-
Period: to
Pre-War times
During this period, a bunch of facts that lead to the SEcond World War happened. On Semptermber 19th 1931, Japan started to invade China; eight years later, on September 1st 1939, the War started. -
Italy's invasion of Abyssinia
France and Britain tried to use the League of Nations, born after the First World War, to punish Italy, guilty to have invaded Ethiopia. The two greatest colonial powers ever were blaming another country that had attacked an African state. However, their efforts were too weak and so, useless and pushed Italy closer to Hitler's Germany. -
War declaration
The Allies (Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zeland and France) declared war. In the meanwhile, Japan joined the Axis, the alliance between Italy and Germany. -
Period: to
Phony war
Allied troops waited for Germany's next move and many people start believing there might be no war -
Blitzkrieg
Germany suddenly attacked Denmark and Norway. The attack was successful because of its war tactic, based on surprise, speed and power. Germany, in a few weeks, was ready to attack and conquest the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. War finally started and Hitler was in advantage. -
War at Dunkirk
German tanks reached the Channel and surrounded French forces in Dunkirk. The Allies started an emergency evaquation that succed in saving thousands of soldiers' life, but the Luftwaffe, the German air forces, took the port: France was surrounded (Germany had already taken Belgium and Luxembourg) and Great Britain stood alone against the Axis. -
Period: to
Battle in the colonies
Once Italy joined the Axis, Great Britain invaded Lybia, an Italian colony, pushing Italy itself to invade Egypt, a British colony, since it has The Suez Canal, an high strategic point. -
Period: to
Battle of Britain
Hitler launched "Opearation Sea Lion" to invade Great Britain. Germans needed to destroy the Royal Air Forces (RAF) in order to be capable to cross the Channel and land to England. So, the started a massive bombing whose goal was to destroy aircraft factories and harbours. The Raf (intentionally or not?) bombed Berlin, pushing the Luftwaffe to bomb London. It was the BLITZ. In September, Hitler finally gave up, since Great Britain fighting techniques were years ahead. -
Period: to
Desert War
The British Commonwealth destroyed all the Italian forces in North africa, but the Germans arrived to support thei allies. For three years neither of the two sides obtained decisive victories, untill an Allied victory came in May, 1943. The Allies were now ready to land in Sicily and start the Italian Liberation. The Hitler's "Desert War" was a crash for the Nazist Germany. -
Operation Barbarossa started
"Operation Barbarossa", launched by Hitler hiself, was a huge attack to Soviet Union. It broke the non-aggression pact between Russia anf Germany, called "Molotov-Von Ribbentrob Pact". The Germans found their enemies unready and soon reached Moscow and Leningrad (then called Stalingrad and St. Petersburg). Anyway, Germans were ill-equipped to overcome the long and cold Russian winter, which managed to stop them at least twice (in 1941 and 1942). They finally gave up in 1943. -
Period: to
Operation Barbarossa
The Germans found their enemies unready and soon reached Moscow and Leningrad (then called Stalingrad and St. Petersburg). Anyway, Germans were ill-equipped to overcome the long and cold Russian winter, which managed to stop them at least twice (in 1941 and 1942). They finally gave up in 1943. -
Pearl Harbor attack
It was a surprise attack against the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, on the island of Hawaii. A great part of the American fleet was destroyed and many people lost their life. The following day, President Roosevelt joined the Allies by declaring war on Japan and, therefore, on the Axis. -
Canadian Black Christmas in Hong Kong
A few hours after Pearl Harbor attack, Japan invaded Hong Kong where Canada had sent some troops a couple of weeks earlier. In fact, British Prime minister Churchill knew Great Britain couldn't afford to defend the island so, he asked Canada to send its naif and inexperienced troops. On Christmas Day, Hong Kong fell and every Canadian was taken as P.O.W. or killed. For two years, untill 1943, the P.O.Ws became slaves in labour camps and often died of starvation andillness or were killed. -
Canadian Raid at Dieppe
The Soviet Union asked the Allies to open a western front and they felt ready for a trial, even because they needed to try their new techonologies. Canadian troops were chosen to attack Dieppe, a French harbor. While they were crossing the Channel, they got in touch with a German convoy they sank. In addiction, they were delayed so, they landed in the daylight and without a surprise effect. Since communications between troops and ships was poor, reinforcements were soon sent: it was a massacre. -
Battle of Sicily
Allied forces invaded Sicily and caught the island in a month and half. Mussolini government fell and, on September 8th 1943, the Italian King asked General Badoglio to set up a new government. Italy splitted in two parts: the North, ruled by the Nazi-puppet Republic of Salò, and the South, where the King and Prime Minister Badoglio settled and signed for peace with the Allies. -
The D-Day, or Normandy Invasion
The Allies landed their troops on five beaches in Normandy, in northern France. The Allied Forces managed to destroy communication and transportation lines before the attack and succed in keeping the attack a secret from Germans.
Europe Invasion and Liberation started. -
Battle of the Scheldt
Canadians were chosen to catch River Scheldt, in Belgium, that was important for connection to the North Sea. The troops achieved their goal in a month. -
Battle of Rhineland
The Allied forces, with almost 180 000 Canadians, began to fight over the Rhine River. They lost 23 000 soldiers, the Germans almost 90 000, plus 52 000 P.O.Ws. In March, Canadians were finally able to free Holland. -
Italy's liberation
Milan is the last Italian city to be liberated by the Allies. Mussolini is going to be killed by a group of members of the Italian Resistance Movement, while he was trying to escape to Switzerland. On June 2nd 1945, Italy finally became a Republic, by sending to exil the King and the Royal Family. -
Hitler's suicide and Allies' victory
Germany surrendered to the Allies and Adolf Hitler committed suicide, since they were surrounded by the Allied forces. The War is (almost) over. -
Japanese defeat
Since 1942 a team of scientist had been working to develop two atomic bombs, which were used against Japanese cities of Hiroshima (August 6th) and Nagasaki (August 9th). Japan finally surrendered, on August 14th. The war is over.
