PART
VII WORLD WAR II
Sept. 1, 1939
Germany invaded Poland.
Beginning of World War II. [Date based on historical accounts.]
The Nazis annexed
the Polish city of Gdansk. Thousands of Gypsies living in the area were
rounded up and sent to Nazi work-camps. The Lehnsherr family, fearing for
their lives, left their home, fleeing from the Nazis. [New Mutants #49,
X-Men Unlimited #2] [Date based on historical accounts.]
Baron Wolfgang
Von Strucker was transferred to full military service. [Date based on historical
accounts.]
 Professor
Phineas T. Horton, one of the pioneers in the fields of artificial intelligence
and robotics, created an android in his Brooklyn, New York laboratory which
mimicked virtually all of the organic functions of a human being, including
independent thought. Horton intended to use the android to make himself
wealthy. However, he made a flaw in that the photo-electric solar cells
which covered the android were highly volatile and caused the skin of the
android to burst into flame upon contact with air, although the fire would
not harm the android. Revealing his creation to the public, Horton was
pressured into sealing the android away until a means could be found for
the flame to be controlled. Horton did so, sealing the android in a pit
of concrete. Horton also provided the android with listening devices so
that it could learn of the human world. The android spent weeks entrapped,
monitoring radio broadcasts. Eventually the concrete cracked, allowing
a small amount of oxygen to penetrate the android's capsule, and the android
managed to free itself. Inadvertently causing damage as it explored it's
new environment, the android, nicknamed the Human Torch, realized the destruction
it was causing and doused itself in a swimming pool.
Gaining control
over his flame after being doused with nitro gas, the Human Torch became
a successful crime-fighter. However he distanced himself from Horton, refusing
to allow his creator to exploit him for profit. The Human Torch decided
to establish a human identity. Naming himself Jim Hammond, The Torch enrolled
in the police academy. [Saga of the Original Human Torch #1-2]
Horton became
ostracized from the scientific community because of the destruction and
panic that the Human Torch caused. Claiming that Horton could not control
his experiments, the government impounded his equipment and chemicals.
Meranno, an Atlantean
research scientist working in the city of Thakorr and childhood friend
of Prince Namor's, contacted and betrayed the location of the undersea
city to the German government. The Nazis launched an undersea invasion
of the city of Thakorr, wiping out the primitive Atlantean navy, destroying
the Atlantean Hall of Science, and left Emperor Thakorr in a coma. Namor,
acting as Emperor in his grandfather's place, banished Meranno from the
city. Meranno then went to the Nazis and began aiding their cause, hoping
that they would provide him with the means to gain vengeance on Namor.
Emperor Thakorr's
step-son Byrrah convinced the Emperor to send Namor to the surface world.
It was Byrrah's hope that Namor would be killed or never again return to
Atlantis. The Sub-Mariner, as Prince Namor was named by air-breathers,
made attacks on the surface world. He attacked New York city, destroying
a power plant.
 Fritz
Tiboldt, ringmaster of the Tiboldt Circus, was asked by the German government
to take his circus to America. Travelling from city to city under the guise
of a normal circus, German agents within the group performed assassinations
on important American political and governmental officials.
 The
Red Skull became involved in subversive activities on American soil.
The American government,
realizing that war against Germany was probably imminent, and wishing to
come up with an American counterpart to the Nazi agent the Red Skull, assigned
Dr. Abraham Erskine to work on Project: Rebirth, a means to create perfect
super-soldiers.
Fearing that the
super-soldiers might one day turn against their creators, Professor Daniel
Schumann proposed Project: T.E.S.S (Total Elimination of Super-Soldiers.)
He initiated it believing that super-soldiers might one day use their superior
abilities to become a greater menace than the enemies they were designed
to face. Schumann proposed the creation of an army of robots, which would
be safely stored away and not activated unless the super-soldiers became
a threat. Shumann's proposal was accepted and he began work on a prototype
robot.
1940 A.D.
A British hunting
expedition entered the small African nation of Wakanda. One of the members
noted the existence of a mound of an unusual type of ore which he named
Vibranium, and took samples of it back to Britain. Some of these samples
were given to the American government for analysis.
With aid from
Deviant technology, the Atlanteans began constructing their first warships.
