The Second World War

Germany Invades Poland

Sep 1, 1939

Germany invades Poland

Britian, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany

Sep 3, 1939

The 'Phoney War'

Period: Sep 3, 1939 to Mar 20, 1940

Soviet Union invades eastern Poland

Sep 17, 1939

Soviet Union invades eastern Poland

Soviet Union invades Finland

Nov 30, 1939

Germany begins occupation of Denmark and invades Norway

Apr 9, 1940

British Prime Minister, Chamberlain, resigns, placed by Winston Churchill

May 10, 1940

Germany invades Belguim, Holland and Luxemburg

May 10, 1940

German army enters Paris

Jun 14, 1940

German army enters Paris

Start of the Battle of Britain

Jul 10, 1940

Start of the Battle of Britain

Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact

Sep 27, 1940

Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact

German Afrika Korps brgin offensive in North Africa

Mar 30, 1941

Soviets and Japanese sign neutrality pact

Apr 13, 1941

Germany invades Soviet Union

Jun 22, 1941

Germany invades Soviet Union

Germany attacks Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union

Nov 25, 1941

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour

Dec 7, 1941

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour

Japanese declare war on USA

Dec 7, 1941

Allies (expect Soviets) declare war on Japan

Dec 8, 1941

Singapore falls to Japanese

Feb 15, 1942

Singapore falls to Japanese

Darwin bombed by the Japanese

Feb 19, 1942

Darwin bombed by the Japanese

Battle of Midway between Japan and USA

Jun 4, 1942

Battle of Midway between Japan and USA

Australians fight the Japanese at Kokoda

Period: Jul 23, 1942 to Jan 23, 1943

Australians fight the Japanese at Kokoda

Battle of El Alamein begins, in which allied troops led by Australians defeat the Germans

Oct 23, 1942

German surrender at Stalingrad

Jan 31, 1943

Surrender of Axis forces in North Africa

May 12, 1943

Surrender of Axis forces in North Africa

Allied landings in Sicily

Jul 10, 1943

Mussolini's Italian Fascist government overthrown

Jul 25, 1943

Italy signs armistice

Sep 3, 1943

Soviets advance into Poland

Jan 6, 1944

Rome captured by Allies

Jun 4, 1944

Operation Overlord (D-Day) - Allied invasion of Normandy

Jun 6, 1944

Operation Overlord (D-Day) - Allied invasion of Normandy

German assassination attempt on Hitler fails

Jul 20, 1944

Allies liberate Paris

Aug 25, 1944

Surrender of Axis forces in Greece

Nov 4, 1944

French capture Strasbourg

Nov 24, 1944

German attack through Ardennes - Battle of the Bulge begins

Dec 16, 1944

Germany attacks through Ardennes - Battle of the Bulge begins

Soviets liberate Auschwitz

Jan 26, 1945

Soviets liberate Auschwitz

US landings on Iwo Jima

Feb 19, 1945

US landings on Iwo Jima

Soviets enter Berlin

Apr 23, 1945

Soviets enter Berlin

Mussolini captured by partisans and executed

Apr 28, 1945

Hitler commits suicide

Apr 30, 1945

German unconditional surrender

May 7, 1945

German unconditional surrender

Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima

Aug 6, 1945

Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima

Japanese Surrender

Aug 14, 1945

Japanese Surrender