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Germany invades Poland
On the 1st of September 1939, Germany who is under the fascist dictatorship of Adolf Hitler invaded Poland as part of an attempt to dominate all of Europe. Since he had taken power in 1933, Germany’s armed forces were preparing for war. The invasion broke the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which had been signed in the year following the end of WW1. Britain and France called on Germany to withdraw from Poland. Germany, did not, so Britain and France declared war on Germany. -
Britain and France declare war on Germany
At 11am on September the 1st 1939. The British and later on the French leaders were unfortunate enough to tell their people that they had to declare war against Germany. The reason being is that Germany had broken many promises that the League of Nations had created. Such as merging with Austria taking over a part of Czechoslovakia and finally invading and preparing to take over Poland. -
Churchill becomes Prime Minister of Britain
Churchill became First Lord of the Admiralty in command of the Royal Navy. Prime Minster, Neville Chamberlain wanted to appease Germany and Hitler. Churchill knew that this wouldn’t work, and warned the British government that they needed to help fight against Hitler. Otherwise, Hitler would take over Europe. As Germany continued to advance in their plans, Britain lost confidence in their leader. At last, Chamberlain resigned and Winston Church became Prime Minister on May 10th 1940. -
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Evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo)
Around May 26 to 4th June in 1940, troops were cut off by rapid German advance troops, they had to either escape by sea to Britain or surrender. They held out for days. During that time, the Royal Navy warships evacuated thousands of troops through the Dunkirk port, and hundreds of small boats also pitched in and ferried. Soldiers from beaches would share the company on the huge ships. Around 340,000 French, Belgians and British troops were rescued from Dunkirk. -
France sign armistice with Germany
On June 22nd 1940, Paris fell with Germany now conquering France. Marshal became the new Prime Minster replacing Paul Reynard. The armistice was forming around on the 17th of June, but it wasn’t officially signed until the 22nd of June. There was a negative effect to this, on the 25th in June when Petain and another important figure Laval were captured and found guilty of high treason in 1944 as a result of the D-Day landings. -
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Battle of Britain
Unable to destroy the RAF, the Luftwaffe bombed Britain’s cities by night-known as the Blitz. The first major bombing took place in London on the 7th of September 1940. Attacks happened night and day when the RAF had less of a chance of hitting them. Places such as Liverpool, Glasgow, Plymouth, Belfast and Coventry were hit the most. The British air pilots were outnumbered, but the Luftwaffe lost 60 aircraft whereas the RAF lost only 28. The RAF couldn’t be defeated. -
Operation Sea Lion
After Germany’s defeat of France and the Allies in 1940, serious plans took place in July 1940 for operation Sealion following certain events. Hitler wanted the British armed forces heal. The plan finished on the 10th of August 1940. In August, the Luftwaffe’s crusade went to destroy the RAF and win control of the English Channel and air over southern England. However, the Luftwaffe’s inability to accomplish the Battle of Britain made Hitler put off Operation Sea Lion indefinitely. -
Italy enters war on side of Axis Powers
On September 27th 1940, Italy enters the war as a member of the Axis powers. On October 15th 1936, Germany and Italy signed a friendly treaty that formed the Rome-German Axis. It was shortly after this, that the Mussolini used the terms Axis to refer to the alliance with Germany. An even stronger alliance was signed between Germany and Italy on May 22nd 1939; now known as The Pact of Steel. Meaning that the countries would fight together as a ‘friends’. -
Tripartite Pact signed
On the 27th of September 1940, Japan joined in the strong alliance with Germany and Italy. The reason they joined later because Japan wanted the pact to be aimed at the Soviet Union, whilst Germany and Italy wanted it aimed the British and France. Because of the obvious disagreement, the Pact of Steel was signed without Japan. Therefore, Japan joined in the alliance later on. -
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Siege of Tobruk
In 1941, the Germans attacked the Allies in the Western Desert. Under their commander Rommel, the Germans won after every battle. From April until December, the Australians and British troops fought to hold Tobruk against Rommel’s army. Eventually, Rommel captured Tobruk, taking many Australian prisoners. The rats of Tobruk were Australians as well as defenders of the fortress of Tobruk. Their resistance helped prevent the German army from seizing Egypt & then Suez Canal. -
