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Germany invades Chechoslovakia
Germany marched into Chechoslovakia and takes over Bohemia and Slovakia. It becomes clear that Hitler doesn't just want a 'better Germany', like he claimed. He wants to invade other countries as well. -
The Soviet Nazi Pact
A week before WWII started, Germany and the Soviet Union made a deal that they would not attack eachother for at least 10 years. The deal was called the Soviet-Nazi Pact and it only lasted two years. When Germany attacked Poland, just days after the pact was signed, the Soviet Union just sat by and watched. -
The Invasion of Poland
The first attack of the war, Garmany dropped bombs on the Polish town of Wielun, killing nearly 1,200 people. German battleships then opened fire on a transit depot in the city of Danzig. The United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. -
The Phony War
From Septermber 1939 to April 1940 when nothing much was happening during the war. During this time, even though the public wasn't aware, the Germans sunk a British passenger ship called the Royal Oak. -
Canada enters the War
Canada declared war on Germany after a German submarine attacked a Montreal bound passenger ship near Ireland. The ship was the SS Athenia. Over 45,000 Canadian soldiers lost their lives during the war. -
The Invasion of Norway, Denmark, Holland, and Belgium
On April 9th, 1940, in an attempt to dominate all of Western Europe Hitler simultaneously attacked Norway and Denmark. May 10th the Nazis invade France and Belgium. May 15th Holland surrenders to the Nazis. Hitler's strategy was to take Britain and he needed these other countries first. -
The Fall of France
In May of 1940 when Europe had been at war for 9 months, Germany launched an invasion of France. The Fall of France came abruptly, at the end of the Phony War. -
The Invasion of France
Germany invades France, Belgium and The Netherlands. Germany bombed France and sent in ground troops as well. Elite German paratroopers were dropped into France. -
The Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain was a battle of the skies. Between July and October 1940, Hitler planeed to invade Britain but British fighter pilots flew in his way and he ended up postponing his invasion. Canadians defended the skies over Britain as well. On September 15th Hitler launched an all out attack, and the British and Canadian Air Forces held them back. Winston Churchill, said of the battle, "The odds were great; our margins small; the stakes infinite." -
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the name used for Germany's invasion of Russia on June 22nd. It was the largest military attack of WWII Hitler himself said "when the attack on Russia starts the world will hold its breath", and the world also couldn't deny how evil Hitler was. By day 17 300,000 Russians had been captured. -
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese launch a surprise air attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. More then 2,400 Americans were killed and the following day the United Stated declared war on Japan, officially bringing them into WWII. -
Map of Nazi occupation in 1942
This map shows the extent of Nazi occupation in 1942.
