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German U-boats attack merchant ships in the Atlantic
July 1st, 1940 is when German U-boats attacked merchant ships in the Atlantic. This prevented the US supply shipments from reaching Great-Britain. The US then had to establish a convoy system to get around the U-boats. This submarine aggression was the first time that Wintson Chruchill admitted that he felt threatened by the Germans naval presence.
http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=400683 -
Battle of Britain begins
The Germans begin the first in a long series of bombing raids against Great Britain, which last three and a half months, begins. On july 10, 1940 120 german bombers struck a british shipping convoy in the English channel. This battle was the first major campaing to be fought entirely by air forces. With Germany failing to force Britain into surrender, the Battle of Britain was seen as Germany's first defeat.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-battle-of-britain-begins -
Soviets invade Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia
Soviet government came to terms with the Baltic states which gave them the right to establish military bases within them. With the invasion of the Red Army that summer, Soviet authorities pushed the Baltic governments to resign. Under the Soviets, Communist established puppet-governments held rigged elections. These make-shift governments requested to join the Soviet in 1941, but the Soviet governments carried out mass deportations. Many people saw the Germans as liberators when they took over. -
Blitz begins against Britain
The Blitz were a series of bombings in the United Kingdom by the Germans that lasted until May 1941. The Germans wanted to dampen the British morale and weaken the British war economy. The Blitz only made the British more united.
Richards,James. "The Blitz: Sorting the Myth from the Reality." BBC. N.p.,Feb 17, 2011.Web.Apr11,2013 -
Tripartite (Axis) Pact signed by Germany, Italy and Japan
Italy, Germany and Japan become allies by signing the Tripartite Pact in Berlin, Germany. They became the Axis powers. The pact agreed that should any of the axis powers are attacked by any country that is not already in the war, assistance would be sent. This pact also forced America who was neutral at this point to think before joining the Allies. "The Tripartite Pact is signed by Germany, Italy, and Japan," History. Web Apr 11, 2013 -
Italy Invades Greece
Mussolini wanted to attack Greece from Albania. This move surprised everyone, including Hitler and Mussolini's generals. The Italian army were unprepared for the mountainous terrain and the rainy season; Mussolini had expected a quick victory, but it lasted three months. Mussolini was humiliated.
Italy Invades Greece, (History.com), 2013
