World War 2

  • German military mobilizes

    German military mobilizes

  • British Prime Minister Chamberlain appeases Hitler at Munich.

    British Prime Minister Chamberlain appeases Hitler at Munich.

  • Czech government resigns.

    Czech government resigns.

  • Spanish Civil war ends.

    Spanish Civil war ends.

  • Nazis sign 'Pact of Steel' with Italy.

    Nazis sign 'Pact of Steel' with Italy.

  • Nazis and Soviets sign Pact

    Nazis and Soviets sign Pact

  • Britain and Poland sign a Mutual Assistance Treaty.

    Britain and Poland sign a Mutual Assistance Treaty.

  • British fleet mobilizes; Civilian evacuations begin from London

    British fleet mobilizes; Civilian evacuations begin from London

  • Nazis invade Poland.

    Nazis invade Poland.

  • Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany.

    Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on Germany.

  • Nazis and Soviets divide up Poland

    Nazis and Soviets divide up Poland

  • Assassination attempt on Hitler fails.

    Assassination attempt on Hitler fails.

  • Finland signs a peace treaty with Soviets.

    Finland signs a peace treaty with Soviets.

  • Germans bomb Scapa Flow naval base near Scotland

    Germans bomb Scapa Flow naval base near Scotland

  • Nazis invade Denmark and Norway.

  • Nazis invade France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Winston Churchill becomes British Prime Minister.

    Nazis invade France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Winston Churchill becomes British Prime Minister.

  • Battle of Britain begins.

    Battle of Britain begins.

  • Italians invade Egypt

    Italians invade Egypt

  • Roosevelt re-elected as U.S. president.

    Roosevelt re-elected as U.S. president.

  • Romania joins the axis Power.

    Romania joins the axis Power.

  • Tobruk in North Africa falls to the British and Australians.

    Tobruk in North Africa falls to the British and Australians.

  • British forces advance into Italian Somaliland in East

    British forces advance into Italian Somaliland in East

  • President Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act.

    President Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act.

  • Nazis invade Greece and Yugoslavia.

    Nazis invade Greece and Yugoslavia.

  • Sinking of the Bismarck by the British Navy.

    Sinking of the Bismarck by the British Navy.

  • Germany attacks Soviet Union as Operation Barbarossa begins

    Germany attacks Soviet Union as Operation Barbarossa begins

  • Roosevelt freezes Japanese assets in United States and suspends relations.

    Roosevelt freezes Japanese assets in United States and suspends relations.

  • Hitler declares war on the United States.

  • First American forces arrive in Great Britain.

  • German air raids begin against cathedral cities in Britain.

  • First thousand-bomber British air raid (against Cologne).

  • Nazis liquidate Lidice in reprisal for Heydrich's assassination.

    Nazis liquidate Lidice in reprisal for Heydrich's assassination.

  • Soviet resistance in the Crimea ends.

    Soviet resistance in the Crimea ends.

  • Rommel driven back by Montgomery in the Battle of Alam Halfa.

    Rommel driven back by Montgomery in the Battle of Alam Halfa.

  • Hitler orders the execution of all captured British commandos.

    Hitler orders the execution of all captured British commandos.

  • Germans and Italians invade unoccupied Vichy France

  • Soviets begin an offensive against the Germans in Stalingrad.

    Soviets begin an offensive against the Germans in Stalingrad.

  • Nazis arrest White Rose resistance leaders in Munich.

    Nazis arrest White Rose resistance leaders in Munich.

  • German and Italian troops surrender in North Africa.

    German and Italian troops surrender in North Africa.

  • Allies bomb Rome.

    Allies bomb Rome.

  • Soviet troops recapture Kharkov.

    Soviet troops recapture Kharkov.

  • Germans rescue Mussolini.

  • Allies enter Naples, Italy.

    Allies enter Naples, Italy.

  • Russians recapture Kiev in the Ukraine.

    Russians recapture Kiev in the Ukraine.

  • Soviet troops advance into Poland.

    Soviet troops advance into Poland.

  • Germans counter-attack against the Anzio beachhead.

    Germans counter-attack against the Anzio beachhead.

  • Second Allied attempt to capture Monte Cassino begins.

    Second Allied attempt to capture Monte Cassino begins.

  • Germans retreat from Anzio.

    Germans retreat from Anzio.

  • Soviet offensive against the Finnish front begins.

    Soviet offensive against the Finnish front begins.

  • British and Canadian troops capture Caen, France.

  • Germans begin a major counter-attack toward Avranches.

    Germans begin a major counter-attack toward Avranches.

  • Finland and the Soviet Union agree to a cease-fire.

    Finland and the Soviet Union agree to a cease-fire.

  • French capture Strasbourg.

    French capture Strasbourg.

  • Soviet troops besiege Budapest.

    Soviet troops besiege Budapest.

  • Soviet troops capture Warsaw, Poland.

    Soviet troops capture Warsaw, Poland.

  • Last German offensive of the war begins to defend oil fields in Hungary.

    Last German offensive of the war begins to defend oil fields in Hungary.

  • Soviets reach Berlin.

    Soviets reach Berlin.

  • German troops in Italy surrender.

    German troops in Italy surrender.

  • Hermann Göring is captured by members of the U.S. 7th Army.

    Hermann Göring is captured by members of the U.S. 7th Army.

  • Allies divide up Germany and Berlin and take over the government.

    Allies divide up Germany and Berlin and take over the government.

  • Allies divide up Germany and Berlin and take over the government.

    Allies divide up Germany and Berlin and take over the government.

  • American, British, and French troops move into Berlin.

    American, British, and French troops move into Berlin.

  • First U.S. atomic bomb test; Potsdam Conference begins.

    First U.S. atomic bomb test; Potsdam Conference begins.

  • First atomic bomb dropped, on Hiroshima, Japan.

  • Second atomic bomb dropped, on Nagasaki, Japan

    Second atomic bomb dropped, on Nagasaki, Japan

  • Japanese agree to unconditional surrender.

    Japanese agree to unconditional surrender.

  • United Nations is born.

    United Nations is born.

  • Nuremberg war crimes trials begin.

    Nuremberg war crimes trials begin.

  • Hermann Göring commits suicide two hours before his scheduled execution.

    Hermann Göring commits suicide two hours before his scheduled execution.