Second World War in Europe By UWCNick Sep 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland Period: Sep 2, 1939 to Apr 6, 1940 Phoney War Apr 1, 1940 Nazis invade Denmark and Norway May 26, 1940 Evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk Jun 10, 1940 Norway surrenders. Italy declares war on Britain and France Jul 10, 1940 Battle of Britain begins Jul 23, 1940 USSR take Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia Sep 7, 1940 Blitz begins against British Sep 27, 1940 Tripartite (Axis) Pact signed by Germany, Italy, Japan Oct 28, 1940 Italy invades Greece Apr 6, 1941 Nazis invade Greece and Yugoslavia Jun 2, 1941 Operation Barbarossa begins Sep 13, 1942 Battle of Stalingrad begins Oct 23, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein: 23 Oct - 5 Nov Period: Oct 23, 1942 to Nov 5, 1942 Battle of El-Alamein Feb 2, 1943 Germans surrender at Stalingrad Mar 16, 1943 Battle of the Atlantic climaxes with 27 merchant ships sunk by German u-boats: 16-20 March May 13, 1943 German and Italian troops surrender in North Africa Sep 3, 1943 Allied invasion of mainland Italy Sep 7, 1943 Allies land in Sicily, Italy: 9-10 July Jun 6, 1944 D Day landings Period: Dec 16, 1944 to Dec 27, 1944 Battle of the Bulge Jan 17, 1945 Soviet troops capture Warsaw Apr 16, 1945 Soviet troops begin final attack on Berlin; Americans enter Nuremberg Apr 30, 1945 Hitler commits suicide May 8, 1945 VE day