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March 12, 1938
German troops marched into Austria unopposed, forcing Schuschnigg to resign. Two days later, Germany announced that its Anschluss, or "union," with Austria was complete. The United States and the rest of the world did nothing -
Spring of 1938
Hitler charged that the Czechs were abusing the Sudeten Germans, and he began massing troops on the Czech border. -
September 30, 1938
Daladier and Chamberlain signed the Munich Pact, which turned the Sudetenland over to Germany without a shot being fired -
April 9, 1939
Hitler began his familiar routine, charging that Germans in Poland were mistreated by the Poles and needed his protection. Some people thought that this time Hitler had to be bluffing. After all, an attack on Poland might bring Germany into conflict with the Soviet Union, Poland's eastern neighbor. At the same time, such an attack would most likely provoke a declaration of war from France and Britain, both of whom had promised military aid to Poland. The result was the two front war. -
August 23, 1939
The Soviet Union and Germany signed a nonaggression pact, in which they agreed not to fight each other. They also signed a second, secret pact agreeing to divide Poland between them. With the danger of a two front war eliminated, the fate of Poland was sealed. -
March 15, 1939
German troops poured into what remained of Czechoslovakia. At nightfall Hitler gloated, "Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist." After that the German dictator turned his land-hungry gaze toward Germany's eastern neighbor, Poland. -
August 23, 1939
German war planes roared over Poland, raining bombs on military bases, airfields, railroads and cities. At the same time, German tanks rumbled across the Polish countryside, spreading terror and confusion. This invasion was the first test of Germany's newest military strategy, the blitzkrieg, or lightning war. -
June 21, 1940
In Compeigne, William Shirer and the rest of the world watched as Hitler handed French officers his term of surrender -
Summer of 1940
The Germans began to assemble an invasion fleet along the French coast. Because its naval power could not compete with that of Britain, however, Germany launched an air war at the same time. The Luftwaffe, or German air force, began making bombing runs over Britain. Its goal was to gain total control of the skies by destroying Britain's Royal Air Force.
