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THE HUNS HAVE INVADED CHINA! (The Germans invaded Poland)
This event officially started the war. Hitler invaded Poland from the air and the land, using his blitzkrieg tactic that would characterize pretty much all Nazi invasions in the war. In mid September, on the 17th, the Soviets aided the Germans by invading Poland from the east. -
Britain and France Declare WAR
As a result of the invasion of Poland by Germany, Britain and France enter the war. They entered by declaring war on Germany. They were a part of the allied side of the war. -
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BATTLE OF FRANCE
The battle started in early May. Despite help from the British, the French didn’t really stand a chance against the Germans and surrendered on June 22, 1940. An armistice was signed on that day, and as a result the Germans occupied the north and west regions of France. -
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Evacuation of Dunkirk
From May 27th to June 4th, what has also been known as the "Miracle at Dunkirk" happened. During the Battle of France, allied soldiers were surrounded by German troops. Civilian ships and naval vessels alike were used to evacuate the allied soldiers. This miracle was also the inspiration for Winston Churchill's "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" speech. -
Italy enters the War
Italy started by declaring war on England and France, and proceeded in assisting Germany in the Battle of France. -
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BATTLE OF BRITAIN
By this point in time, Britain was pretty much the only European country Germany hadn't conquered. The tactic for defeating Britain included demolishing the Royal Air Force, which the Germans attempted by taking to the skies themselves, bombing runways and radar points. September 15 marked a key turning point as it became clear through Germany's failure in a large-scale bombing attack that German success was improbable. -
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North African Campaign
The axis powers goal with this campaign was to cut off allied access to oil supplies in the Middle East. The North African Campaign was comprised of three phases; the Western Desert campaign, Operation Torch, and the Tunisia campaign. The Tunisia campaign ended with the Axis powers surrendering to the Allies. -
Tripartite Pact
On this day, the Germans, Italians, and Japanese signed the Tripartite Pact. This pact united the three countries as the axis powers. The pact said that the three countries would provide each other assistance in the event that one of the three would be attacked. -
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German Invasion of the Soviet Union
Rule of thumb: Don't invade Russia (well, the Soviet Union, technically) in the winter.
Out of the blue, the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. To escape defeat, the USSR sided with the Allies for the rest of the war. Invading the USSR was especially a mistake, because then it meant that Germany was fighting a two-front war. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan had been trying to expand in the Pacific, but saw the US in Hawaii as a threat to this objective. So, they attacked Pearl Harbor, a US naval base, with hopes to stop the US in its tracks. It had the opposite effect however, and the next day, the US declared war. -
US Declares War on Japan
As a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US declared war on Japan. This meant that the US, "neutral" up until this point, was now a part of the allied forces. -
Germany and Italy Declare War on US
As a result of the US declaring war on Japan, Germany and Italy declare war on the US. In return, the US declares war on Germany and Italy. -
The Wannsee Conference
Wannsee Conference was a meeting of Nazi German senior officials. The goal of the conference was to 1. ensure the cooperation of administrative leaders of various government departments. -
Executive Order 9066
Roosevelt issues Executive Order 9066, which allows the internment of Japanese Americans -
British Bombs in Germany
This marks the first time that Germany saw battle on its own soil. The bombing would continue for the extent of the war (another 3 years). It resulted in the destruction of many German towns and the deaths of many German civilians. -
The Atlantic Conference
Drafted by leaders of England, the U.S. and later all Allies, the Atlantic Charter is a political statement that defined the Allied goals for post-war world, It includes: no territorial aggrandizement; no territorial changes made against the wishes of the people; restoration of self-government to those deprived of it; equal access to raw materials; reduction of trade restrictions; global cooperation to secure better economic and social conditions for all; freedom from fear and want; freedom of t -
Siege of Leningrad Begins
Also known as the Leningrad Blockade, Siege of Leningrad was a military operation undertaken by German Army Group again Leningrad. It was one of the most brutal and longest sieges in history and most costly in terms of casualties as well. -
