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Battle of Britain
- Hitler sent his Luftwaffe bombers to attack British ports. His aim assess speed and quality of response by RAF. 2.August attacks on shipping but bombing raids were concentrated on RAF airfields. 3. The Blitz- from Sept. 7 London was heavily bombed. Hitler hoped to destroy morale of British people. 4. Night Bombing- failure of daylight bombing Hitler began series of nightly bombing raids London and important industrial cities. RAF defended skies Oct. 31 raids ceased. July 10 1931- Oct 1940
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German Anschluss with Austria
Hitler went with his plan to unify all German-speaking people. He annexed Austria, demanded liberation of Germany Czechoslovakia. Neville flew to Germany attempted to settle before war broke out. -
Treaty of Munich
Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier France, and Mussolini Italy met in Munich agreed Hitler should have Sudetenland. The Czechs were forced to surrender to Germany. Hitler assured that was his extent of expansion. Neville returned to England w/ "peace in our time." -
Hitler invades Czechosolvakia
Despite assurance given by Hitler in the Treaty of Munich (Sept.1938), he marched into Czechoslovakia and occupied the country. -
Britain rearms and reassures Poland
Britain begun rearming and highly secret radar early warning system on east coast. Assurance was given to Poland who was threatened by the Fuhrer. -
Russia and Germany sign pact
Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact which included secret clauses for division of Poland. -
Phoney War
Months after Britain's declaration of war is referred to as Phoney war because Britain saw no military action. (Sept.1939-May 1940) -
Hitler invades Poland
Hitler invaded Poland -
Britain and France declare war on
Britain and France declared war on Germany. Chamberlain broadcast announcement that the country was on war. -
Hitler invades Denmark and Norway
Hitler invaded and occupied Denmark/Norway to guard supply routes of Swedish ore and establish Norwegian base to break the British naval blockage on Germany. (April/May) -
British rout Italians in N. Africa
Italian forces in North America were routed by the British led by general Wavell. -
Blitzkrieg
Hitler launched blitzkrieg against Holland and Belgium. Rotterdam bombed almost extinct both countries occupied. -
Cambelain resigns
Chamberlain resigns after pressure more active prosecution of war. Winston Church became head of wartime gov. Bevin made minister and Lord Beaverbrook minister of Aircraft Production. -
Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo)
General Gort was forced to retreat at Dunkirk. The troops waited more than 338,000 men were rescued, among them 140,000 French form the nucleus of the Free French army under Charles de Gaulle. -
Italy enter war on side of Axis powers
Italy enters war on Axis powers. Italy's motive of war was hope of rich pickings from the spoils of war. -
France signs armistice with Germany
The French, Marshall Petain, signed with Germany taking France, which was devastated, out of the war and into German occupation. -
Tripartite Pact
Mutual alliance signed by Germany, France, and Italy -
Italy and Germany attack Yugoslavia
Germany/Italian troops attacked Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete. German field Marshall Rommel led axis powers back to N. America. -
Hitler attacks Russia - Operation Barbarossa
hitler sent 3 million soldiers and 3500 tanks into Russia. Taken by surprise they signed a treaty in 1939. Stalin signed mutual assistance w/ Britain and launched Eastern front battle claim 20 million casualties. USA supplying arms to Britain under Lend-Lease agreement, similar aid to USSR. -
Pearl Harbor
Japanese waging war against Chinese, attacked US pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as preliminary taking British, French, & dutch colonies in S. East Asia -
Britain and US declare war on Japan
Britain and US declare war on Japan. -
Japanese take Singapore
Japanese captured Singapore from the British taking 60,000 prisoners -
Battle of Midway
USA defeated Japanese navy at battle of Midway. Following victory, US navy was able to push Japanese back -
Allies in N. Africa
G. Alexander given hand-written directive from Churchill ordering his main directive was to be destruction German- Italian army commanded by Field-Marshall Rommel all supplies and establishments in Egypt and Libya. As sufficient material built up, Alexander handed campaign to General Montgomery. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Russians won their first victory against Germany at the Battle of Stalingrad. -
