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Hitler Meets with Military Advisers in Secret
Hitler met, in secret, with his top military advisers to devise a plan where they would invade and take land from Germany’s neighbors, Austria and Czechoslovakia. He wanted to bring those countries and “absorb” them into the Nazi regime, or Third Reich. During this meeting, when one of the advisers was vocal about his disagreement with the plan because it would provoke war, Hitler replied, “ ‘ The German Question’ can be solved only by means of force, and this is never without risk.” -
Germany Marches Into Austria
German soldiers marched into Austria, and were met with enthusiastic crowds who were excited to be ruled by Germany. The next day, Austria and Germany unified, since most of Austria wanted to be a part of Germany again. On the 13th, Germany announced the union with Austria was complete. The United States did not do or say anything, and neither did the rest of the world. -
Munich Agreement
On this date, the Munich Agreement was signed which gave Sudetenland (portions of Czechoslovakia) to Germany. Churchill warns Chamberlain and Daladier that it would backfire if they gave into appeasement. The treaty was signed after a negotiation which took place in Munich, Germany, which gave it its name. Conference was to talk about and plan the future of Sudentenland after given “ethnic demands” by Hitler. -
Germany Invades Czechoslovakia
German troops invade Czechoslovakia anyway, proving Churchill’s point. Hitler used what he had taken from Sudetenland to make Czechoslovakia weak, thus making it easier to be taken over. -
Hitler-Stalin Nonaggression Pact
Stalin signs the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact–which made the promise for both Russia and Germany to never attack each other. There was also a secret pact signed to split Poland between the two. -
Germany Invades Poland
German airforce (Luftwaffe) bombs military bases, airfields, railroads, and cities in Poland. They also send in tanks across the countryside in a test of Germany’s new military strategy called blitzkrieg. It was a working military strategy that was used to surprise and ambush enemies to quickly crush opposition. -
Britain and France Declare War on Germany
Due to the terror in Poland, Britain, and France quickly declare war on Germany. By the time France and Britain get troops over it is already too late, Blitzkrieg had worked, and Poland had been almost completely taken over. It was at this point that World War Two began. -
Germany invades Norway and Denmark
Hitler launches a surprise attack on Denmark and Norway so he could build bases to strike against Great Britain. The Germans were able to slip into Norway through open mines, because they were ordered to be left unopposed by Norwegian commander Vidkun Quisling. The German minister that had been in Oslo demanded that Norway surrender, the gov, refused, and the Germans invaded by a parachute invasion and they had implemented a regime led by Norway's own Quisling. -
Battle of Dunkirk Ends
Battle of Dunkirk is coming to an end. 400,000 British and French soldiers fled to the beaches of Dunkirk where they were rescued by over 800 boats, ranging from tugboats to leisure boats. -
France Surrenders to Nazi Germany
Hitler brings his terms of surrender to France after Italy joins the war and invaded France. Germans occupied the northern part of France while a Nazi- controlled government was set up in the southern half.
The armistice was signed by German General Wilhelm Keitel and French General Charles Huntziger, and it asked France to stop fighting back and back down to Germany and let them invade. -
RAF Bases Attacked
Germany begins airstrike that summer, on Britain, to take down the Royal Air Force and they began to assemble their naval fleets. By August around 2,000 German planes were flying over Britain. The 15 is when some of the most fighting occured. The Luftwaffe raided RAF bases. Germany attacked England from their bases in Norway. -
Battle of Britain Day
RAF takes down 185 German aircraft and they were barely losing planes. Six weeks later Hitler calls off the invasion before they lose any more aircraft. The Luftwaffe had made a major attack on London, with 1500 aircraft, lasting until dusk.
