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Beginning of World War 2
World War 2 began. On one side were the Axis Powers, including Germany, Italy and Japan. On the other side were the Allies. They included Britain, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, the Soviet Union, China and the United States of America. -
Great Britain and France declare war on Germany
Honoring their guarantee of Poland’s borders, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany. -
Hoo boy, Soviet Union
The Soviet Union invades Poland from the east. -
Warsaw Surrenders
Warsaw surrenders on September 27. The Polish government flees into exile via Romania. Germany and the Soviet Union divide Poland between them. -
November 30, 1939–March 12, 1940
The Soviet Union invades Finland, initiating the so-called Winter War. The Finns sue for an armistice and have to cede the northern shores of Lake Lagoda and the small Finnish coastline on the Arctic Sea to the Soviet Union. -
April 9, 1940–June 9, 1940
Germany invades Denmark and Norway. Denmark surrenders on the day of the attack; Norway holds out until June 9. -
May 10, 1940–June 22, 1940
Germany attacks western Europe—France and the neutral Low Countries. Luxembourg is occupied on May 10; the Netherlands surrenders on May 14; and Belgium surrenders on May 28. On June 22, France signs an armistice agreement by which the Germans occupy the northern half of the country and the entire Atlantic coastline. In southern France, a collaborationist regime with its capital in Vichy is established. -
Hoo boy, Italy
Italy enters the war. Italy invades southern France on June 21. -
Rip Romania
The Soviet Union forces Romania to cede the eastern province of Bessarabia and the northern half of Bukovina to the Soviet Ukraine. -
Second Vienna Award
Second Vienna Award: Germany and Italy arbitrate a decision on the division of the disputed province of Transylvania between Romania and Hungary. The loss of northern Transylvania forces Romanian King Carol to abdicate in favor of his son, Michael, and brings to power a dictatorship under General Ion Antonescu. -
Hoo boy, Italy again
The Italians invade British-controlled Egypt from Italian-controlled Libya. -
Tripartite Pact
Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact. -
HOO BOY, ITALY BACK AT IT AGAIN
Italy invades Greece from Albania -
Hoo boy, more Axis Powers
Slovakia (November 23), Hungary (November 20), and Romania (November 22) join the Axis. -
Ah yes, Germany (yikes)
The Germans send the Afrika Korps to North Africa to reinforce the faltering Italians. -
Hoo boy, Bulgaria
Bulgaria joins the Axis. -
Instead of talking it out, just blow each other up amiright
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. -
USA USA
The United States declares war on Japan, entering World War II. Japanese troops land in the Philippines, French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia), and British Singapore. By April 1942, the Philippines, Indochina, and Singapore are under Japanese occupation. -
Take that, Japan
British and US navies halt the Japanese naval advance in the central Pacific at Midway. -
Germany is TRIGGERED
US and British troops land at several points on the beaches of Algeria and Morocco in French North Africa. The failure of the Vichy French troops to defend against the invasion enables the Allies to move swiftly to the western border of Tunisia, and triggers the German occupation of southern France on November 11. -
Hoo boy, Axis Powers again
Axis forces in Tunisia surrender to the Allies, ending the North African campaign. -
Germany vs Soviet Union
The Germans launch a massive tank offensive near Kursk in the Soviet Union. The Soviets blunt the attack within a week and begin an offensive initiative of their own. -
End of World War 2 (finally)
Having agreed in principle to unconditional surrender on August 14, 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II.
