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Germany invades Austria
Austria was invaded by the Third Reich. The Nazis justified the invasion by claiming that Austria had descended into chaos.
There had been several years of pressure from supporters in both Austria and Germany. -
The Invansion of Poland
Although this was the official start of the Blitzkrieg, infantry and artillery relied upon more than aerial assault together with armored assault. Hitler signs the order for an assault on Poland. The coordinated air-and-land attack is conducted with such brutal efficiency that «blitzkrieg» becomes a feared offensive tactic. -
Invasion of Belgium and Holland
The planned attack on the Netherlands was part of a larger plan of attack, of which the code name was Fall Gelb. They wanted to bypass the French defense line at the eastern border by going through the Netherlands and Belgium. Germany planned to defeat Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg by catching them off guard in a swift attack, the so-called Blitzkrieg. -
Pressure on France
The French Army is easily defeated due to its poor deployment -
Holland surrenders
Holland surrendered just six days later as their military had been unable to cope with the speed of blitzkrieg. Rotterdam had been severely damaged by bombing. -
Further attacks in Belgium
The Germans enacted the second phase of their operational plan Fall Gelb. A break-through, or sickle cut, through the Ardennes, and advanced toward the English. -
Defeat of British Tanks
The cruisers and light tanks lacked the armor to withstand German anti-tank guns. All British tanks in France were either destroyed or abandoned in the retreat. -
Belgium surrenders
Belgium surrenders. -
Germans reach Paris
Germans reach Paris and on June 22th General Huntziger (French army general) signs an armistice with Germany. -
France signs armistice with Germany
The French, Marshall Petain, signed an armistice with Germany taking France, which had been devastated, out of the war, and into German occupation. -
Luftwaffe Bombers
Hitler sent his Luftwaffe bombers to attack British ports. -
Attacks on Shipping
Beginning with bomber attacks against shipping on July 10 and continuing into early August, a rising stream of air attacks was delivered against British convoys and ports. -
The Blitz
From September 7th the city of London was heavily bombed. Hitler hoped to destroy the morale of the British people. A German term for “lightning war,” blitzkrieg is a military tactic designed to create disorganization among enemy forces through the use of mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower. Its successful execution results in short military campaigns, which preserves human lives and limits the expenditure of artillery. -
Night Bombing
With the failure of daylight bombing raids, Hitler began a series of nightly bombing raids on London and other important industrial cities.
