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Treaty of Munich: a treaty by Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. -
Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany and later assumes dictatorial powers. German rearmament takes off.
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Germany invades Poland, inciting Poland's allies Britain and France to declare war on Germany.
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Working in concert with Hitler, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin orders the invasion of Poland, securing a share of Polish territory.
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Warsaw surrenders to German troops.Poland holds out for another 9 days before capitulating.
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British cruisers defeat a German pocket battleship at the battle of the River Plate, the first major naval engagement of World War II. -
Germany invades Norway, ending a 6-month period of limited land operations called the "Phony War".
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Winston Churchill replaces Nevilles Chamberlain as British Prime Minister. The same day, Germany invades Belgium.
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Italy enters war on side of Axis power
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The trapped British army evacuates to England from Dunkirk, France, surviving to fight another day.
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Paris falls to German forces. France capitulates 11 days later. -
The battle of Britain pits German bombers against British fighters in a thwarted German prelude to inasion
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Japan attacks Pearl Harbor starting war with the US. Sensing wackness, Hitler declares war on America 4 days later.
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The USA defeated the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway. Following this victory, the US navy was able to push the Japanese back. -
The Japanese captured Singapore from the British, taking some 60,000 prisoners. -
Montgomery attacked the German-Italian army in North Africa with a massive bombardment followed by an armoured attack. He then proceeded to chase the routed enemy some 1500 miles across the desert. -
The Russians won their first victory against Germany at the Battle of Stalingrad.
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British and US forces invaded Sicily.
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Mussolini had been thrown out of office and the new government of Italy surrendered to the British and the USA. They then agreed to join the allies. The Germans took control of the Italian army, freed Mussolini from imprisonment and set him up as head of a puppet government in Northern Italy. This blocked any further allied advance through Italy. -
The allies launched an attack on Germany’s forces in Normandy, Western France. Thousands of transports carried an invasion army under the supreme command of general Eisenhower to the Normandy beaches. The Germans who had been fed false information about a landing near Calais, rushed troops to the area but were unable to prevent the allies from forming a solid bridgehead. For the allies it was essential to first capture a port.
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The first V2 flying bombs killed three people in London.
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Russia declared war on Japan and invaded Japanese-ruled Manchuria.
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President Roosevelt died. He was succeeded by President Truman. -
The German leader, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bombproof shelter together with his mistress, Eva Braun, who he had, at the last minute, made his wife. -
German forces in north west Germany, Holland and Denmark surrendered to Montgomery on Luneburg Heath. Admiral Donitz, whom Hitler had nominated as his successor, tried to reach agreement to surrender to the Western allies but to continue to fight the Russians. His request was refused.