November 11th, 1918

End of World War I

It was a long, long road to peace, but after a brutal four years and three months, Germany surrenders to the Allies, and World War I comes to an end. (Source)

October 24th, 28th, and 29th, 1929

Wall Street Crash of 1929

Due to years of unstable financial practices and wild behavior in general, the U.S. economy tanks big time. In the wake of the stock market crash, the Great Depression comes roaring in. The years leading up to World War II are an extremely difficult time in which to live. (Source)

March 4th, 1933

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Presidential Inauguration (#1)

FDR trounces his competition, Herbert Hoover, in the presidential election and becomes the president of the United States of America for the first time.

January 20th, 1937

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Presidential Inauguration (#2)

After winning a second election, FDR continues being the president of the United States of America.

July 7th, 1937

Japanese Invasion of China

Imperial Japan gets a bee in its bonnet/kimono/business suit/what-have-you and decides to take over Asia. Their first step: invade China and start the Second Sino-Japanese War. (Source)

September 1st, 1939

German Invasion of Poland

In a nasty move that's considered the official beginning of World War II, Germany invades Poland as part of Hitler's Lebensraum campaign. Outraged, Britain and France declare war on Germany. (Source)

May 10th, 1940

German Invasion of France

Undeterred by declarations of war, Germany decides it wants some escargot—or, more likely, extra territory—and invades France. Britain is the last man standing against Germany. (Source)

September 27th, 1940

Signing of the Tripartite Pact

Two's company, three's a trend in global fascism!

Germany, Italy, and Japan band together to become the Axis powers. The Italian minister of foreign affairs, the Japanese ambassador to Germany, and Adolf Hitler sign the Tripartite Pact to secure their countries' allegiances in, you know, ripping apart the world.

January 20th, 1941

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Presidential Inauguration (#3)

Somebody just loves being president.

March 11th, 1941

Lend-Lease Policy Enacted

With a little convincing, FDR gets his Lend-Lease policy approved by Congress. The United States starts to send supplies to Great Britain and China, and isolationism is essentially dissolved. The United States also starts to prepare for possible war with the Axis powers. (Source)

December 7th, 1941

Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service surprise bombs the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, killing nearly 2,500 people and damaging warships. Shocked and dismayed, the United States declares war on Japan the next day. (Source)

December 7th, 1941

FDR Issues Presidential Proclamations 2525, 2526, 2527

In immediate response to the attack on Pearl Harbor, FDR issues three presidential proclamations that designate German, Italian, and Japanese non-U.S. citizens "enemy aliens." Fairly or not, people fitting this description are detained and arrested.

December 11th, 1941

United States at War

Four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States is at war with Germany and fully participating in World War II. Oh, what a difference a decade makes. (Source)

February 19th, 1942

FDR Issues Executive Order 9066

FDR signs E.O. 9066, which gives the secretary of war the power to create military areas and exclude people who are considered a threat to U.S. security. In the following months, E.O. 9066 leads to the mass evacuation of Japanese Americans to concentration camps (often referred to as "internment camps") in the western interior of the country. (Source)

December 1944

FDR Suspends Executive Order 9066

It might be gone, but it's not forgotten.

January 20th, 1945

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Presidential Inauguration (#4)

You'd think he'd have lost interest in the whole presidency thing after a while.

April 12th, 1945

Franklin D. Roosevelt Dies

FDR continues to serve as president for only a short time. Sadly, he dies only a few months before World War II comes to an end.

April 12th, 1945

Harry S. Truman's Presidential Inauguration

After FDR goes to that White House in the sky, Harry S. Truman becomes the president of the United States of America and steers the country to the end of the war.

May 7th, 1945

Germany Surrenders

Stuck between a berg and a hard place, Germany unconditionally surrenders to the Allies, ending World War II in Europe. (Source)

August 6th, 1945

United States Bombs Hiroshima

In an unprecedented military attack, the United States drops the world's first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, causing incredible amounts of destruction. (Source)

August 9th, 1945

United States Bombs Nagasaki

Apparently, the utter devastation caused by the first atomic bomb required an encore. The United States again attacks Japan using nuclear weapons. This time the target is Nagasaki. (Source)

September 2nd, 1945

World War II Ends

Tokyo petitions for peace, and the Japanese formally surrender. (Source)