World War 2 Timeline

Battle of the Atlantic

Period: 1939 to 1945

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-the-atlantic

Germany and the Soviet Union (USSR) sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact

Aug 23, 1939

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-soviet-pact#:~:text=The%20German%2DSoviet%20Pact%20was%20an%20agreement%20signed%20by%20Nazi,Minister%20Vyacheslav%20Molotov%20negotiated%20it.

Germany attacks Poland

Sep 1, 1939

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/invasion-of-poland-fall-1939#:~:text=On%20September%201%2C%201939%2C%20Germany,to%20encircle%20and%20dismember%20Germany.

Great Britain and France declare war or Germany

Sep 3, 1939

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/timeline-event/holocaust/1939-1941/britain-and-france-declare-war#:~:text=Honoring%20their%20guarantee%20of%20Poland's,the%20German%20and%20British%20militaries.

USSR attacks Poland from the east. Poland soon falls and is divided between the Germans and Russians

Sep 17, 1939

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/invasion-of-poland-fall-1939#:~:text=After%20heavy%20shelling%20and%20bombing,was%20along%20the%20Bug%20River.

Winter War between the USSR and Finland. War ends when Finland cedes border lands to the USSR

Period: Nov 30, 1939 to Mar 13, 1940

https://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Finnish-War

Slovakia, Hungary, Romania joins the Axis Powers

1940

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/axis-powers-in-world-war-ii

Germany invades and captures Denmark and Norway

Period: Apr 9, 1940 to Jun 9, 1940

https://www.annefrank.org/en/timeline/61/germany-invades-denmark-and-norway/#:~:text=Under%20the%20code%20name%20'Operation,surrendered%20on%209%20June%201940.

Germany attacks Western Europe

Period: May 10, 1940 to Jun 22, 1940

https://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/newspapers/operations/westerneurope_e.html

Italy joins the war and, on June 27, invades Southern France

Jun 10, 1940

https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy/World-War-II

USSR gains control over the Baltis States(Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Period: Jun 14, 1940 to Aug 6, 1940

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/europe/1966-04-01/how-baltic-republics-fare-soviet-union#:~:text=The%20Baltic%20States%20of%20Estonia,republics%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union.

Battle of Britain

Period: Jul 10, 1940 to Oct 31, 1940

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-britain

Italy invades British controlled Egypt

Sep 13, 1940

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italy-invades-egypt

Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact

Sep 27, 1940

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-tripartite-pact-is-signed-by-germany-italy-and-japan

Italy invades Greece

Oct 28, 1940

https://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/newspapers/operations/greece_e.html

German Africa Corps are sent to North Africa to reinforce the Italians

1941

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-short-guide-to-the-war-in-africa-during-the-second-world-war

Bulgaria joins the Axis Powers

Mar 1, 1941

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/bulgaria#:~:text=In%20early%20March%201941%2C%20Bulgaria,attack%20on%20Yugoslavia%20and%20Greece

Mussolini is executed

Apr 28, 1941

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/death-of-benito-mussolini

Germany joined by Axis allies and Finland attack the USSR

Jun 22, 1941

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/axis-powers-in-world-war-ii

Italy surrenders unconditionally

Sep 3, 1941

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/italian-surrender-is-announced

The Japanese launch a surprise attack on the U.S naval base in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii

Dec 7, 1941

https://www.britannica.com/event/Pearl-Harbor-attack

The United States declares war on Japan. Germany and Italy soon declare war on the United States

Dec 8, 1941

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/timeline-event/holocaust/1939-1941/us-declares-war-on-japan

The Japanese gain control over the Philippines, French Indochina and Singapore

Period: Dec 8, 1941 to 1940

https://www.pacificatrocities.org/japanese-imperialism-through-the-lens-of-french-indochina.html

The Battle of Coral Sea

Period: May 4, 1942 to May 8, 1942

https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Coral-Sea

The Battle of Midway

Period: Jun 3, 1942 to Jun 7, 1942

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-midway

1st Battle of El Alamein

Period: Jul 1, 1942 to Jul 27, 1942

https://www.britannica.com/event/battles-of-El-Alamein

The Battle of Guadalcanal

Period: Aug 7, 1942 to Feb 9, 1943

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/solomon-islands-campaign-guadalcanal

The Bataan Death March begins as the Imperial Japanese Army forces Filipino and American prisoners of war to march 60 tortured-filled miles

Aug 9, 1942

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/battle-bataan-death-march

Battle of Stalingrad

Period: Aug 23, 1942 to Feb 2, 1943

https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Stalingrad

2nd Battle of El Alamein

Period: Oct 23, 1942 to Nov 5, 1942

https://www.britannica.com/event/battles-of-El-Alamein

Operation Overlord, D-Day

Jun 6, 1944

https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/world-war-ii-d-day-invasion-normandy

Paris is liberated

Aug 25, 1944

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/liberation-paris

Battle of the Bulge

Period: Dec 16, 1944 to Jan 25, 1945

https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Bulge

Yalta Conference

Period: Feb 4, 1945 to Feb 11, 1945

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/yalta-conf

Battle of Iwo Jima

Period: Feb 19, 1945 to Mar 26, 1945

https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1945/battle-of-iwo-jima.html

Battle of Okinawa

Period: Apr 1, 1945 to Jun 22, 1945

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/battle-of-okinawa

FDR dies, Harry Truman becomes President

Apr 12, 1945

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/trivia/biographical-sketch-harry-truman

Hitler commits Suicide

Apr 30, 1945

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/timeline-event/holocaust/1942-1945/hitler-commits-suicide

V-E Day

May 8, 1945

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-you-need-to-know-about-ve-day

Postdam Conference

Period: Jul 17, 1945 to Aug 2, 1945

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/potsdam-conf

U.S drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima

Aug 6, 1945

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/presidential-inquiries/decision-drop-atomic-bomb

U.S drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki

Aug 9, 1945

https://www.britannica.com/event/atomic-bombings-of-Hiroshima-and-Nagasaki#:~:text=When%20were%20the%20atomic%20bombs,AM%20on%20August%209%2C%201945.

V-J Day

Aug 15, 1945

https://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Experience/VJ-Day/#:~:text=V%2DJ%20Day%2C%20or%20Victory%20over,the%20world%20erupted%20in%20celebration.