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Germany Invades Poland
German forces quickly defeated the ill-equipped Polish troops by launching an overpowering Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war,” in which they concentrated airplanes, tanks, and motorized infantry to encircle Polish defenders and capture the captial, Warsaw, with blinding speed. -
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WWII timespan
Invasion of Poland to Surrender of Germany -
Great Britain and France Declare War on Germany
The invasion of Poland was the last straw for Great Britain and France, who had been, up until that point, going along with Hitler’s wishes simply because they believed that doing so would prevent his claiming more of Europe. Two weeks later, Poland was further weakened by the Soviet Union’s invasion. -
Grand Alliance
United States, Soviet Union, and Great Britain join together in a tense alliance against a Germany, Just about the only thing keeping it together is the common enemy -
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Invasion of France
After Germany crushed Denmark, Norway, and took down Belgium and the Netherlands, it set its eyes on France. Mussolini soon joined the party on June 5 as he saw future spoils for Italy, and invaded France from the southeast. The French defense and its British allies could not withstand the German onslaught, and the French surrendered on June 22, 1940, leaving Germany to rule the northern half of the country, including Paris. In the south, the World War I hero Henri Philippe Pétain ruled. -
American-Soviet Alliance
The Soviets reluctantly agreed to sign an alliance with the US. The Alliance had a lot of tension but a common enemy was able to keep it together -
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The Battle of Britain
In this “battle,” the German Luftwaffe (air force) bombed monuments, public buildings, weapons depots, and industry. Britain poured its resources into antiaircraft weapons, a code-detecting group called Ultra, and radar improvements. Soon the British air industry was outproducing that of Germans by 50% - so because of Germany’s failure to destroy the British airforce, it is considered the first British victory. -
Atlantic Charter
Churchhill and Roosevelt agreed to eight common things that they agreed on in this war. They agreed not to seek territorial expansion; to seek the liberalization of international trade; to establish freedom of the seas, and international labor, economic, and welfare standards. They also agreed to help with forming Governments for the countries that were severly affected -
The Italians Invade Egypt
Italy had occupied Libya since 1912 for economic reasons, but Mussolini had always had his sights set on bigger and better things in the hope of regaining Italy’s former glory - for example, Egypt. On this date, Italy invaded the British-controlled Egypt from Libya in other to achieve that. -
Axis power forms
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact to form the Axis Alliance -
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Balkan Campaign
The Balkan Campaign was a part of Germany’s goal in taking over Europe. It started with the failure of the Italians in the Greco-Italian War, but soon garnered success. Using its superior air force, Germany invaded Yugoslavia along with Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Yugoslavia surrendered on April 17. Then Germany and Bulgaria invaded Greece to support the Italians, succeeding in June 1941. -
More countries join the Axis force
Transylvania, Hungary joined on November 20, 1940.
Romanians joined on November 23, 1940.
Slovakia joined on November 24.
Bulgaria joined on March 1, 1941.
State of Croatia on June 15, 1941.
Yugoslavia reluctantly joined on March 25, 1941. -
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Soviet Union Invasion
On June 22nd, Nazi Germany and its Axis partners (except Bulgaria) invade the Soviet Union, effectively breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact. The Germans quickly took over the Baltic States and continued on rapidly into the Fall. -
Atlantic Conference
Churchhill and Rosevelt met aboard the U.S.S. Augusta in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. They got together to discus the aims of the second world war and to talk about moves that they would have to make for the upcoming year -
Japan Bombs Pearl Harbor
As a method of keeping the United States Pacific Fleet from interfering with the Japanese Empire’s actions on the Pacific Front, the Imperial Japanese Navy conducted a surprise military strike on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. However, this had the opposite effect, as it was what got the U.S. into World War II instead. -
The United States Enters World War II
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan, entering World War II. Japan continued their island hopping and conquering, landing in the Philippines, French Indochina, and British Singapore. By April 1942, all these areas were under Japanese control. -
Lend Lease act
The US would supply Great Britain and eventually the Soviet Union things they needed to fight the war in Europe. The US would not demand payment right away, and the payment. The payment would include joint action in creating a liberal Europe -
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Case Blue
Starting June 28, Germany and the other Axis members launch a new offensive in the Soviet Union as part of Case Blue, their Spring offensive. As a result of this campaign, German troops secured the Crimean Peninsula as a new advantage. -
The Casablanca Conferenece
Churchhill and Roosevet met in Casablanca, Morocco. Stalin was invited but was busy with the war. The main thing that was accomplished was that the plans for the Allies was astablished and the proposale of an "Unconditional Surrender". -
Moscow Conference of the Foreign Ministers
The US, Britain, China, and the Soviet Union had signed a four-power declaration which stated that they will act against the common enemy (Germany) and they will activly work towards world peace. -
Tehran Conference
The big three met in Tehran, Iran to coordinate their moves in the war. During this time, they came up with Operation Overlord. Roosevelt proposed his idea that Europe should be guarded by 4 big countries (US, China, Soviet Union, Great Britain) after the war -
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Operation Overlord
Starting with D-Day, in which British and US troops successfully landed on the Normandy beaches of France, Operation Overlord was designed specifically to be the counterattack of the Allies against the Axis Powers. As a result of Operation Overlord, virtually all of France, most of Belgium, and part of the southern Netherlands are liberated. -
The Battle of the Bulge
In one final attempt to re-conquer Belgium and split the Allied forces, the Germans launch a final offensive in the west. While the Allies were caught off-guard, the weather condiions allowed for attacks on the German supplies, severely depleting them enough so that by January 1st, the Germans were in retreat. -
Yalta Confernce
Roosevelt and Churchill convinced Stalin join in the war against Japan. In return for their help they would be granted a sphere of influence in Manchuria following Japan’s surrender. This included the southern portion of Sakhalin, a lease at Port Arthur (now Lashunkou), a share in the operation of the Manchurian railroads, and the Kurile Islands -
Hitler Commits Suicide
It became increasingly known to German officials that World War II could only end in failure as the war dragged on. And with the threat of assassination looming over his head, the pressure was most certainly starting to get to Hitler. So on this day, he took his life in an underground bunker by first swallowing a cyanide capsule and then putting a bullet in his brain. -
Potsdam Conference
Stalin, Churchill, and Truman met in Potsdam Germany to talk about the terms for the end of WWII. Stalin pressed for heavy consequences for Germany, but people heavily advised against this for fear of a repeated history. In the end, the main four Allies signed peace treaties with Germany’s allies.