| September 1939 |
World War 2 began |
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| September 1940 |
USA put in place economic sanctions against Japan, following Japanese invasion of Indochina |
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| 7 December 1941 |
Japanese aircraft attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii |
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| December 1941 |
Japan declared war on the USA and Britain; declarations of war were exchanged between the USA and Germany / Italy |
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| June 1942 |
Battle of Midway was a major defeat for Japan |
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| July 1944 |
Moderate forces in the Japanese government looked for an end to the war |
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| October 1944 |
Massive damage to the Japanese fleet inflicted at the Battle of Leyte Gulf |
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| June 1945 |
Japanese surrendered in Okinawa; Hirohito wanted his ministers to discuss peace with the allies |
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| 16 July 1945 |
Atomic bomb successfully tested in New Mexico |
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| 28 July 1945 |
Japan refused a demand to surrender unconditionally |
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| 6 August 1945 |
Atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima |
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| 9 August 1945 |
Atomic bomb destroyed Nagasaki; USSR declared war on Japan |
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| 10 August 1945 |
Japan offered conditional surrender |
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| 14 August 1945 |
Truman accepted that Hirohito could remain as emperor and Japan surrendered |
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The National Archives
Education
Heroes & Villains
