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On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, triggering the start of World War II. -
On August 23, 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, a non-aggression agreement that also included a secret division of Eastern Europe into spheres of influence between the two countries. -
The Battle of Britain, which occurred between July and October 1940, was a massive aerial campaign between the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the German Luftwaffe over the United Kingdom. -
The Battle of Dunkirk, which took place between May and June 1940, where Allied forces were evacuated from the Dunkirk coast in northern France after being trapped by the German advance. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Japanese Navy, which prompted the United States' entry into the war. -
Operation Barbarossa, launched by Nazi Germany on June 22, 1941, marking the beginning of the invasion of the Soviet Union and the largest military operation in history in terms of manpower and casualties. -
The Battle of Midway, which took place from June 4 to 7, 1942, and was a decisive naval battle between the United States and Japan in the Pacific Theater. The U.S. victory at Midway halted Japanese expansion and shifted the balance of power in the Pacific. -
The Siege of Leningrad, which began on September 8, 1941, and lasted until January 27, 1944, was one of the longest and most destructive sieges in history. The German blockade of Leningrad resulted in severe famine and loss of life, but the city remained under Soviet control. -
Fought from July 5 to August 23, 1943, it was the largest tank battle in history and a decisive Soviet victory over the German forces, halting their advance into the Soviet Union and initiating a series of Soviet offensives on the Eastern Front. -
On July 9, 1943, Allied forces launched Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, leading to the overthrow of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the weakening of Axis control over Southern Europe. -
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious invasion in history, landing on the beaches of Normandy, France. This pivotal event marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation. -
Fought from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, it was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front. The Allies successfully repelled the German advance, leading to significant German casualties and hastening the end of the war in Europe. -
On August 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, leading to Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945, and ultimately, the end of World War II. -
On May 8, 1945, known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day, Germany formally surrendered to the Allies, marking the end of the war in Europe.