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Soviet/German nonaggression pact
This pact was an agreement between Fascist Germany and Communist Russia to never attack one another.
Significance: After the nonaggression pact was signed, war seemed to be inevitable. -
Period: to
WWII
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Invasion on Poland
Hitler and his troops invaded Poland. Aircraft and artillery began a merciless bombing on Warsaw.
Significance: This bombing was the first test of Germany's newest military strategy- blitzkrieg. -
Beginning of war
Britain and France declare war on Germany.
Significance: This was the start of the war. -
Stalin and Soviet troops
Stalin sent Soviet troops were sent to occupy the eastern half of Poland.
Significance: Stalin was trying to protect Poland from being conquered, along with other countries. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fell without a struggle. Finland resisted. -
Surprise invasion on Denmark and Norway
Hitler launched a surprise invasion on Denmark and Norway. Denmark fell after only four hours into the attack. Norway fell two months later.
Significance: After Norway and Denmark were conquered, Germany built bases along their coasts where they could launch strikes at Britain. -
Germany
Hitler began a dramatic sweep through the Netherlands, Belguim, and Luxembourg. This was part of a plan to strike at France. Hitler also sent an even larger force of tanks and troops to slice through Ardennes., a heavily wooded area in Northern France, Luxembourg, and Belguim.
Significance: German troops swung through France in only ten days. -
Rescue at Dunkirk
Germans trapped allied forces around Lille. The allied forces then retreated to the beaches of Dunkirk. They were trapped with their backs to the sea. Britain sent out a rescue army, a fleet of about 850 ships were sent to and from Dunkirk under German fire.
Significance: Between May 26 and June 4, 338, 000 soldiers were brought to safety. -
Germans conquer Paris
Paris has been taken by Germans, and French troops surrendered.
Significance: German forces have gained the northern part of France, leaving Britain to stand alone in the war against Germany. -
Battle for Britain
Winston Churchill is the new prime minister, and he claims that Britain will stand strong and won't surrender. Hitler called off attacks on Britain, because he was stunned by their resistance.
Significance: This taught the allies a crucial lesson; that Hitler's attacks could be blocked. -
North Africa
After Hitler had taken France, Mussolini decided to finally take action. Italy remained neutral, regardless of their alliance with Germany. While the Battle of Britain was raging, Mussolini ordered his army to attack British-controlled Egypt.
Significance: Italian troops dug 60 miles into Egypt within a week. -
Britain strikes back
British troops swept 500 miles across North Africa and took 130,000 Italian prisoners.
Significance: Hitler stepped in to save Italian troops. He sent a German tank force, the Afrika Korps, to attack the British. British troops then retreated to Libya. -
Invasion on Soviet Union
German tanks and aircraft announced the beginning of an invasion on the Soviet Union.
Significance: After the Germans pushed 500 miles into the Soviet Union, Soviets retreated and burned everything in their enemies' path. -
Atlantic Charter
Roosevelt and Churchill met secretly and signed this charter. it upheld free trade among nations, and the right of people to chose their own government.
Significance: The charter later served as the allies' peace plan. -
Leningrad
German forces put Leningrad under seige. Hitler's goal was to starve them, so he burned all the warehouses filled with food.
Significance: About one million people died of starvation, and yet the city refused to fall. -
America joins the war
Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This attack sunk 19 ships, including 8 battle ships, killed over 2,300 people, and wounded over 1,100.
Significance: This event brought the Americans into the war.