Operation Torch
Initially called Operation Gymnast, Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French N. Africa during the N. African Campaign. -
Casablanca Conference Begins
Casablanca Conference was to plan the Allied European strategy for the next phase of WWII. Free French forces, US President, British Prime Minister participated, but Joseph Stalin had declined to attend. The conference agenda discussed the specifics of tactical procedure, allocation of resources and diplomatic policy. The goal of this "unconditional surrender" became the Allied will and the determination of Axis powers. -
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
It was 1943 Act of Jewish resistance within the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland. The main argument was the opposition of Nazi Germany's final effort to transport the remaining Ghetto population to extermination camp. This eventually ended German operation to liquidate the Ghetto and marked as the largest single revolt by Jews. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
Allied landed on mainland Italy, and this operation led to the successful invasion of Sicily during Italian Campaign. The main invasion force landed around Salerno on the W. coast in Operation Avalanche, while two supporting operations took place in Calabria (Operation Baytown). -
Tehran Conference Begins
One of main three conferences, Tehran Conference was a meeting among Allied leaders (Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill) and followed the Cairo Conference. As a result of the conference, all three countries committed to open a second front against Nazi Germany by the Western Allies, addressed relations among Allies and Turkey and Iran, operations in Yugoslavia and against Japan as well as the envisaged post-war settlement. A separate protocol signed at the conference pledged the Big Three's recogn -
Invasion of Normandy
Also known as D-Day, the Invasion of Normandy took place on June 6, 1944. This invasion saw the allied forces, including Britain France, and America, attacking German troops occupying the French territory of Normandy. This marked a turning point in the war, as it was an allied victory that marked the beginning of a campaign in western Europe. -
Liberation of Paris
Also known as the Battle for Paris, the liberation of Paris emerged with an uprising by the French Resistance against the German garrison since Nazi Germany had controlled Paris after the Second Compiegne Armistice. The battle marked the liberation of PAris and the exile of the Vichy government to Sigmaringen in Germany. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was Germany's last effort to win the war. It took place in Belgium, and the Germans used sneaky tactics to try to trick American soldiers. Americans held their ground, though, and the result was an allied victory. -
Yalta Conference Begins
Often referred to as the Crimea Conference or Argonaut Conference, the Yalta Conference was the meeting of the heads of government of the U.S.(Franklin D. Roosevelt), the UK(Winston Churchill) and Soviet Union(Joseph Stalin) to discuss Europe's postwar reorganization. -
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin was, which Soviet Union designed the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation, the final major offensive of the European Theatre of WWII. Before this battle was over, German Adolf Hitler and his followers committed suicide. They ultimately surrendered on May 2nd, but the fighting did not end until May 8th as German units would rather surrender to the Western Allies than to Soviets. -
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day marked the end of WWII in Europe as 1. Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces. As Adolf Hitler committed suicide, his successor Reichsprasident Donitz authorized the surrender, known as "the Flensburg government." -
Potsdam Conference Begins
Soviet Union, the UK and U.S. participated and created this conference to 1. establishment of post-war order, 2. peace treaties issues, and 3. countering the effects of war. The representatives were Communist Party General Secretary Joseph Stalin, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, which later replaced to Clement Attlee, and the U.S. President Harry S. Truman. -
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Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The first and the only use of nuclear weapons in wartime, the U.S. conducted the atomic bombings of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan; numerous Japanese died from bombings itself and following side effects. Although this led to the ultimate surrender of Japan and end of WWII, the ethical justification are still debated. -
V-J Day
Victory over Japan Day (Pacific Day) is the day on which Japan surrendered, in effect ending WWII. This is both announcement of Japan's surrender and signing of the surrender document. It is known as the "memorize day for the end of the war" or "the day for mourning war dead and praying for peace." This date is also commemorated as Liberation Day in Korea.