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Germany invades Poland
The German invasion of Poland marked the initiation of international war. Prior to the invasion, France and England had pledged their support of Poland in the event of a German invasion. Therefore, this sparked the first front against Germany. -
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World War II
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France and Britain declare war against Germany
As a result of the German invasion of Poland, and in keeping their word, France and Britain declared war on Nazi Germany. -
Soviet Union begins invasion of Poland
To take its portion of Poland, the Soviet Union begins its own invasion of the nation. -
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Soviet Union invades Finland
This invasion marked the beginning of the Winter War. -
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Germany invades Denmark and Norway
Denmark quickly surrendered to Germany, while Norway held out for several months. -
Germany begins western invasion
France became the next victim of German troop movements. -
Italy joins WWII
Italy joined by moving on the south of France, joining Hitler's battle for European domination. -
Italy begins invasion of British Egypt
The Italians began this front by way of Libya, then controlled by Italy. -
Tripartite Pact signed
Italy, Germany, and Japan sign this agreement, mutually joining in support of eachother. -
Battle of Britain officially ends
The air war, primarily fought over London, is officially lost by the Nazis at the end of October. -
Germany begins invasion of Soviet Union
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Operation Barbarossa begins
This operation was executed by Germany for the invasion of the Soviet Union. -
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Atlantic Conference
Churchill, Roosevelt meet to discuss the Allies goals for Europe and the world after the war. Their statement was one of justice and fairness, and much different from Versailles. -
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor
This aerial bombing forced the United States to join the fight. -
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Germany and Axis Partners launch a new offensive in the Soviet Union
German troops fight their way into Stalingrad on the Volga River by mid-September and penetrate deep into the Caucasus after securing the Crimean Peninsula. -
Prelude to German occupation of Southern France
U.S. and British troops land at several points on the beaches of Algeria and Morocco in French North Africa. The allies are able to move swiftly to the western border of tunisia, and this triggers the German occupation of southern France on November 11 -
German Occupation of southern France
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U.S. and British troops land on Sicily.
By mid-August, the Allies control Sicily -
The Fascist Grand Council deposes Benito Mussolini
This enables Italian marshall Pietro Badoglio to form a new government -
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Allied Invasion of Italy
Part of the Italain Campaign. This followed the successful invasion of Sicily. The main invasion force landed around Salerno on the western coast in Operation Avalanche, while two supporting operations took place in Calabria and Taranto -
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Battle of Naples
Citizens of Naples, Italy rebelled against the German forces occupying this city. Large parties of German troops captured about 8,000 Napolitans, while 400-500 armed rioters began armed attacks against them. On the 28th, the fighting increased after more Neopolitan citizens joined the riot. On the 29th the sreets of Naples witnessed fierce clashes. On the 30th German troops began the evacuation of the city. -
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Battle of Cassino
Series of four assaults by the allies against the Winter Line in Italy held by the Germans and Ialians during the Italian Campaign. The intention was a breakthrough to Rome. Allies suffered around 55,000 casualties, German around 20,000 killed and wounded. Allied victory -
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Battle of Aachen
The city had been incorporated into the Siegfried Line, the main defensive network on Germany's western border; the Allies had hoped to capture it quickly and advance into the industrialized Ruhr Basin. Although most of Aachen's civilian population was evacuated before the battle began, much of the city was destroyed and both sides suffered heavy losses. It was one of the largest urban battles fought by U.S. forces in World War II, and the first city on German soil to be captured by the Allies. -
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Battle of the Philippine Sea
American Victory
Decisive naval battle of World War II which eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War. -
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Home Army rises up against the Germans
The non-communist underground Home Army rises up against the Germans in an effort to liberate Warsaw before the arrival of Soviet troops. The Soviet advance halts on the east bank of the Vistula. On October 5, the Germans accept the surrender of the remnants of the Home Army forces fighting in Warsaw -
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Siege of Budapest//Battle of Budapest
Soviet Victory
The siege ended when the city unconditionally surrendered on 13 February 1945. It was a strategic victory for the Allies in their push towards Berlin. -
Germany surrenders to the western Allies.
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The United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima
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The Soviet Union declares war on Japan
Soviet Union nvades Manchuria. -
The United States drops an atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
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Japan formally surrenders
WWII is officially over