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Operation Barbarossa
In June 1941, the German invasion Operation seemed an overwhelming success, with Soviets suffering a massive loss. Germany did not take Leningrad (St. Petersburg) or Moscow; 2 major cities. Soviet resistance, led by General Georgi Zinkov; who drove the invaders back. Because of the Germans expected a quick victory, they didn’t prepare for the harsh winter that was expected. Many soldiers lost body parts. Soviets were allied by the British as well as the US like equipment. -
Bombing of Pearl Harbour
This attack forced the US to enter WW2. The Japanese Empire was trying to take over Asia (as much as possible) but was worried about the US navy, which was located in Hawaii. The Japanese wanted to strike in order to prevent the US attacking them. The Japanese thought that if they could take out war ships in Pearl harbour- the US would become crippled and weak. But, they were mistaken. The US declared war the next day -
Britain and US declare war on Japan
On the 8th of December 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt declares war against Japan. Regardless of to what extent it might take us to beat this planned attack, the American individuals in their honest may will win through to supreme triumph." Roosevelt's 10-minute discourse, finishing with a pledge was welcomed in the House by many. The president had his revelation of war, with one and only contradicting vote, from a conservative in the House. -
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Battle of Midway
Between the 3rd to the 7th of June 1942, was part of the turning points of the war in the Pacific between the US and Japan. The Japanese had a plan to surprise the US forces. They hoped to trap a number of the US aircraft carriers in a certain situation, which in turn would destroy them. However, American code breakers intercepted the transmissions and now knew the Japanese plans. This battle was the turning point in the war and the first victory for the allies in the Pacific. -
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First Battle of El Alamein
After the soldiers had been withdrawn from Tobruk, Australians 9th Division was called on to defend Germany’s attack on Egypt. They fought, which lasted from the 1st of July to the 27th of July 1942 and held back the German advance. The British 8th Army stopped Rommel’s Afrika Korps in Egypt. As, the Afrika Korps retreated, the Allies landed troops landed troops in French North Africa (Algeria and Morocco). So the Axis powers forces got under attack from both sides. -
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Battle of Stalingrad
After months of fighting and nearly starving to death, Germans surrendered on the 2nd of February 1943. It began with the German Luftwaffe (air force) bombing the Velga river, then the city of Stalingrad. The German army moved in and took a large portion of the city. Soviet troops fought fiercely in Stalingrad, thanks to smart tatics. In November, the Soviets gathered and made a counterattack. They trapped the German army in Stalingrad and starved the army out. -
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Battle of Stalingrad
After months of fighting and nearly starving to death, Germans surrendered on the 2nd of February 1943. It began with the German Luftwaffe (air force) bombing the Velga river, then the city of Stalingrad. The German army moved in and took a large portion of the city. Soviet troops fought fiercely in Stalingrad, as they hid all over the city in buildings and sewers. In November, the Soviets gathered and made a counterattack. They trapped the German army in Stalingrad and starved the army out. -
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Japan takes Singapore
On the 15th of February 1942, Japanese soldiers attacking who overrun in Malaya, was part of the British base at Singapore fell. The sight of British officer’s surrender to the Japanese’s was very surprising worldwide, because ‘white people’ who were racially ‘superior’ to Asians was being destroyed. The British Empires reputation never recovered. On the 8th of February, the Japanese landed north-west of the island and within six days, they were now in control of the base. -
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Second Battle of El Alamein
The 9th Division fought under the general command of Britain’s Field Marshal Montgomery. The 9th Division faced the most serious onslaught made by the enemy forces during the Battle, and opened the way for the allies to turn the German and Italian forces back. The Divisions success during the 12 battle drew high praise from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Montgomery who said, “We could not have won the battle in 12 days without the magnificent Australian 9th Division. -
D-Day Landings
