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Germany invades Poland, initiating World War II in Europe.
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Warsaw surrenders on September 27. The Polish government flees into exile via Romania. Germany and the Soviet Union divide Poland between them.
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Germany invades Denmark and Norway. Denmark surrenders on the day of the attack and Norway fights against Germany until June 9.
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The Soviet Union forces Romania to end the eastern province of Bessarabia and the northern half of Bukovina to the Soviet Ukraine.
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Germany and Italy arbitrate a decision on the division of the disputed province of Transylvania between Romania and Hungary. The loss brings to power a dictatorship of General Ion Antonescu.
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The Soviet Union invades Finland, initiating the so-called Winter War. The Finns sue for an armistice and have to cede the northern shores of Lake Lagoda and the small Finnish coastline on the Arctic Sea to the Soviet Union.
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The leaders of the terrorist Ustasa movement were over Independent State of Croatia. Croatia joins the Axis powers formally on June 15, 1941.
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Nazi Germany invades the Soviet Union.
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Japan bombs Pearl Harbor.
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Nazi Germany and its Axis partners declare war on the United States.
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US and British troops arrive on the beaches of Algeria and Morocco in French North Africa. The failure of the French troops to defend against the invasion forces them to move swiftly to the western border of Tunisia, then German occupation of southern France on November 11. July 5, 1943
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The Germans launch a tank near Kursk in the Soviet Union. The Soviets rounded the attack within a week.
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The Germans take control of Rome and northern Italy after the Badoglio government surrenders to them.
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Fearing Hungary’s plans to desert the Axis partnership, the Germans occupy Hungary.
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The Soviets launch a massive offensive in eastern Byelorussia, destroying the German Army Group Center
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The non-communist underground Home Army rises up against the Germans. The Soviet advance halts on the east bank of the Vistula. On October 5, the Home Army forces fighting in Warsaw, surrender to the Germans.
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The Germans launch a final offensive in the west, known as the Battle, in an attempt to re-conquer Belgium and split the Allied forces along the German border. By January 1, 1945, the Germans are in retreat.
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Hitler kills himself in order to not be captured and tortured.
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Germany surrenders to the western Allies and the Soviets.
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Having agreed to unconditional surrender, on August 14, 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II.