 American
civilian Nicholas "Nick" Fury, a member of a stunt flying team, was hired
by the British military to instruct commandoes in a crash course on parachuting.
Among one of his students was Lieutenant Sam Sawyer, an American serving
in the British army.
Timothy "Dum Dum"
Dugan enlisted in the British army.
The Human Torch,
realizing he could make a better crime-fighter as his super-powered self
than as a rookie beat cop, approached New York Chief of Police John C.
Wilson. While there the Torch was introduced to policewoman Betty Dean.
Chief Wilson appointed the Human Torch as New York's first legal officer
without a uniform. [Saga of the Original Human Torch #2]
The Asbestos Lady,
a costumed criminal who used fire in her crimes, broke into the home of
Fred and Nora Raymond to force them to develop new methods by which she
could use asbestos in her crimes. However the Human Torch, suspecting the
Asbestos Lady's plans, had witnessed the break-in and captured the Asbestos
Lady's gang. The Asbestos Lady got away. While at the Raymonds' home the
Human Torch learned of Toro Raymond's immunity to fire.
Soviet soldier
Ivan Petrovitch found Natalia Romanova, a young girl who was related to
the Russian royal family. Petrovitch decided to raise and care for Romanova
as she grew up.
 Spring,
1940 The Sub-Mariner attacked New York city, retaliating against air-breathers
for the destruction of his home. The Human Torch engaged the Sub-Mariner
in battle. The Torch promised Namor to attempt to arrange a truce between
humans and Atlanteans. [Saga of the Original Human Torch #2]
The Asbestos Lady,
obsessed with her failure to kidnap the Raymonds, caused a train the Raymonds
were travelling upon to derail. The train burst into flames, and Fred and
Nora Raymond were killed. Thomas "Toro" Raymond escaped unharmed. Toro
was found and taken in by a married team of circus fire-eaters.
Hearing of reports
of a fire proof boy, the Human Torch came to the correct conclusion that
it was the son of the Raymonds. Approaching Toro in the circus, the Human
Torch's presence caused Toro to burst into flame. However Toro remained
unharmed. The Human Torch became Toro's legal guardian, and began training
him in the use of his powers. The two became a successful crime fighting
duo.
June, 1940
The Lehnsherr family
was discovered by Nazi agents. Rounding them up, the Nazis lined the family
on the edge of a pit and began shooting at them. The terror of the incident
prematurely activated Erik Lehnsherr's mutant abilities and he unconsciously
used his magnetic powers to change the paths of the bullets, avoiding harm
while his family was killed around him. However the experience so drained
him that he fell unconscious. Believing him dead, the Nazis buried him
along with the rest of his family. Gaining consciousness, Erik clawed his
way to the surface. The Germans were so astonished that he was alive and
unharmed that instead of finishing their act of murder they decided to
send Erik to the slave labor and extermination camps at Auschwitz. [New
Mutants #49, X-Men Unlimited #2] [Date based on historical accounts.]
Inspired by the
Human Torch's crime-fighting, Robert Frank, a scientist who had achieved
superhuman speed after being bitten by a cobra and injected with mongoose
blood, developed the costumed identity of the Whizzer and became a successful
costumed adventurer and Nazi spy-buster.
Louise Grant,
a secretary working for the Mark Mason Detective Agency, developed the
costumed identity of the Blonde Phantom. The Blonde Phantom became a successful
crime-fighter, frequently aiding Mark Mason, who was unaware of her dual
identity, in many of his cases.
Dr. Myron MacLain
began work for the American government, experimenting to create a super-metal
for which to build tanks. Months later, an experiment of his to fuse Wakandan
Vibranium with iron alloy was successfully completed when an unknown x-factor
entered the mixture while MacLain was asleep. Awaking, MacLain poured the
blend into a tank cover mold, and after hardening, MacLain discovered that
the metal was almost completely impervious. MacLain studied the disk for
months but was unable to discover how the two metals had combined to form
this new one, which MacLain named adamantium. MacLain would spend decades
experimenting, attempting to duplicate his original success.
