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Germany invaded Poland
Germany quickly gained control of Western Poland, however, Soviet troops took the east. -
Germany controlled most of its western European opponents
Germany controlled a large area of northern and western Europe, however, Britain remained free. -
German invasion
Germany invaded and occupied Norway and Denmark, then took control of the Netherlands, Belgium and 60% of France. -
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Battle of Britain
Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe, conducted a major bombing campaign in Britain from early July until the end of October 1940. Its goal was to destroy the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the British navy in preparation for Operation Sea Lion, Hitler’s plan to invade Britain. Initially, German planes targeted convoys in an attempt to force RAF planes into the air to protect them, and also attacked RAF airfields and radar installations. However, the Luftwaffe failed to defeat the RAF. -
Beginning of the Battle of France
German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes to cut off and surround the Allied Units that had advanced into Belgium. German forces also outflanked the allies and took over territory in France. -
German forces pushed British, French and Belgian troops to Dunkirk
Advancing German forces pushed British, French and Belgian troops back to an area of coastline about 97 km in length and 24-40 km in width around the French port of Dunkirk, just south of the French-Belgian border. The Germans surrounded them and blocked potential support from the rest of the Allied forces in France. -
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Evacuation of Dunkirk
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called on anyone with a boat to make the trip across the English Channel and bring home the Allied troops. People came in fishing boats, lifeboats, merchant marine ships, warships and yachts and succeeded in rescuing over 338,000 Allied troops -
Italy declared war
Italy declared war on France, the French government fled and Paris was occupied by the Axis powers. -
French army group surrendered
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Operation Barbarossa
Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. German armies crossed into Soviet territory from the North Cape to the Black Sea (2,000 miles), but a series of Soviet counterattacks occurred. In September the Germans managed to encircle Kiev, and in October, Bryansk-Vyazma. As they continued toward Moscow, the troops were not equipped for the weather. They were stopped in early December. The failure of this operation forced Nazi Germany to fight a two-front war that they could not win.
