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German invasion of Poland
After the Germans conquered Poland, they began a systematic destruction of Polish intellectuals and the ruling classes, and by the end of World War II had killed a total of three million Poles (in addition to an equal number of Polish Jews). -
Britain and France declare war on Germany
The British and French had given Poland guarantees of military support in the event of an attack by Germany. -
Japan shocked by signing of Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
Japan, which joined Germany in the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936, which was directed against the Soviet Union, was outraged when Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with Stalin. However, in September 1940, Japan joined with Germany and Italy in the Tripartite Pact that created the Axis Powers. -
France falls to Germany
Invading France on May 10, the Germans made an effective use of mechanized forces and air power to rapidly defeat the French; German troops entered Paris on June 14. -
Japan demands rights to resources in French Indochina
In the summer of 1940, as a result of an agreement with the pro-German Vichy government of France, Japan gained access to raw materials from French Indochina. -
Japan acquires Chinese territory in Second Sino-Japanese War
was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Theater of the Second World War. -
Germany invades the Soviet Union
For “Operation Barbarossa,” their campaign against the Soviet Union, the Germans assembled the largest invasion force in history, totaling almost 150 divisions (or about three million men), 3,000 tanks, 7,000 artillery pieces, and 2,500 aircraft. In addition, more than 30 divisions of Finnish and Romanian troops supported this massive German force. -
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. -
United States Navy defeats Japanese at Battle of Midway Island
American naval dive bombers fly in formation over the Midway atoll -
Japanese conquer Thailand, Philippines, Malaya
It was briefly fought between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Empire of Japan. Despite fierce fighting in Southern Thailand, the fighting lasted only five hours before ending in a ceasefire. Thailand and Japan then formed an alliance, making Thailand part of the Axis' alliance until the end of World War II. -
Japanese launch offensive in central China
The Japanese continued their occupation of China until the end of World War II. -
Allies and Germany battle for control over North Africa
After a rapid advance across North Africa toward British-held Egypt, a German offensive was halted at el-Alamein during the summer of 1942. By mid-October, a British counteroffensive began to push the Germans back. In November, "Operation Torch," an Allied amphibious invasion, landed on the coasts of Morocco and Algiers. By May 1943, all of North Africa was in Allied control. -
Allies under U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower launch D-Day invasion
In May 1944, the Western Allies were finally prepared to deliver their greatest blow of the war, the long-delayed, cross-channel invasion of northern France, code-named Overlord. -
Germany surrenders
Austrian SS chief Ernst Kaltenbrunner oversaw the Nazi concentration camps throughout Europe. Captured by a U.S. patrol shortly after the German surrender, he was indicted on August 29, 1945 by the international military tribunal at Nuremberg on charges of war crimes. Here Katlenbrunner is shown addressing the court during his trial. He was found guilty of crimes against humanity and executed on October 16, 1946. -
Japan surrenders
The combination of the threat of further U.S. attacks with atomic weapons, together with the Soviet Union’s declaration of war against Japan on August 8, caused the Japanese to surrender.