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September, 1939 – Nazi Germany invades Poland
To justify the action, Nazi propagandists accused Poland of persecuting ethnic Germans so that they could invade without raising much pushback -
May/June, 1940 – Evacuation of Dunkirk
The evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied soldiers during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, -
July-September, 1940 – Battle of Britain and the ‘Blitz’ of British cities
The battle of Britain involved German planes bombing instead of them sending troops in. -
May, 1940 – German ‘Blitzkrieg’ overwhelms Holland, Belgium and France
German troops overran Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France in six weeks starting in May 1940. France signed an armistice in late June 1940, leaving Great Britain as the only country fighting Nazi Germany. -
January, 1941 – the Allies take Tobruk
The Allies successfully capture the strategic port city of Tobruk in libya from the Axis forces, marking a significant victory in the North African Campaign. -
June, 1941 – Operation Barbarossa begins
Operation Barbarossa starts as Nazi Germany launches a massive invasion of the Soviet Union, aiming to secure control over land and eliminate Soviet resistance. -
December, 1941 – Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour
Japan launches a surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, leading to the United States' entry into World War II. -
February, 1942 – the fall of Singapore
Singapore falls to the Japanese forces, resulting in the largest surrender of British-led forces in history and a major setback for the Allies in the Pacific theater. -
June, 1942 – The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway takes place in the Pacific Ocean, where the United States successfully repels a Japanese offensive, crippling Japan's naval strength and marking a turning point in the war in the Pacific. -
December, 1942 – first news of Nazi atrocities against Jewish people reaches the Allies
The Allies receive the first reports of the evil Nazi atrocities committed against Jewish people, raising awareness of the Holocaust. -
February, 1943 – German forces surrender at Stalingrad
German forces surrender at Stalingrad after a long and brutal battle, marking a major turning point on the Eastern Front and a significant defeat for Nazi Germany. -
June, 1944 – D-Day Landings
The D-Day Landings occur, with Allied forces launching a massive invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France, successfully creating a foothold in Nazi-occupied Western Europe. -
January, 1945 – Soviet liberation of Auschwitz
Soviet troops free Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp. -
August , 1945 – the United States drops the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki The United States deploys atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's unconditional surrender and the end of World War II.
The United States drops atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,causing Japan to surrender and the end of World War II.