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The Start of World War 2
Hitler invaded Poland from the west two days later then France and Britain declared war on Germany beginning World War II n September 17 Soviet troops invaded Poland from the east. -
September 1, 1939
Hitler invaded Poland from the west; two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany, beginning World War II. On September 17, Soviet troops invaded Poland from the east. -
France declares war on germany
Honoring their guarantee of Poland’s borders, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany. -
September 3, 1939
Honoring their guarantee of Poland’s borders, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany. -
Poland invaded
The Soviet Union invades Poland from the east -
September 17, 1939
The Soviet Union invades Poland from the east. -
Warsaw surrenders
Warsaw surrenders on September 27. The Polish government flees into exile via Romania. Germany and the Soviet Union divide Poland between them. -
September 27–29, 1939
Warsaw surrenders on September 27. The Polish government flees into exile via Romania. Germany and the Soviet Union divide Poland between them. -
November 30, 1939–March 12, 1940
The Soviet Union invades Finland, initiating the so-called Winter War. The Finns sue for an armistice and have to cede the northern shores of Lake Lagoda and the small Finnish coastline on the Arctic Sea to the Soviet Union. -
italy invades greece
Italy invades Greece from Albania on October 28. -
November 1940
Slovakia (November 23), Hungary (November 20), and Romania (November 22) join the Axis. -
November 1940
Slovakia (November 23), Hungary (November 20), and Romania (November 22) join the Axis. -
italy joins war
Italy enters the war. Italy invades southern France on June 21 -
June 10, 1940
Italy enters the war. Italy invades southern France on June 21. -
June 28, 1940
The Soviet Union forces Romania to cede the eastern province of Bessarabia and the northern half of Bukovina to the Soviet Ukraine. -
June 28, 1940
The Soviet Union forces Romania to cede the eastern province of Bessarabia and the northern half of Bukovina to the Soviet Ukraine. -
Second Vienna Award
Germany and Italy arbitrate a decision on the division of the disputed province of Transylvania between Romania and Hungary. The loss of northern Transylvania forces Romanian King Carol to abdicate in favor of his son, Michael, and brings to power a dictatorship under General Ion Antonescu. -
August 30, 1940
Second Vienna Award: Germany and Italy arbitrate a decision on the division of the disputed province of Transylvania between Romania and Hungary. The loss of northern Transylvania forces Romanian King Carol to abdicate in favor of his son, Michael, and brings to power a dictatorship under General Ion Antonescu -
September 13, 1940
The Italians invade British-controlled Egypt from Italian-controlled Libya. -
italians invade egypt
The Italians invade British-controlled Egypt from Italian-controlled Libya -
Tripartite Pact
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact -
September 27, 1940
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact. -
October 28 1940
Italy invades Greece from Albania on October 28. -
February 1941
The Germans send the Afrika Korps to North Africa to reinforce the faltering Italians. -
February 1941
The Germans send the Afrika Korps to North Africa to reinforce the faltering Italians. -
March 1, 1941
Bulgaria joins the Axis. -
March 1, 1941
Bulgaria joins the Axis -
April 6, 1941–June 1941
Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria invade and dismember Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia surrenders on April 17. Germany and Bulgaria invade Greece in support of the Italians. Resistance in Greece ceases in early June 1941. -
April 6, 1941–June 1941
Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria invade and dismember Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia surrenders on April 17. Germany and Bulgaria invade Greece in support of the Italians. Resistance in Greece ceases in early June 1941. -
April 10, 1941
The leaders of the terrorist Ustasa movement proclaim the so-called Independent State of Croatia. Recognized immediately by Germany and Italy, the new state includes the province of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatia joins the Axis powers formally on June 15, 1941. -
April 10, 1941
The leaders of the terrorist Ustasa movement proclaim the so-called Independent State of Croatia. Recognized immediately by Germany and Italy, the new state includes the province of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatia joins the Axis powers formally on June 15, 1941. -
June 22, 1941–November 1941
Nazi Germany and its Axis partners invade the Soviet Union. Finland, seeking redress for the territorial losses in the armistice concluding the Winter War, joins the Axis just before the invasion. The Germans quickly overrun the Baltic States and, joined by the Finns, lay siege to Leningrad by September. In the center, the Germans capture Smolensk in early August and drive on Moscow by October. -
June 22, 1941–November 1941
Nazi Germany and its Axis partners invade the Soviet Union. Finland, seeking redress for the territorial losses in the armistice concluding the Winter War, joins the Axis just before the invasion. The Germans quickly overrun the Baltic States and, joined by the Finns, lay siege to Leningrad by September. In the center, the Germans capture Smolensk in early August and drive on Moscow by October. -
December 6, 1941
A Soviet counteroffensive drives the Germans from the Moscow suburbs in chaotic retreat. -
December 6, 1941
A Soviet counteroffensive drives the Germans from the Moscow suburbs in chaotic retreat. -
December 7, 1941
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. -
December 7, 1941
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. -
December 8, 1941
The United States declares war on Japan, entering World War II. Japanese troops land in the Philippines, French Indochina Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and British Singapore. By April 1942, the Philippines, Indochina, and Singapore are under Japanese occupation. -
December 11–13, 1941
Nazi Germany and its Axis partners declare war on the United States. -
June 1942
British and US navies halt the Japanese naval advance in the central Pacific at Midway. -
May 13, 1943
Axis forces in Tunisia surrender to the Allies, ending the North African campaign. -
August 9, 1945
The United States drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. -
September 2, 1945
Having agreed in principle to unconditional surrender on August 14, 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II.