World War II Timeline by Faith Drissel By havefaith Sep 1, 1939 Start of WWII Sep 3, 1939 France and Great Britain declare war on Germany Apr 9, 1940 Germany invades and takes control of Denmark and Norway May 10, 1940 Germany uses quick strikes called blitzkrieg, to take over much of western Europe including the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France May 30, 1940 Winston Churchill becomes leader of the British government Jun 10, 1940 Italy enters the war as a member of the Axis powers Jul 10, 1940 Germany launches an air attack on Great Britain Sep 22, 1940 Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact creating the Axis Alliance Jun 22, 1941 Germany and the Axis Powers attack Russia with a huge force of over four million troops Dec 7, 1941 The Japanese attack the US Navy in Pearl Harbor Jun 4, 1942 The US Navy defeats the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway Jul 10, 1942 The Allies invade and take the island of Sicily Sep 3, 1943 Italy surrenders to the Allies, however Germany helps Mussolini to escape and set up a government in Northern Italy Jun 6, 1944 D-day and the Normandy invasion. Allied forces invade France and push back the Germans Aug 25, 1944 Paris is liberated from German control Dec 16, 1944 The Germans launch a large attack in the Battle of the Bulge Feb 19, 1945 US Marines invade the island of Iwo Jima. After a fierce battle they capture the island Mar 22, 1945 The US Third Army under General Patton crosses the Rhine River Apr 12, 1945 US President Franklin Roosevelt dies Apr 30, 1945 Adolf Hitler commits suicide as he knows Germany has lost the war May 7, 1945 Germany surrenders to the Allies Aug 6, 1945 The United States drops the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The city is devastated Aug 9, 1945 Another atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki, Japan Sep 2, 1945 Japan surrenders to US General Douglass MacArthur and the Allies Sep 2, 1945 End of WWII