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Czechoslovakia surrenders
Czechoslovakia surrenders after Adolf Hitler annexes the country into the Third Reich. Although the Czechs had warmly welcomed the Germans when they entered the Sudetenland months earlier, they stood silently in despair when the Nazis entered Prague. -
Hitler orders assault on Poland
Germany's Adolf Hitler signs the order for an assault on Poland. After the Germans stage a phony raid on a Gleiwitz radio station, they blame the Polish for the unprovoked attack. -
New Warriors
Honoring their treaty with Poland, France, and Great Britain enter the war against Germany. -
CANADA
Canada declares war on Germany. -
Dropping Bombs
The British drop the first bombs on German soil as the RAF hits the seaplane base at Hornum. -
First Major Airborne Attacks
Germany invades Denmark and Norway with the first major airborne attacks on Allied forces. -
Chamberlain Resigns
Germany invades Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Because of the failure of his appeasement policies, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigns. Forming a coalition government, Winston Churchill replaces him. Standing alone, Churchill soon began conferring with U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt for aid to the British cause. -
Italy joins Germany
Italy joins the war as an ally of Germany. -
Selective Service Act
The U.S. Congress passes the Selective Service Act. It calls for the first peacetime draft in American history. To serve, men had to be five feet tall, weigh 105 pounds, have correctable vision and at least half their teeth. -
Tuskegee Airmen
The first all-black unit of the U.S. Air Corps — the 99th Pursuit Squadron — is activated. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. -
Pearl Harbor
At 7:55 AM on a Sunday, hundreds of Japanese warplanes, launched from aircraft carriers far out at sea, attack the American Pacific fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Eight battleships, including the U.S.S. Arizona, three light cruisers, three destroyers and four other naval vessels are either sunk or damaged. One hundred-sixty-four American aircraft, are destroyed. And 2,403 Americans are killed. On the day that President Roosevelt would call "a date which will live in infamy," -
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Midway
The Battle of Midway is fought. This is the first defeat of the Japanese Navy in 350 years, this is also a turning point of the battle because the U.S. goes on the offensive. -
Italy switches Sides?!
Italy declares war on Germany after accepting terms of surrender from the Allies -
Paris is Liberated
After four years of Nazi occupation, Paris, the City of Light, is liberated. -
Germany Surrenders
Germany surrenders. The Reich that Hitler promised would last a thousand years had lasted less than a dozen.