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Hitler went ahead with his plans to unify all German- speaking people. he annexed Austria then demanded the liberation of German people in the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia.
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Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier of France and mussolini of Italy met in Munich and agreed that Hitler should have the Sudetanland of Czechoslovakia.
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Despite the assurances given by Hitler in the Treaty of Munich, he marched into Czechoslovakia and occupied the country.
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Britain had begun re-arming and a highly secret radar early warning system was installed along the coast. Conscription was introduced and assurances were given to Poland, who was being threatened by the Fuhrer.
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Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact which included secret clauses for the division of Poland.
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Adolf Hitler invaded Poland.
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Britain and France declared war on Germany. Neville Chamberlain broadcast the announcement that the country was at war.
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The months following Britain's declaration of war are referred to as the 'phoney war' because Britain saw no military action.
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Hitler invaded and occupied Denmark and Norway to safeguard supply routes of Swedish ore and also to establish a Norwegian base from which to break the British naval blockade on Germany.
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Hitler launched his blitzkrieg against Holland and Belgium. Rotterdam was bombed almost to extinction. Both countries were occupied.
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Neville Chamberlain resigned after pressure rom labour members for a more active prosecution of the war and Winston Churchill became the new head of the wartime coalition government.
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The British commander-in-chief, General Gort, had been forced to retreat to the coast at Dunkirk. The troops waited, under merciless fire, to be taken off the beaches.
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Italy entered the war on the side of the Axis powers. Italy's motive for entering the war was the hope of rich pickings from the spoils of war.
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The French, marshall Petain, signed an armistice with Germany taking France, which had been devastated, out off the war and into German occupation.
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During July Hitler sent his Luftwaffe bombers to attack British ports. His aim was also to assess the speed and quality of response by the RAF.