A vast fleet of ships travelled from England to land and invade Normandy, France. Supreme Commander, General Eisenhower went ahead regardless of bad weather landed on the beach. As they landed on the beaches, the German troops were close by defending Omaha beach. US airborne troops dropped on Utah beach and British paras east of shore. The Germans lost because they thought the Allies wouldn’t invade because of the bad weather. -
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Battle of the Bulge
Was a major battle in Europe during WW2. Germany’s last attempt to push the Allies off the mainland Europe. The battle was fought after they freed France and defeated Germany at Normandy. One reason Germany lost was because they did not have fuel for their tanks. American troops and bombers destroyed all the fuel depots, so Germany eventually ran out of fuel. The battle was fought under miserable conditions and fought in the Ardennes’s forest in Belgium. -
Mussolini captured and executed
In July 1943, the Allies invaded Sicily. This caused the final humiliation for dictator Mussolini. The new Italian government was formed and soon sided with Allies. Mussolini was dismissed from the office, thanks to Italy’s King Victor Emmanuel III and was made prisoner. On the 28th of April 1945, Mussolini was executed. He was shot by partisan, who captured his wife and himself when they tried to flee to Switzerland, with help from Hitler. -
Hitler commits suicide
The war ended with the battle for Berlin, noted as one of the fiercest combats of the whole war. Soviet troops encircled the city and fought their way through their way back in the streets. Trapped in a bunker in the centre of the city, Hitler chose death rather than capture. Germany’s military leaders then surrendered. He consumed a cyanide capsule, then shot himself with a pistol. Hitler died on the 30th April 1945, two days after Mussolini’s death. -
German forces surrender
Once Hitler was found dead, German forces began to give up or surrender. Admiral Friedberg surrendering to Field Marshall Montgomery occurred on the 4th of May 1945. The final unconditional surrender was signed on the 7th of May 1945. This was signed n Reims, France. -
V.E day
Victory in Europe, was announced on the 7th of May. Both Britain and US celebrate this day. Spelt the day when the German troops throughout Europe gave up. In Prague, Germans surrendered to their Soviet leaders. Germans were worried for surrendering to the Soviet Union would mean greater consequences because of the amount of Soviets that the Germans killed during the war. On May the 9th, the Soviets lost more than 600 soldiers in Silesia. So, it was celebrated until the 9th in Moscow. -
Atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima
By August 1945, Japanese government still did not decide to surrender. America dropped atom bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, whilst troops invaded the Japanese controlled Manchuria. On the 10th of August, the Japanese told the Americans that they will surrender if the emperor would stay in power. Little Boy atom bomb was the first to be carried in a B-29 bomber, which was dropped in Hiroshima at 8.15am of the 6th of August. -
Soviet Union declares war on Japan
On August the 8th 1945, 1 million Soviets poured into Manchuria- northeast in China, to take on 700,000 Japanese soldiers. Japan denied surrender after the bombing of Hiroshima, unless plans were made with the Allies. The Japanese believed that they were not going to be attacked by the Soviets. Emperor Hirohito began to plead with the War council to reconsider surrendering. The Soviets surprised them with the invasion and won. -
Japanese surrender- End of WWII
The Japanese marked a surrender arrangement with US General Douglas MacArthur on board the ship USS Missouri. This day was called V-J Day which implies Victory in Japan. The Japanese were liable of numerous atrocities amid World War II. This incorporates the slaughtering of up to 20 million Chinese individuals. They utilised organic weapons and tortured detainees of war. Therefore, numerous Japanese figures were executed after the war including Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki
On August 9th, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki instead of Kokura. The death toll was lower than the one at Hiroshima, thanks to the protection of the many hills in Nagasaki. From 35,000 to 70,000 Japanese who lost their lives. On August the 14th, the Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced that Japan would surrender. The surrender took place on the ‘US Battle Missouri) on the 2nd of September. -
United Nations is born
The United Nations was founded in 1945, which was intended to be a bigger and better version of the pre-war League of Nations. The major wartime allies became permanent members of the UN Security Council. Whom were supposed to run the after world in a peaceful manner. Unfortunately, maintaining world peace was proven to be much impossible. It was founded on October 24th 1945 at Lake Success, New York.