Allies push into N. Africa
British and American forces under commander general Eisenhower landed in NW of Africa and assumed control of French Morocco & Algeria. Gradually closed in on the Germans -
Battle of El Alamein
Montgomery attacked the German- Italian army in N. Africa w/ massive bombardment followed by armored attack. He then proceeded to chase routed enemy 1500 miles across the desert. -
Allies invade Sicily
British and US forces invaded Sicily -
Allies take Sicily
the allied troops had won the island of Sicily -
Allies meet at Tehran
Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill met co-ordinate plans for squeeze on Germany. Discussed post war settlements. Churchill mistrusted Stalin; Roosevelt anxious to show West wouldn't stand against Russia, went w Stalin's wishes for a second front in France & no diversions east. Churchill over-ruled and the fate of post-war Eastern Europe was thus decided. -
Axis surrender N Africa
The British and American forces managed to defeat Axis forces in N. Africa. -
Italy surrenders
Mussolini was thrown out of office & new gov. of Italy surrendered to British & USA. Agreed to join allies. Germans took control of the Italian army, freed Mussolini from imprisonment set him as head of a puppet gov. in N. Italy. Blocked any further allied advance through Italy. -
Leningrad relieved
Siege of Leningrad lifted by Soviet army -
Rome liberated
Italy surrendered in sept. it was only now the allies were able to liberate Rome from the Germans -
Japanese evicted from Burma
British forces under General Slim, w help from guerrilla-fighting Chindits led by Orde Wingate, evicted the Japanese from Burma. -
Battle of the Bulge
Germany launched its final defensive through the Ardennes region of Belgium. However, they were beaten back by the allies. -
D-Day
Allies launched attack on Germany's forces in Normandy. Thousands of transports carried invasion army under supreme command of general Eisenhower to Normandy beaches. Germans false fed rushed troops to Calais but unable to prevent allies forming a solid bridgehead. For allies it was essential to capture port first. -
Paris liberated
French capital of Paris was liberated from the Germans. -
V2 Flying Bombs
The first V2 flying bombs killed 3 people in London. -
Allies cross the Rhine
Allies crossed the Rhine while Soviet forces were approaching Berlin from the East. -
Death of Roosevelt
President Roosevelt died. He was succeeded by President Truman. -
Russians reach Berlin
The Russians reached Berlin shortly before the US forces. -
Mussolini captured and executed
Italian partisans captured Mussolini and executed him. -
Hitler commits suicide
The German leader, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bombproof shelter together w his mistress, Eva Braun, who he had, at the last minute, made his wife. -
German forces surrender
German forces in Italy surrendered to the Allies. -
German forces surrender
German forces in nw Germany, Holland, and Denmark surrendered to Montgomery on Heath. Donitz Hitler nominated as successor tried to reach agreement under surrender to western allies continued to fight Russians. request was refused. -
Donitz offers unconditional surrender
Hitler's successor, Admiral Donitz offered an unconditional surrender to allies. -
V.E day
Victory in Europe celebrated -
Churchill loses election
Churchill lost election Atlee's Labour Party. promised social reforms including coal and railway industries and creation of a welfare state. Labour Party gained 393 seats to Conservatives 213. the landslide victory was due to men and women of armed services who didn't want to resume civilian life under conditions before they entered service. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
The Japanese generals refused to surrender. The US dropped an atomic bomb on the island of Hiroshima. -
Russia declares war on Japan
Russia declared war on Japan and invaded Japanese-ruled Manchuria. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki
The US dropped an atomic bomb on the island of Nagasaki as the Japanese had not surrendered following Hiroshima. -
Japanese surrender
Japanese unconditionally surrendered to the allies ending the second world war. -
MacArthur accepts Japan's surrender
US General, Douglas MacArthur, accepted Japan's surrender thus formally ending the second world war.