace in our time” upon return, shortly thereafter Hitler takes Czechoslovakia. Britain and France pledge support to Poland thus setting stage for WW2 in Europe.
1939 World War 2 officially begins. Great Depression ends.
1940 defeat of France, Conquest of all Western Europe by Hitler with exception of Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland. The Battle of Britain takes place
1941 FDR starts Lend-Lease, Draft starts, and America starts the process of becoming the “Arsenal for Democracy”, Pearl Harbor, Hitler invades Soviet Union. Wake Island
1942 The Battle of Stalingrad, Battle of Coral Sea, fall of Philippines and Bataan Death march, Battle of Midway, invasion and battle of Guadalcanal. McArthur evacuated to Australia, and makes his “I will return speech” and starts his march back. Allies land in North Africa, British/Canadian attempt invasion of Dieppe.
1943 Allies capture all of Middle East, Italy surrenders, invasions of Sicily and Italy
1944 D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, Operation Market Garden, Allies in Pacific continue pushing Japanese back.
1945 War ends in Europe, invasion of Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Saipan, and Tinian set stage for massive firebombing raids on Japan. Preparations are made for invasion of Japan, the two part operation (Olympic and Downfall) is predicted to cause over 1 MILLION US Casualties alone. (Postwar examination of Japanese fortifications and preparations confirm this fear) Atomic Bombs are dropped thus ending the war. World enters Nuclear age and the cold war between east and west begins.

So there you have some of the major events of the 15 year period between 1930 and 1945.
http://www.worldwar-2.net/
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/manchuria.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/WORLD%20WAR%20TWO.htm
http://www.users.bigpond.com/battleforaustralia/historicalbackground/JapMilaggro.html