Aug 31, 1935 CE
US Neutrality Act of 1935
US Neutrality Act of 1935: President Roosevelt signs the first Neutrality Act, reflecting strong domestic isolationist and anti-war sentiment in the US. #modern #military
Chronological Storyline (19 Milestones)
Feb 26, 1936 CE
February 26 Incident
February 26 Incident (Japan): Radical young Imperial Japanese Army officers launch a failed coup d'état, assassinating several political leaders and significantly increasing the military's grip on the government. #modern #military #japan
Dec 12, 1936 CE
Xi'an Incident
Xi'an Incident (China): Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek is kidnapped by his own generals, forcing a ceasefire with the Chinese Communist Party to form the Second United Front against Japanese expansion. #modern #military #japan #china
Jul 7, 1937 CE
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Marco Polo Bridge Incident: A clash between Chinese and Japanese troops near Beijing, marking the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. #modern #military #japan #china
Oct 5, 1937 CE
FDR's Quarantine Speech
FDR's Quarantine Speech (US): President Roosevelt delivers a speech in Chicago calling for an international 'quarantine' of aggressor nations, sparking intense debate between American isolationists and interventionists. #modern #military #usa
Dec 13, 1937 CE
Nanjing Massacre
Nanjing Massacre: Japanese forces capture Nanjing (Nanking), the capital of the Republic of China, followed by months of mass atrocities. #modern #military #japan #china
Sep 16, 1940 CE
Selective Training and Service Act
Selective Training and Service Act (US): President Roosevelt signs the first peacetime conscription (draft) in United States history, reflecting growing preparation for potential global conflict. #modern #military #usa
Sep 22, 1940 CE
Invasion of French Indochina
Invasion of French Indochina: Japan occupies northern French Indochina to prevent China from importing arms and fuel. #modern #military #japan #france #china
Sep 27, 1940 CE
Signing of Tripartite Pact
Signing of the Tripartite Pact: Japan signs a military alliance with Germany and Italy, forming the Axis Powers. #modern #military #germany #japan #italy
Oct 12, 1940 CE
Imperial Rule Assistance Association
Establishment of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association (Japan): Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe launches a state-led organization that absorbs all political parties, turning Japan into a totalitarian one-party state to maximize wartime mobilization. #modern #military #japan
Jul 26, 1941 CE
US freezes Japanese assets
US freezes Japanese assets: President Franklin D. Roosevelt freezes all Japanese assets in the United States and later establishes an oil embargo in response to Japan's occupation of southern Indochina. #modern #military #japan #usa #china
Dec 7, 1941 CE
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japanese planes attack the US Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. #modern #military #japan
Jun 4, 1942 CE
Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway: A turning point where the US Navy defeats the Japanese Imperial Navy. #modern #military #japan
Aug 7, 1942 CE
Battle of Guadalcanal
Battle of Guadalcanal: The first major Allied offensive against the Empire of Japan. #modern #military #japan
Oct 23, 1944 CE
Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf: The largest naval battle of WWII and the first use of kamikaze attacks. #modern #military
Feb 19, 1945 CE
Invasion of Iwo Jima
Invasion of Iwo Jima: US Marines land on the island to secure airfields. #contemporary #military
Aug 6, 1945 CE
Atomic bombing of Hiroshima
Atomic bombing of Hiroshima: The first use of a nuclear weapon in warfare. #contemporary #military
Aug 9, 1945 CE
Atomic bombing of Nagasaki
Atomic bombing of Nagasaki: The second atomic bomb is dropped on Japan. #contemporary #military #japan
Sep 2, 1945 CE
V-J Day
V-J Day: Japan formally surrenders aboard the USS Missouri, ending WWII. #contemporary #military #japan