WW2 and Interwar Years

Treaty of Versailles (TOV)

A peace treaty that blamed Germany for World War I and imposed harsh reparations and military restrictions.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government established in Germany after World War I, which faced significant challenges including economic instability and political extremism.

Bloody Sunday (1905)

A massacre in which peaceful protestors were shot by soldiers in St. Petersburg, leading to widespread unrest in Russia.

War Communism

The economic policy adopted by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War, which involved the state seizing control over industry and agriculture.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Implemented in 1921, it temporarily restored private enterprise in agriculture to stabilize the Soviet economy.

Collectivization

A policy initiated by Stalin aimed at consolidating individual landholdings and labor into collective farms.

Fascism

An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization that is anti-socialist and promotes strong centralized power.

Kristallnacht

The Night of Broken Glass on November 9/10, 1938, when synagogues were burned and Jewish businesses attacked, marking a significant escalation in Nazi anti-Semitic policies.

The Final Solution

Nazi Germany's plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish people, leading to the Holocaust.

Dawes Plan

A plan to resolve the reparations crisis by reducing Germany's annual payments and stabilizing its economy.

The Beer Hall Putsch

A failed coup attempt by Hitler in 1923, leading to his imprisonment and the writing of Mein Kampf.

The Great Purge

Also known as the Great Terror, was a campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938

The Five-Year Plans

A series of nationalized central economic plans in the Soviet Union, starting in 1928

Invasion of Manchuria

In 1931 Japan invades Manchuria in Northeast China, setting up a puppet state called Manchukuo

Nanjing Massacre

Following the capture of Nanjing, the capital of China, by the Japanese army on December 13, 1937 hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or abused.

The Great Purge

Also known as the Great Terror, was a campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938. It involved large-scale purges of the Communist Party and government officials, repression of peasants, and widespread surveillance, suspicion of 'saboteurs', imprisonment, and executions.

The Five-Year Plans

A series of nationalized central economic plans in the Soviet Union starting in 1928. Implemented by Joseph Stalin, the plans were focused on rapidly industrializing the Soviet Union and collectivizing agriculture. The plans had ambitious goals for production increases in various sectors, especially heavy industry.

Invasion of Manchuria

In 1931 Japan invades Manchuria in Northeast China, setting up a puppet state called Manchukuo. This invasion demonstrated the growing military power and expansionist policies of Japan in the early 20th century. The League of Nations condemned the invasion, but was unable to take effective action, which further eroded its authority.

Nanjing Massacre

Following the capture of Nanjing, the capital of China, by the Japanese army on December 13, 1937 hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or abused. The Nanjing Massacre remains a contentious issue, with differing views on the scale of the atrocities, and is a sensitive subject in Sino-Japanese relations.

The Beer Hall Putsch

A failed coup attempt by Hitler in 1923, leading to his imprisonment and the writing of Mein Kampf.

Treaty of Versailles (TOV)

A peace treaty that blamed Germany for World War I and imposed harsh reparations and military restrictions.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government established in Germany after World War I, which faced significant challenges including economic instability and political extremism.

Bloody Sunday (1905)

A massacre in which peaceful protestors were shot by soldiers in St. Petersburg, leading to widespread unrest in Russia.

War Communism

The economic policy adopted by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War, which involved the state seizing control over industry and agriculture.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Implemented in 1921, it temporarily restored private enterprise in agriculture to stabilize the Soviet economy.

Collectivization

A policy initiated by Stalin aimed at consolidating individual landholdings and labor into collective farms.

Fascism

An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization that is anti-socialist and promotes strong centralized power.

Kristallnacht

The Night of Broken Glass on November 9/10, 1938, when synagogues were burned and Jewish businesses attacked, marking a significant escalation in Nazi anti-Semitic policies.

The Final Solution

Nazi Germany's plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish people, leading to the Holocaust.

Dawes Plan

A plan to resolve the reparations crisis by reducing Germany's annual payments and stabilizing its economy.

Battle of Verdun

A key offensive during World War I where German forces launched a major attack on the French fortress city. It became one of the longest and most costly battles in human history. The battle is a symbol of the horrors of WWI, marking a shift from traditional warfare to attrition-based combat.

Battle of Jutland

One of the largest naval battles of World War I fought between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the German Imperial Navy's High Seas Fleet. While both sides claimed victory, strategic advantage remained with the British, maintaining their naval blockade.

Gallipoli Campaign

A military campaign in 1915, where Allied forces attempted to secure a sea route to Russia through the Ottoman Empire. The campaign was marked by heavy casualties and ultimately failed, leading to withdrawal of Allied forces and significant political consequences.

Spring Offensive (1918)

A significant event during WWI, German forces launched a series of offensives along the Western Front, aiming to break through Allied lines. While initially successful, the offensive failed to achieve a decisive victory, contributing to Germany's eventual defeat.

Kiev Offensive

Conducted by the Bolshevik Red Army against the White Army in Ukraine during the Russian Civil War. The offensive resulted in a decisive Bolshevik victory, consolidating Soviet control over Ukraine and weakening the White movement.

Treaty of Versailles (TOV)

A peace treaty that blamed Germany for World War I and imposed harsh reparations and military restrictions.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government established in Germany after World War I, which faced significant challenges including economic instability and political extremism.