Bruce Dickson,
a scientist exploring Mount Kalpurthia in the Himalayas, became separated
from his expedition during a blizzard. Seeking refuge in a cave, the scientist
discovered a portal to the city of Kalahia, an ancient hidden city. Upon
entering the warmer atmosphere in the immense cavern, Dickson became dizzy
and lost consciousness. Upon awakening, he discovered that the Kalahians
had experimented on him while he slept, giving him the ability to make
his own body paper-thin. The scientist fell in love with the daughter of
the city's chief elder, and the two eventually left the city for the outside
world.
Upon returning
to the western world, Dickson established himself as the costumed adventurer
the Thin Man, and became a successful crime-fighter and Nazi spy-smasher.
[Marvel Premiere #29]
December, 1940
The American government
began recruiting volunteers for the Super-Soldier project. Horrified at
the newsreel footage of the war in Europe, Steve Rogers decided to attempt
to enlist in the American army. Ranked 4-F because he was physically weak
and puny, Rogers began pleading to be accepted. Overhearing his requests,
General Chester Phillips noticed that Rogers fit the profile of the type
of man that Project: Rebirth was looking for. Phillips put the offer to
Rogers to enlist in the project, and Rogers agreed. Rogers was flown to
Washington D.C., and after weeks of testing was chosen to be the first
volunteer for the Super-Soldier formula. Minutes after being subjected
to the treatment, Rogers emerged as physically perfect and fit as a human
being could be. A Nazi spy who had been observing the experiment then burst
into the laboratory, killing Dr. Abraham Erskine, inventor of the serum.
Dr. Erskine had committed the formula to memory, and the only notes were
later stolen by Nazi spies, thus Rogers was the only person to benefit
from the Super-Soldier treatment. [What If? Vol. 2 #28]
1941 A.D.
 Over
the next few months, Steve Rogers underwent rigorous and extensive training
in many forms of martial arts and fighting techniques as well as gymnastics
and training in military strategy. Within three months, Rogers was given
the code name Captain America and his first assignment, to stop the Nazi
agent the Red Skull. Rogers was also given a costume which would both conceal
his identity and become a patriotic symbol, and was also given a bulletproof
shield.
With the creator
of the Super-Soldier serum dead, funding was cut off by the American government
to Project: Rebirth. With the demise of Project: Rebirth, Project: T.E.S.S.
was cancelled as well. Professor Schumann however did not give up his work
but instead continued work on his prototype robot.
Several months
later, the adamantium disk created by Dr. MacLain was given to Captain
America for use as a new bulletproof shield.
Captain America,
in his civilian guise of Steve Rogers, was assigned to Camp Lehigh.
The Hand, a Japanese
ninja assassin squad, began making infiltrations onto the island nation
of Madripoor. [Uncanny X-Men #268]
Late Summer, 1941
 Baron
Wolfgang Von Strucker kidnaped Natalia Romanova, the young Russian child
in the care of Major Ivan Petrovitch. Captain America was assigned to Madripoor
to meet up with Petrovitch and to track the whereabouts of Baron Strucker.
While rescuing Petrovitch from a Hand attack, Captain America was himself
rescued by Logan, a mutant with animal-like senses and a rapid healing
factor, who was trying to prevent Hand infiltration of Madripoor. The three
teamed up to rescue Romanova from the Nazis and the Hand. With Logan's
help, Captain America and Major Petrovitch escaped Madripoor, and Petrovitch
and Romanova made their way back to the Soviet Union. [Uncanny X-Men #268]
 One
day, while Captain America was changing in his tent, Camp Lehigh's base
mascot, Bucky Barnes, witnessed Steve Rogers removing his mask. Rogers
swore Barnes to secrecy, but Bucky begged his idol to train him as his
side-kick. For the next several months Captain America secretly trained
Bucky in many forms of unarmed combat.
The Red Skull
and Captain America had their first encounter, and the two became quick
enemies.
Captain America
assessed Bucky Barnes as being worthy enough to join him in combat, and
gave him a costume and allowed him to participate in missions with him.
Nicholas "Nick"
Fury enlists in the United States Army. He was assigned to Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, and quickly rose to the rank of sergeant.
Elton T. Morrow,
a scientist doing research in Antarctica, discovered a giant azure diamond.
On route back to America, Morrow's boat was attacked and sunk by Nazi U-boats.
The explosion shattered the diamond and hundreds of particles were embedded
in Morrow's skin. Morrow floated half unconscious for days before being
picked up by a British destroyer. Upon examination Morrow discovered that
his body had somehow absorbed the diamond particles into itself, giving
his skin the hardness and durability of a diamond. Upon returning to America,
Morrow became the costumed crime-fighter the Blue Diamond. However, because
he was more interested in anthropology than crime-fighting, Morrow returned
to civilian life after only two missions. [Marvel Premiere #29]
Madeline Joyce
was visiting her uncle's lighthouse, which he had recently converted into
a science laboratory to study and experiment with electricity. Madeline
was exploring the lab when lighting hit the building. Bombarded by thousands
of volts of electricity, Joyce was thrown into a week-long coma. Upon awakening
she quickly recovered from her wounds and discovered she had gained super-normal
abilities. Her exposure to electricity endowed her with increased vitality
and the ability to negate gravity, giving her the ability to fly. Joyce
decided to establish herself as a costumed crime-fighter. Calling herself
Miss America, Joyce became a successful Nazi spy-buster. [Marvel Premiere
#29]
The Sub-Mariner,
under the control of Raitha, an undersea temptress, launched another military
invasion of the surface world. The Atlanteans attacked all over the world,
doing damage on several continents. The Human Torch and Toro repelled the
Atlanteans, but were unsuccessful in completely stopping the Sub-Mariner.
Finally, after the Atlanteans used whales and immense undersea turbines
to create an enormous tidal wave which flooded Manhattan Island, the Human
Torch and the Sub-Mariner fought yet again. Namor finally threw off Raitha's
control, and he decided to withdraw from attacking the surface. [Marvels
#1, Saga of the Original Human Torch #2]
Dec. 7, 1941
Bombing of Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, by the Japanese. Almost immediately afterwards America
entered World War II. [Date based on historical accounts.]
Lieutenant Sawyer
and Private Dugan were reassigned to the United States Army's Rangers.
With America embroiled
in the war, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes abandoned their military identities
to participate almost full time in the war effort as Captain America and
Bucky.
British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill journeyed to Washington D.C. to engage in strategy
talks with the American government. The Nazis, wishing to keep these talks
from going ahead, sent their super-agent the Master Man to assassinate
Churchill. Captain America, Bucky, The Human Torch, Toro, and the Sub-Mariner
learned of the plans and defeated Master Man before he could carry out
his orders. Churchill was impressed with the super-heroes, and urged them
to set aside their differences for the duration of the war, and for them
to band together as America and Britain's unofficial invaders. These Invaders
remained together throughout the rest of the war. [Saga of the Original
Human Torch #2]
Meranno, using
a combination of Atlantean and Nazi technology, managed to greatly increase
his natural strength. Meranno took the code-name U-Man, and began fighting
alongside the Nazis.
Inspired by the
exploits of Captain America, Jeffrey Mace, a news correspondent and reporter
for the "Daily Bugle," assumed the costumed identity of the Patriot. The
Patriot gained a reputation through his successful exploits and his weekly
news broadcasts.
 Inspired
by Captain America, American William Nasland adopted the costumed identity
of Spirit of '76 and successful fought Nazi espionage attempts on American
soil.
Brian Falsworth,
son of Union Jack, and his friend Roger Aubrey, British citizens staying
in Germany, attempted to leave the country. However the German government,
believing that if they left they would reverse their anti-war position,
had their passports revoked. Becoming violent, Falsworth was imprisoned.
Aubrey also became upset over their treatment, and was imprisoned as well.
Aubrey was turned over to the Institute of Nazi Science and was brainwashed
and experimented upon. The Institute took away Aubrey's memories and managed
to shrink him in size to less than one foot tall, and nicknamed him Dyna-Mite.
In prison Falsworth
encountered Eric Shmitt, a German scientist who had been working on a variant
of the Super-Soldier serum. Shmitt had successfully completed a version
of the serum, but kept it from the Nazis because of their rough treatment
of him. Dying, Shmitt turned the formula over to Falsworth. Falsworth drank
the potion and was immediately physically enhanced. He escaped prison and
began operating as the Mighty Destroyer, a costumed fighter of Nazis within
Germany.
The Inhuman exile
Phaeder and his son Maelstrom, travelling the world incognito, met and
shared knowledge in genetics with Arnim Zola.
1942 A.D.
Dominic Fortune served
in the American military.
Red Raven decided
to leave his aerie home and explore the world of his natural parents. Appalled
at social conditions among ground dwellers, Red Raven decided to become
a crime fighter.
The Crimson Commando,
Stonewall, and Super Sabre, three costumed adventurers, teamed up and became
successful crime fighters, and also successfully fought Nazi aggression.
Alfie, a German
agent posing as a member of the British military, organized a team of superhuman
adventurers known as the Crusaders. Alfie did this to discredit the Invaders
and to further his plot to assassinate British King George VI. The Spirit
of '76 moved from America to Britain to join the team, and was the only
American and only non-powered individual in the group. Alfie managed to
convince the Crusaders that the Invaders were actually Nazi agents, and
the two groups fought. However the Invaders managed to uncover Alfie's
plots. The Crusaders, realizing they had been fooled, disbanded.
Montgomery Lord
Falsworth and his daughter Jacqueline befriended the Invaders.
 Seeing
in Adolph Hitler a kindred spirit, Baron Blood again offered his services
to the German government. Beginning a new reign of terror in Britain, Baron
Blood was opposed not only by his brother Montgomery Lord Falsworth, the
formerly retired Union Jack, but also by the super-hero team of the Invaders.
The Invaders and Union Jack uncovered Baron Blood's true identity, but
during a battle with the vampire, Union Jack's legs were crushed by a falling
boulder. However Union Jack managed to roll the boulder off of him, which
then struck Baron Blood. Baron Blood fell backwards and was impaled on
a stalagmite that had traces of silver in it, killing him. However Baron
Blood was later revived and continued to serve German causes.
Jacqueline Falsworth,
who had been bitten by Baron Blood, received a blood transfer from the
android Human Torch. The unique blood combined in her system to give her
superhuman powers of speed. She assumed the costumed identity of Spitfire
and joined the Invaders.
The Invaders were
kidnapped and brainwashed by the Red Skull, although Bucky managed to escape.
Under the Red Skull's orders, The Invaders committed a number of anti-American
activities and acts of sabotage. Breaking into the radio station from which
the Patriot aired his weekly broadcasts, Bucky put a general plea over
the airwaves in an effort to recruit new super-heroes to fight the brainwashed
Invaders. Thin Man, Miss America, Whizzer, Blue Diamond, Red Raven, Jack
Frost, plus the Patriot responded to Bucky's plea. They banded together
and formed the Liberty Legion, and freed the Invaders from the effects
of the brainwashing. The Liberty Legion decided to remain together, and
served on the American home-front as Nazi spy-busters and crime-fighters
while the Invaders served mainly in Europe.
1942 - 1945 A.D.
Captain America infiltrated
and brought to a stop to the subversive activities caused by the Tiboldt
Circus. Fritz Tiboldt and the members of his circus who aided him were
deported back to Germany.
Union Jack, Spitfire,
and Dyna-Mite parachuted into Germany in the hopes of discovering a means
to restore Dyna-Mite's memory. Union Jack hoped that by restoring Dyna-Mite's
memory they could find out what happened to Union Jack's son Brian. When
Union Jack and Dyna-Mite were captured by the Germans they were rescued
by the Mighty Destroyer, who revealed his true identity to his father.
Overjoyed to see his son, the two reconciled. The elder Falsworth asked
his son to take over the role of Union Jack, and Brian agreed.
A German scientist
captured by the Allies returned Dyna-Mite to his original size. Roger Aubrey
then decided to take up the abandoned identity of his friend the Mighty
Destroyer and returned to Germany.
Union Jack II
becomes a member of the Invaders.
 Asgardian
prince Thor was contacted by Adolph Hitler and agreed to fight on the side
of the German peoples. Battling the Invaders, Thor blasted Union Jack II
with a bolt of electricity. Learning that Hitler was a truly evil person,
Thor absorbed back most of the electricity in Union Jack II's body. Thor
then returned to the Asgardian dimension.
The mystical electricity
remaining in Union Jack II gave him the superhuman ability to discharge
electrical bolts from his body.
Nick Fury proved
himself a capable leader and rose quickly to the rank of sergeant. Colonel
Sawyer organized the First Strike Force, a squad of United States Army
Rangers that came to be known as the Howling Commandos. Sawyer arranged
for Sergeant Fury and Corporal Dugan to be assigned to this team. Colonel
Sawyer also became one of the first officers to break the military's non-integration
policy and invited Private Gabriel Jones, an African American, to join
the elite strike force, who accepted. The Howling Commandos gained fame
and success for their brave and foolhardy combat styles.
Sometime during
the war Fury was first inoculated with the "Infinity Formula," a potion
which when taken annually greatly halted the aging process.
While active in
the Liberty Legion, the Whizzer and Miss America were engaged to be married.
Eventually some of the members of the Liberty Legion such as Whizzer and
Miss America joined the Invaders.
The Red Skull,
not content to be a subordinate, began kidnapping and assassinating a number
of Hitler's top advisors. In this way the Skull quickly rose to become
the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany.
Halloway, an American
playboy, became a costumed adventurer by the name of Avenging Angel to
help relieve his boredom. As the Angel Halloway became a successful crime-fighter
during the 1940's. However on one mission an innocent bystander was killed
when a criminal fired at the Angel and missed. Anguished over the death
of an innocent, Halloway decided he couldn't risk becoming the Angel ever
again, and began looking for a method to atone for the guilt he felt. For
years Halloway obsessed over how to strategically eliminate crime as thoroughly
as possible. [U.S.Agent #4]
Gabrielle Haller,
a young Jewish girl, was imprisoned in the Nazi death-camp Dachau. Unlike
her family, Haller was favored by the Nazi commanders, who kept her alive
as an object of pleasure.
During the last
days of the war, realizing that the Nazi's were almost finished, Baron
Wolfgang Von Strucker ordered that a cache of Nazi gold be hidden in Kenya,
Africa. He also ordered that the location of the gold be revealed only
to Gabrielle Haller, so that after the war she could lead Von Strucker
to the location. However the process that planted the information in Haller's
brain rendered her insane, and she retreated into a waking coma. The location
of the Nazi gold was lost. [Uncanny X-Men #161]
Infuriated by
Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker's defeats by Sergeant Nick Fury and Strucker's
failure to destroy Cherbeaux, a French village, Adolph Hitler ordered Strucker's
death. The Red Skull, who was making plans to supplant Hitler as the head
of the Nazi Party, aided Strucker in his fleeing to the Far East. The Skull
assigned Strucker to organize a power base there.
Reaching Japan,
Strucker became the mastermind behind a secret society that was planning
on world domination. This society made a number of successful raids on
war plants and equipment storehouses throughout the world. This secret
society became known as HYDRA. Deeming HYDRA strong enough for his motives,
Strucker assassinated the head of the organization and became Supreme Hydra.
Strucker also broke off his ties with the Red Skull.
HYDRA began construction
of a fortress on a small island in the Pacific Ocean, which would become
HYDRA's principal base, and was later named HYDRA Island. While building
HYDRA's arsenal, Strucker also recruited a number of brilliant scientists.
HYDRA was close to constructing atomic weapons when the island was invaded
by Captain Simon Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders, and their Japanese
counterparts, the Samurai Squad. The HYDRA fortress was destroyed, but
Strucker and a number of HYDRA agents escaped.
Baron Wolfgang
Von Strucker organized a group of scientists to create high tech weaponry
for his subversive organization HYDRA. These scientists would eventually
become known as A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics)
The immortal man
known as Agamemnon abandoned his Pantheon persona of an old man and journeyed
out into the world in his true form, that of a young boy. Looking for adventure,
Agamemnon left the Mount, Nevada, the headquarters of the Pantheon. While
he was gone a female friend of his impersonated him so that the rest of
the Pantheon did not know he was gone. While out in the world he "recruited"
his son, who would become known as Achilles. [Incredible Hulk #401]
1944 A.D.
Birth of Walter Charles
to Agamemnon and an unknown woman. Agamemnon, wishing his son to be raised
in the outside world, abandoned Walter. [Incredible Hulk #407]
Aug. 1944
Margaret "Peggy"
Carter, beloved of Captain America and a member of the French resistance,
was captured by the German Gestapo and held prisoner in Paris. During the
city's liberation by the Allied forces a shell exploded nearby and Carter
was knocked unconscious. Although she recovered from her wounds, the explosion
left her amnesiac. Carter was identified by her fellow Resistance members
and sent home to her family in America. Since Captain America had only
known her by her code name he had no way of discovering her condition or
whereabouts. [Date based on historical accounts.]
Late 1944
In Auschwitz, as
the Nazis began becoming more and more ruthless towards the prisoners,
Erik Lehnsherr finally developed the urge to seek revenge on his captors
and struck and killed a guard. Fleeing with another prisoner, Magda, the
two escaped into the countryside. The two began wandering south into the
Carpathian Mountains, where they began rebuilding their lives and were
eventually married. [Classic X-Men #19] [Date based on historical accounts.]
January, 1945
The Nazi death-camp
at Auschwitz was liberated by the Russian army. Among the American army
personnel present at the liberation was Major Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt"
Ross. [Date based on historical accounts.]
1945 A.D.
Lord Dark Wind, an
experienced Japanese fighter pilot, volunteered to run a Kamikaze mission
against an American ship. However the explosives aboard his plane failed
to detonate and Dark Wing survived, although he was terribly scarred. He
was captured by the Americans and held as a prisoner of war. [Alpha Flight
#34]
 Swiss
biochemist Arnim Zola presented Adolph Hitler with technology that would
preserve his consciousness, memory and brain patterns after his death.
Zola also told Hitler that he had perfected a cloning process. Hitler,
intrigued at the possibility that he would be able to live forever through
these means, began funding Zola's projects and allowed the scientist to
take cell samples and a record of his brain patterns. Using these, Zola
successfully cloned Hitler's brain. Zola then instructed Hitler on how
to transfer his consciousness into the cloned brain whenever he chose.
Captain America
and Bucky were assigned to Britain to prevent Nazi attempts of sabotage
at Allied bases.
Infuriated at
his constant defeats at the hands of Captain America and Bucky, the Red
Skull ordered Baron Heinrich Zemo to go to England and capture and kill
the duo, under the fabrication of attempting to steal an experimental drone
plane.
Captain America,
learning of the plans of the Red Skull to construct doomsday devices, parachuted
into Berlin to stop him. Defeating the Skull, the two were almost killed
by an Allied air raid on Berlin. Captain America crawled from the rubble
and was rescued by the Allies and returned to England. The Red Skull also
survived the explosion. However in the attack a cannister containing experimental
gas was released and the effects of the gas caused the Red Skull to fall
into suspended animation. The Red Skull remained undiscovered amidst the
rubble for decades.
Apr. 12, 1945
Death of American
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. [Date based on historical accounts.]
With the death
of President Roosevelt the Allied super-heroes the Invaders went on full
alert. The Sub-Mariner was ordered to the Pacific to aid against Japanese
kamikaze bombers. Spitfire and Union Jack were ordered to safeguard British
Prime Minister Winston Churchill. [Saga of the Original Human Torch #2]
Allied intelligence,
discovering Baron Zemo's plans to steal the experimental drone plane, assigned
Captain American and Bucky to safeguard the project. Rushing to the site,
they arrived shortly after Zemo. One of Baron Zemo's androids knocked out
the duo. Disgusted at their patriotic costumes, Zemo instructed the android
to dress the heroes in their army clothing. Zemo then instructed his androids
to lash Captain America and Bucky to the bomb-loaded drone plane.
The Avengers,
a group of costumed adventurers from the latter 20th century, Captain America
among them, journeyed back in time to this point in intangible form to
witness this event. However the intangibility faded, and Captain America
and the Avengers became visible. The Avengers battled Zemo and his androids,
but started fading back into intangibility. Before disappearing, the future
Captain America hurled his shield at his past self, severing the bonds
that bound him and Bucky to the plane.
Awakening, the
1940's Captain America freed himself and Bucky. Zemo however launched the
plane towards Berlin. Knowing that the plane was booby trapped, Captain
America and Bucky raced after it on a motorcycle. Leaping aboard it, the
duo started to crawl towards the bomb's trigger. However before they could
disarm the bomb, the plane blew up in mid-air. Bucky was killed, and Captain
America fell into the Atlantic Ocean. The combination of the freezing water
and the Super-Soldier serum in his blood threw Captain America into a state
of suspended animation.
After witnessing
these events the Avengers used their time machine to return to their own
era.
Captain America's
body eventually made it's way to the Arctic Circle, where it froze in a
block of ice. His body was eventually discovered by indigenous people who
lived in the Arctic Circle and was worshipped by them as a holy object.
 Believing
his greatest enemy dead, Baron Zemo, fearing persecution from the Allied
powers, fled to South America, leaving his wife and son behind in Germany.
Over the next few decades, Zemo continued his plans for world conquest.
During the later
days of the war, Agamemnon faked his death and returned to his home in
the Mount, Nevada. [Incredible Hulk #401]
During the last
few weeks of the war, Baron Blood was killed again after being impaled
by a wooden stake. Because the Baron was of noble blood his body was entombed
in the Tower of London.
Apr. 31, 1945
Liberation of the
Nazi death camp Dachau by Allied forces. As the Allies were investigating
the camp, one half of an alien mystical gem, the Resurrection Stone, appeared
after being sent backwards in time by an alien archaeologist. The piece
of the Stone was found by prisoner Sol Rosenblatt, who discovered it had
the power to return the dead to life. However because it was incomplete
the gem only returned the soul to the body while leaving the body dead.
Rosenblatt used the power of the Stone to resurrect his dead family, who
had been killed by the Nazis before the Allies liberated the camp. In pursuit
of the Stone the Avengers, costumed adventurers from the late 20th century,
journeyed back in time. The Avenger Beast convinced Rosenblatt that what
he was doing was wrong, and convinced him to hand over the Stone. Once
in possession of the mystical gem the Avengers returned to their own time.
[Avengers #209] [Date based on historical accounts.]
With the liberation
of Dachau, Gabrielle Haller was freed. Upon her release, Baron Von Strucker
ordered that she be continuously placed under surveillance, in the chance
that one day her sanity returned. [Uncanny X-Men #161]
Baron Strucker
returned to Berlin, despite the threat of death. With the Allies winning
the war, Strucker wanted to insure that one day Nazi Germany would have
the power to rise again. Strucker ordered that the Nazi super-agents Master
Man and Warrior Woman be placed in suspended animation so that one day
they could be revived when the Nazi cause rose again. The two German agents
were placed in different hidden laboratories in the city of Berlin. [Namor
the Sub-Mariner #10]
With the Allies
invading Berlin, Baron Strucker fled the city and returned to the Orient.
April 30, 1945
Adolph Hitler, aware
of the approaching Russian troops which had invaded Berlin, and sensing
his imminent defeat, planed on killing his body and willing his consciousness
into the cloned brain constructed for him by Arnim Zola. However Hitler
was interrupted by the arrival of the Human Torch and Toro, who planned
on capturing Hitler and bringing him to trial. Before Hitler could activate
a device that would destroy the bunker, the Human Torch set him ablaze.
As he was dying Hitler transferred his consciousness to the cloned brain
which Zola had stored safely away. [Date based on historical accounts.]
The New York newspaper
"The Daily Bugle" discovered that Captain America and Bucky had disappeared.
They published an article, but the American government wished to keep this
information secret and denied the truth.
Peggy Carter was
told of Captain America's disappearance. Believing her beloved to be dead,
Carter became extremely depressed and entered a period of prolonged mourning.
American President
Harry Truman asked the costumed crime fighter the Spirit of '76 to assume
the role of Captain America. Fred Davis, a young boy who had aided Bucky
Barnes in the past, became the second Bucky. Serving as members of the
Invaders, Captain America II and Bucky II battled the Japanese in the Pacific.
The American public believed these new Captain America and Bucky to be
the originals.
Peggy Carter was
not told of the "reappearance" of this Captain America. Her family was
afraid that such news would only further harm her mental condition.
July 16, 1945
Detonation of the
first atomic bomb at Alamogordo, New Mexico. The explosion was detected
by Eternals living on the moon of Titan. Thanos, son of Alars and Sui-San,
developed an interest in Earth and began closely monitoring the planet.
[Date based on historical accounts.]
Aug. 14, 1945
The Japanese surrender,
ending the Second World War. [Date based on historical accounts.] |
