A timeline listing events from 1910 to 1950. 1914 to 1918, World War 1. 1917, the Bolsheviks took control of the Russian government. 1922, Mussolini became the leader of Italy. 1929, a global depression began. 1934, Stalin began the Great Purge. 1934, Hitler became the chancellor of Germany. 1939 to 1945, World War 2. The timeline shows key events in World War I and World War II. According to the events on the timeline, which is the best conclusion that can be drawn about what happened between WWI and WWII? Germany, Italy, and the USSR started WWII. Totalitarian governments arose in several key countries. The world was at peace for at least twenty years. It took Hitler five years in power to start WWII.