Bloody Sunday (1905)

A massacre in which peaceful protestors were shot by soldiers in St. Petersburg, leading to widespread unrest in Russia.

War Communism

The economic policy adopted by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War, which involved the state seizing control over industry and agriculture.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

Implemented in 1921, it temporarily restored private enterprise in agriculture to stabilize the Soviet economy.

Collectivization

A policy initiated by Stalin aimed at consolidating individual landholdings and labor into collective farms.

Fascism

An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization that is anti-socialist and promotes strong centralized power.

Kristallnacht

The Night of Broken Glass on November 9/10, 1938, when synagogues were burned and Jewish businesses attacked, marking a significant escalation in Nazi anti-Semitic policies.

The Final Solution

Nazi Germany's plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish people, leading to the Holocaust.

Dawes Plan

A plan to resolve the reparations crisis by reducing Germany's annual payments and stabilizing its economy.

The Beer Hall Putsch

A failed coup attempt by Hitler in 1923, leading to his imprisonment and the writing of Mein Kampf.

The Great Purge

Also known as the Great Terror, was a campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938

The Five-Year Plans

A series of nationalized central economic plans in the Soviet Union, starting in 1928

Invasion of Manchuria

In 1931 Japan invades Manchuria in Northeast China, setting up a puppet state called Manchukuo

Nanjing Massacre

Following the capture of Nanjing, the capital of China, by the Japanese army on December 13, 1937 hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or abused.

The Great Purge

Also known as the Great Terror, was a campaign of political repression in the Soviet Union from 1936 to 1938. It involved large-scale purges of the Communist Party and government officials, repression of peasants, and widespread surveillance, suspicion of 'saboteurs', imprisonment, and executions.

The Five-Year Plans

A series of nationalized central economic plans in the Soviet Union starting in 1928. Implemented by Joseph Stalin, the plans were focused on rapidly industrializing the Soviet Union and collectivizing agriculture. The plans had ambitious goals for production increases in various sectors, especially heavy industry.

Invasion of Manchuria

In 1931 Japan invades Manchuria in Northeast China, setting up a puppet state called Manchukuo. This invasion demonstrated the growing military power and expansionist policies of Japan in the early 20th century. The League of Nations condemned the invasion, but was unable to take effective action, which further eroded its authority.

Nanjing Massacre

Following the capture of Nanjing, the capital of China, by the Japanese army on December 13, 1937 hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or abused. The Nanjing Massacre remains a contentious issue, with differing views on the scale of the atrocities, and is a sensitive subject in Sino-Japanese relations.

The Beer Hall Putsch

A failed coup attempt by Hitler in 1923, leading to his imprisonment and the writing of Mein Kampf.

Battle of Verdun

A key offensive during World War I where German forces launched a major attack on the French fortress city. It became one of the longest and most costly battles in human history. The battle is a symbol of the horrors of WWI, marking a shift from traditional warfare to attrition-based combat.

Battle of Jutland

One of the largest naval battles of World War I fought between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the German Imperial Navy's High Seas Fleet. While both sides claimed victory, strategic advantage remained with the British, maintaining their naval blockade.

Gallipoli Campaign

A military campaign in 1915, where Allied forces attempted to secure a sea route to Russia through the Ottoman Empire. The campaign was marked by heavy casualties and ultimately failed, leading to withdrawal of Allied forces and significant political consequences.

Spring Offensive (1918)

A significant event during WWI, German forces launched a series of offensives along the Western Front, aiming to break through Allied lines. While initially successful, the offensive failed to achieve a decisive victory, contributing to Germany's eventual defeat.

Kiev Offensive

Conducted by the Bolshevik Red Army against the White Army in Ukraine during the Russian Civil War. The offensive resulted in a decisive Bolshevik victory, consolidating Soviet control over Ukraine and weakening the White movement.

Munich Agreement

A treaty signed on September 29, 1938, in Munich, Germany, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It allowed Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia.

Invasion of Poland

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, which triggered declarations of war by France and the United Kingdom, marking the start of World War II.

Blitzkrieg

Germany's military strategy during World War II, using rapid and coordinated air and land attacks.

Battle of Britain

A series of battles between German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force (RAF) in the summer and autumn of 1940.

Operation Barbarossa

Germany and its allies invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, opening the Eastern Front.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The surprise attack by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, led to the United States declaring war on Japan and entering World War II.

Battle of Midway

A major naval battle in June 1942, where the U.S. Navy defeated the Japanese Navy, marking a turning point in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Battle of Stalingrad

A brutal and pivotal battle on the Eastern Front from 1942 to 1943, where Soviet forces defeated the German army.

D-Day

Allied forces landed in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, opening the Western Front and beginning the liberation of Europe.

Battle of the Bulge

Germany launched a major counteroffensive in the Ardennes in December 1944, but was eventually defeated by Allied forces.

Guadalcanal Campaign

From August 1942 to February 1943, U.S. Marines fought Japanese forces on Guadalcanal Island, securing a strategic victory.

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.

The Holocaust

The systematic genocide of approximately six million European Jews during World War II.

United Nations

Established in 1945 to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.

Nuremberg Trials

A series of trials held in Nuremberg after World War II to prosecute Nazi leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity.