Germany

By TrustyNubNubs

  • German Anschluss with Austria

    Hitler went ahead with his plans to unify all German-speaking people. He annexed Austria then demanded the liberation of German people in the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. Neville Chamberlain flew to Germany to attempt a settlement before war broke out.

  • Treaty of Munich

    Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier of France and Mussolini of Italy met in Munich and agreed that Hitler should have the Sudetanland of Czechoslovakia. The Czechs were not represented at the meeting and realising that no country would come to their aid were forced to surrender the Sudetenland to Germany. Hitler assured those at the meeting that this was the extent of his ambitions for expansion. Chamberlain returned to England with a piece of paper signed by Hitler, proclaiming ‘peace in our time.’

  • Hitler invades Czechoslovakia

    Despite the assurances given by Hitler in the Treaty of Munich (Sept 1938), he marched into Czechoslovakia and occupied the country.

  • Russia and Germany sign pact

    Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact which included secret clauses for the division of Poland.

  • Hitler invades Poland

    Adolf Hitler invaded Poland.

  • Britain and France declare war on Germany

    Britain and France declared war on Germany. Neville Chamberlain broadcast the announcement that the country was at war.

  • Hitler invades Denmark and Norway

    Hitler invaded and occupied Denmark and Norway to safeguard supply routes of Swedish ore and also to establish a Norwegian base from which to break the British naval blockade on Germany.

  • Blitzkrieg

    Hitler launched his blitzkrieg (lightning war) against Holland and Belgium. Rotterdam was bombed almost to extinction. Both countries were occupied.

  • France signs armistice with Germany

    The French, Marshall Petain, signed an armistice with Germany taking France, which had been devastated, out of the war and into German occupation.

  • Battle of Britain

    During July Hitler sent his Luftwaffe bombers to attack British ports. His aim was also to assess the speed and quality of response by the RAF, during August the attacks on shipping continued but bombing raids were concentrated on RAF airfields. The Blitz, from September 7th the city of London was heavily bombed. Hitler began a series of nightly bombing raids on London and other important industrial cities.
    The RAF defended the skies and by October 31 the raids had ceased.

  • Tripartite Pact

    This pact of mutual alliance was signed by Germany, Italy and Japan.

  • Italy and Germany attack Yugoslavia

    German and Italian troops attacked Yugoslavia, Greece and the island of Crete. German field Marshall Erwin Rommel led the axis powers back to North Africa.

  • Hitler attacks Russia – Operation Barbarossa

    Hitler sent 3 million soldiers and 3,500 tanks into Russia. The Russians were taken by surprise as they had signed a treaty with Germany in 1939. Stalin immediately signed a mutual assistance treaty with Britain and launched an Eastern front battle that would claim 20 million casualties. The USA, which had been supplying arms to Britain under a ‘Lend-Lease’ agreement, offered similar aid to USSR.

  • Battle of El Alamein

    Montgomery attacked the German-Italian army in North Africa with a massive bombardment followed by an armoured attack. He then proceeded to chase the routed enemy some 1500 miles across the desert.

  • Battle of the Bulge

    Germany launched its final defensive through the Ardennes region of Belgium. However, they were beaten back by the allies.

  • D-Day

    The allies launched an attack on Germany’s forces in Normandy, Western France. Thousands of transports carried an invasion army under the supreme command of general Eisenhower to the Normandy beaches. The Germans who had been fed false information about a landing near Calais, rushed troops to the area but were unable to prevent the allies from forming a solid bridgehead. For the allies it was essential to first capture a port.

  • Hitler commits suicide

    The German leader, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bombproof shelter together with his mistress, Eva Braun, who he had, at the last minute, made his wife.

  • German forces surrender

    German forces in north west Germany, Holland and Denmark surrendered to Montgomery on Luneburg Heath. Admiral Donitz, whom Hitler had nominated as his successor, tried to reach agreement to surrender to the Western allies but to continue to fight the Russians. His request was refused.

  • Donitz offers unconditional surrender

    Hitler’s successor, Admiral Donitz, offerred an unconditional surrender to the allies.

  • V.E. day

    Victory in Europe was celebrated.