-
German invasion of Poland initiates World War 2 in Europe
-
-
Honoring their gaurentee of Poland's borders, Great Britain and France declare war on Gemany
-
The Soviet Union invades Poland from the East.
-
Italy enters the war and invades Southern France on the 21st
-
The Italians invade British controlled Egypt from Italian controlled Libya
-
Bulgaria joins the Axis Powers
-
US and British troops land at several points on the beaches of Algeria and Morocco in French North Africa. The failure of the Vichy French troops to defend against the invasion enables the Allies to move swiftly to the western border of Tunisia, and triggers the German occupation of southern France on November 11.
-
Axis forces in Tunisia surrender to the Allies, ending the North African campaign.
-
The Germans launch a massive tank offensive near Kursk in the Soviet Union. The Soviets blunt the attack within a week and begin an offensive initiative of their own.
-
Fearing Hungary’s intention to desert the Axis partnership, the Germans occupy Hungary and compel the regent, Admiral Miklos Horthy, to appoint a pro-German minister president.
-
The Soviets launch a massive offensive in eastern Byelorussia (Belarus), destroying the German Army Group Center and driving westward to the Vistula River across from Warsaw in central Poland by August 1.
-
Anglo-American forces break out of the Normandy beachhead and race eastward towards Paris.
-
The Germans launch a final offensive in the west, known as the Battle of the Bulge, 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.
-
The Soviets launch a new offensive, liberating Warsaw and Krakow in January, capturing Budapest after a two-month siege on February 13, driving the Germans and their Hungarian collaborators out of Hungary in early April, forcing the surrender of Slovakia with the capture of Bratislava on April 4, and capturing Vienna on April 13.
-
Having agreed in principle to unconditional surrender on August 14, 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II.
