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Hitler meets with top military advisors.
Hitler met with his top military advisors in the Reich Chancellery. He declared that in order for Germany to grow and prosper they needed the land of Austria and Czechoslovakia. Involvoed were German War Minister, Werner von Blomberg, Commander in Chief of the Army, Werner von Fritsch, Commander in Chief of the Navy, Erich Raeder, Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring, Foreign Minister, Constantin von Neurath, and Colonel Friedrich Hossbacm. This event is the Hossbach Conference. -
Germany and Austria unite.
Accompanied by Hitler, German troops marched into Austria unopposed and where enthusiastic crowds met them. They created a union togtether. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and the next day the Anschluss was proclaimed. When Britain and France heard of the invasion, they did nothing. In France, political problems prevented any military response. Britain did not want to be involved in oreder to keep th peace. -
The Munich Agreement
The leaders of Nazi Germany, France, Great Btitain, and Italy signed an agreement which allowed the Nazis to annex the Sudetenland. This region of Czechoslovakia that was home to many Germans.The Munich Agreement was signed by Daladier and Chamberlain. The agreement turned the Sudetenland over to Germany without any conflict being aroused. -
Invasion of Czechslovakia
During a meeting with Czech President, Hitler threatened that unless he obtained free passage for German troops into Czech borders he would cause a bombing raid against Prague, which is the Czech capital. The Czech president agreed. German troops invaded Bohemia and Moravia. By that evening, Hitler made a successful entry into Prague.
German troops invaded Czechoslovakia. -
Nonaggression Pact
Fascist Germany and communist Russia committed to never take military action against each other for the next 10 years. Since Europe was on the brink of another major war, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin thought that the pact was a good way to keep his nation and Germany on peaceful terms. Hitler used the pact to ensure that Germany was able to invade Poland. Within the pact there was also a secret agreement that the Soviets and Germans would agree on how they would later divide up Eastern Europe. -
Military bases in Poland were bombed by German air forces.
1.5 million German troops invade Poland. At the same time, the Polish air fields were bombed by German Luftwaffe. In the Baltic Sea, German warships and U-boats attacked Polish naval forces. Hitler claimed the invasion was a defensive action, but Britain and France did not believe this. -
Britain and France declared war on Germany.
In response to Hitler’s invasion of Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany. British ocean liner Athenia was sunk by a German U-30 submarine which assumed the liner was armed and belligerent. 112 people lost their lives. Although 28 Americans were killed, America remained neutral. Britains response was dropping anti-Nazi propaganda leaflets. -
Germany invades Denmark and Norway.
Hitler orders an attack on Denmark and Norway. German warships enter major Norwegian ports, where thousands of German troops occupied Norway. While this was happening, German forces occupy Copenhagen. Denmark surrenders on this day while Norway continued to fight back. -
France Surrenders to Germany.
Six weeks after the Nazis launched their attack on Western Europe, the government of France signed an armistice with Nazi Germany in the forest of Compiègne. The treaty stated that hostilities between the two nations would terminate six hours after the signing of an armistice treaty between France and Italy. -
The Battle of Britain
German Luftwaffe attempted to defeat the Royal Airforce in order to gain control of British airspace. The Luftwaffe launched on London two huge bombing raids. Smaller formations of German planes planned to attack Portland and Southampton. 185 German planes were shot down by RAF. RAF Fighter Command claimed victory over the Luftwaff.
