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The invasion of Poland was a joint military invasion from all sides. Poland was surrounded by enemies. The Soviet Union attacked from the east. Germany attacked from the west and north (from Konigsberg), while the Slovak Republic helped the Germans invade Poland from the south. Poland fought valiantly but the external forces crashed down on them. This invasion was the official start to World War 2 because it drew in Great Britain and France into the war. The Polish war effort won't be forgotten.
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The Battle of Britain was a major air campaign that saw bombings on the British Isle. Germany started with bombing RAF (Royal Airforce) depots and airports. When Britain bombed Germany's capital of Berlin, Hitler was outraged and began bombing Great Britain's capital of London. After the fall of France and the evacuation of Dunkirk the Germans planned on gaining air superiority over Britain in order to plan landings on British shores. The Luftwaffe and the RAF fought ending in a British victory.
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Operation Barbarossa was a shock to everyone around the world. This is because the Nazis and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact called the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. This means that they wouldn't attack each other and would split Eastern Europe between themselves. The Nazi's had always planned on betraying the Soviets because they say the viewed communism badly. The invasion of the Soviets started out well for the Nazis but it eventually ended in failure because the Soviets persevered.
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The Battle of Stalingrad was a tiring fight that lasted five months. Nearly, if not more than, 750,000 Soviets died defending the city while only 500,000 Germans died during the battle. The battle of Stalingrad was a major defeat to the seemingly undefeatable German war-machine. This battle caused the Germans to have to flee from their conquered land just north of the Caucus Mountains. The battle is viewed as the psychological turning point that eventually lead to the defeat of the German Reich.
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The surrender of the German's happened days after Hitler committed suicide. The Germans surrendered on the Western Front on May 7th and on the east on May 9th. The Soviets finally took Berlin and reported that Hitler had killed himself. The Paris Peace Treaties finalized the end of World War II. They were finalized on the tenth of February, 1947. Stalin promised to allow free and fair elections in all of eastern Europe, which did not end up happening. The treaties set the stage for the Cold War.
