Prewar

1919

June 28 -Treaty of Versailles signed

It was the first and most important treaty signed after WWI. David Lloyd George who was representing Britain, and Georges Clemenceau who represented France introduced it. Woodrow Wilson was the official who would have represented the US but called in sick. Italy’s Foreign Minister Sonnino also attended.

1921

July 29 -Adolf Hitler assumes control of Nazi Party

The German Worker’s Party (which consisted of 7 people) had its name changed by Hitler to include the term National Socialist to make it National Socialist German Workers’ Party, which in German was called Nazi for short. By the end of 1920, Hitler had gathered about three thousand members. Hitler used propaganda to make all of the members believe that everything Hitler thought about the Jews was correct.

Oct. 27 -Benito Mussolini appointed Italian Premier; assumes dictatorial power

Mussolini was the dictator of Italy throughout World War II. He gained power with his new fascist ideas. The government he founded controlled school to industry the press. He wanted Italy to be the central power of Europe. He was defeated when he tried to defeat France and Britain. He then joined forces with Hitler to fight in the Spanish Civil War.

1925

July 18 -Hitler’s autobiography, Mein Kampf, is published

This book, written by Hitler means “My Struggle.” It is part autobiographical and part political philosophy. It presents Hitler’s ideas of German expansion, anticommunism, and anti-Semitism.

1929

Oct. 29- Wall Street Market crashes

On this day, about half of the thousand stocks listed on the exchange have been cut in half, or more, during the recent decline, and that the aggregate decline in quoted values of all securities from the high levels of the year exceeds 25 billion dollars.

1931

Sept. 18-Japanese Army invades Manchuria

On this day the Japanese invaded Manchuria, in the history of Bukit Merah, was the day of the founding of its first public school-Keng Seng School.

1932

Nov. 8-Franklin D. Roosevelt elected President of the US

Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president of the US. He was the 32nd president and held this place in office from 1933-1945. He helped lead the nation through World War II and the Great Depression. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Roosevelt directed the organization of the Nation’s manpower and resources for global war.

1933

Jan. 30-Hitler appointed Chancellor of Germany by president Hindenburg

President Von Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor of Germany. Nazis throughout Germany celebrate because Hitler is the one that organized the Nazis and all of them wanted to see him get more power.

July 14 -Nazi Party declared official party of Germany

When the Nazi party of Germany was formed, Hitler became the head of the party. Their plan for Europe during WWII became known as the Final Solution to get rid of all Jews. Their sign was the swastika. The Nazi’s followed Hitler’s rule and did whatever was needed to rid Germany of all Jews.

1934

June 30-Knight of the Long Knives

SS execution squads along with Goring’s private police force roared through the streets hunting down SA leaders and anyone on the prepared list of political enemies known as the Reich List of Unwanted Persons. Many officers died. SA chief. Ermst Roemh is murdered by order of Hitler.

Aug. 19-Hitler becomes Fuhrer

Hitler used President Hindenburg’s death as an opportunity to take complete power of Germany in his own hands. He was successful in doing this and became the absolute ruler of Germany and its people.

1935

Sept. 15- Nuremberg race laws promulgated

The Nuremberg Race laws of 1935 deprived German Jews of their rights of citizenship, giving them the status of subjects in Hitler’s Reich. The laws also made it forbidden for Jews to marry or have sexual relations with Aryans or to employ young Aryan women as household help. Aryan meaning a person with blond hair and blue eyes of Germanic heritage.

1936

Aug. 1- Olympics held in Berlin

The Olympics was a Nazi show designed to demonstrate the efficiency, friendliness, and supremacy of Nordic athletes. Unfortunately, American sprinter Jesse Owens, who won 4 gold medals, either equaling or surpassing the world records for each event, overshadowed both Canada and Germany. Owens victories came as a shock to the Nazi’s, given that Owens was a Black competitor.

Oct. 1- Franco becomes dictator of Spain

General Francisco Franco Bahamonde proclaimed himself dictator of Spain. He ruled the country for nearly forty years until his death in 1975. Through previously inaccessible archive footage and close cooperation with members of his entourage and family, this film sheds light on the very private man behind the monolithic facade, as well as documenting the turbulent history of Spain under his iron rule.

1937

June 11- Josef Stalin begins purge of Red Army

The Red Army is also known as the Soviet Army of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1918 through 1992. The army was involved in three major wars, the Russian Civil War, WWII, and the war in Afghanistan. During WWII the Red Army had a peak of 12.5 million troops but lost many men in the battle of Moscow in 1942. They were lead by Josef Stalin.

July 7- Full-scale war erupts between China and Japan

China and Japan were plunged into a full-scale war as a result of a skirmish at the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing. By 1938 Japan had seized control of most northeast China, the Yangtze Valley as far inland as Hankou, and the area around Guangzhou on the Southeast coast.

1938

Mar. 12- Germany invades Austria

Hitler announces the Anschluss (union) with Austria. Immediately after the Anschluss, Nazis began a brutal crackdown on Austrian Jews, arresting them and publicly humiliating them.

Munich conference held to solve Sudeten question

In Munich, Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy made an agreement to eight terms. The four heads of government. present agreed that the international commission provided for in the agreement signed by them shall consist of the Secretary of State in the German Foreign Office, the British, French, and Italian ambassadors accredited in Berlin, and a representative to be nominated by the government of Czechoslovakia.

1939

Mar. 15-16- German troops occupy the rest of Czechoslovakia in violation of

Germans marched through Czechoslovakia and subsequently nullified the Munich Pact. On August 23, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics signed a non-agression pact with Germany in order to avoid war but Hitler attacked anyway.

May 22- Rome Berlin Axis alliance formed

The Axis powers were the coalition of countries that opposed the Allied powers in WWII. The coalition originated as the Rome-Berlin axis with the 1936 Hitler Mussolini according to this alliance made in May of 1939. It extended to include Japan in 1940.