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Soviet/German nonaggression Pact
In 1939 Joesph Stalin signed a nonaggression pact with Hitler. In 1939 Joseph Stalin signed a nonaggression pact with Hitler. There was a secret part in the pact where Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Poland and the USSR could take over Finland, Lithuania, and Estonia. -
September 1,1939
Hitler surprise attacked Poland and bombed their capitol, Warsaw -
September 17, 1939
Stalin sends Soviet troops to occupy eastern half of Poland. Finland Fights back but loses. -
Britain Fights back
In December the British fought back in North Africa. By February 1940 the British crossed 500 miles across North Africa and took nearly 130,000 Italian prisoners. To help the Italians Hitler sent a German tank force and the British retreated east to Tobruk, Libya. -
April 9, 1940
Hitler launched a surprise invasion on Denmark and Norway. Denmark surrendered in 4 hours, Norway in 2 months. Germany began building bases on Danish and Norwegian coasts and were able to launch attacks against Great Britain. -
May, 1940
Hitler sent troops to Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg. A larger force was sent through France -
End of May, 1940
German forces in Belgium and France join together and trapped Allied forces. Great Britain sent out to help Allies, their boats brought nearly 338,000 soldiers to safety. -
June 22, 1940
French leaders surrender, Germans now control the Northern part of country. -
North Africa September 1940
Mussolini ordered his army to attack Egypt, which was controlled by Britain. Mussolini wanted control of the Suez Canal which helped reach oil fields in the Middle East. Italian troops advanced 60 miles into Egypt, forcing the British to push back. -
Summer and 7 September 1940 (Battle for Britain)
German air force bombed Great Britain, targeting British airfields and aircraft factories. On September 7, 1940 they began focusing more energy on cities in Britain; Mainly London. Because the RAF (Britain’s Royal Air Force) began fighting back, the Germans avoided daylight raids and began bombing only at night. -
June 22, 1941
Hitler started Operation Barbarossa, which was his plan to invade the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had the largest army in the world, but were not ready for the attack. As the Germans pushed 500 miles in, the Soviets burned everything in their path, like they once did to Napoleon. Germany gained nothing and lost 500,000 soldiers. -
Atlantic Charter
In August, 1941 President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill secretly met and made the Atlantic Charter, which said there could be free trade among nations and the people had the right to choose their own government. This later served as a peace plan of the Allies at the end of WWII. -
September 4, 1941
A German U-boat fired on a U.S. Destroyer in the Atlantic. President Roosevelt ordered that navy commanders must shoot German submarines on sight. . This is when the United States became involved in the war with Hitler. -
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter was the icon for the woman work force in America. As men went to war, their wives began taking their places in factories. As veterans returned home many woman were replaced but many of those who wanted to could stay. This influenced the rights for woman and helped equalize men and woman. -
Dogs for Defense Inc.
Dogs for Defense Inc. Was formed in 1942 for dogs to be trained for roles in the military such as messengers, patrol, and sled work. Dogs were trained in America to transport messages between camps, to guard, and to pull sleds full of supplies. Most dogs were German Shepherds or Doberman Pinchers. -
Hitler's Death
On April 30, 1945 Hitler and his wife committed suicide in his Fuhererbunker in Berlin. Hitler with a gun, and Eva with Cyanide. It's said that their bodies were carried out of the bunker and, by his request, drenched in petrol and set on fire in the Reich Chancellery garden out side of the bunker.
