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Germany invades Poland in a blitzkrieg (lightning war). England and France react by declaring war on Germany. This begins the European War, which will become World War II.
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The Soviet Union invades Finland, occupies part of Poland, and, by threatening invasion, takes over Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.
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Soviet-Finland war ends in Finland’s surrender.
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Germany invades Norway and Denmark and will soon conquer both countries.
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Germany invades the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Germany also conquers France
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Hundreds of German warplanes begin bombing London every night
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Germany conquers Greece and Yugoslavia.
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More than three million German troops invade the Soviet Union.
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A German submarine torpedoes the U.S. Navy destroyer Reuben James in the North Atlantic. It is the first U.S. warship sunk in the European War. Only 45 of the ship’s 160 crew members survive.
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After months of desert fighting, the British Eighth Army in North Africa puts Germany’s Afrika Corps to flight.
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German troops are near Moscow. But, forced to fight in freezing weather, the troops pull back.
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German troops surrender at Stalingrad. Soviet Union starts to become on the offesive side of the war.
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The Royal Air Force and U.S. Eighth Air Force begin round-the-clock bombing of Germany.
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U.S. troops enter Rome. On D-Day, June 6, 155,000 Allied troops land on the beaches of Normandy, France, to begin the liberation of Europe.
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French and American troops liberate Paris.
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British and Greek troops liberate Athens.
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German forces launch a surprise attack in the Ardennes region of Belgium
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Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler kills himself.
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Germany quits the war.
