WORLD WAR II

WW II Timeline

Period: Sep 1, 1939 to Sep 9, 1945

France and Great Britain declare war on Germany

Sep 3, 1939

1939 September 3 - France and Great Britain declare war on Germany.

Germany invades Poland

Sep 9, 1939

1939 September 1 - Germany invades Poland. World War II begins.

Germany invades Denmark

Apr 9, 1940

Germany invades and takes control of Denmark and Norway

Germany uses blitzkrieg strikes

May 10, 1940

1940 May 10 to June 22 - Germany uses quick strikes called blitzkrieg, meaning lightning war, to take over much of western Europe including the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France.

Winston Churchill becomes leader of the British government

May 30, 1940

1940 May 30 - Winston Churchill becomes leader of the British government.

Italy enters the war

Jun 6, 1940

1940 June 10 - Italy enters the war as a member of the Axis powers.

Battle of Britain

Jul 10, 1940

1940 July 10 - Germany launches an air attack on Great Britain. These attacks last until the end of October and are known as the Battle of Britain.

Tripartite Pact creating the Axis Alliance

Sep 22, 1940

1940 September 22 - Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact creating the Axis Alliance.

Germany Attacks Russia

Jun 22, 1941

1941 June 22 - Germany and the Axis Powers attack Russia with a huge force of over four million troops.

Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

1941 December 7 - The Japanese attack the US Navy in Pearl Harbor. The next day the US enters World War II on the side of the Allies.

Battle of Midway

Jun 4, 1942

1942 June 4 - The US Navy defeats the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway.

Italy Surrenders

Sep 3, 1943

1943 September 3 - Italy surrenders to the Allies, however Germany helps Mussolini to escape and set up a government in Northern Italy.

D-day Invasion

Jun 6, 1944

1944 June 6 - D-day and the Normandy invasion. Allied forces invade France and push back the Germans.

Battle of the Bulge

Dec 16, 1944

1944 December 16 - The Germans launch a large attack in the Battle of the Bulge. They lose to the Allies sealing the fate of the German army.

Iwo Jima

Feb 19, 1945

1945 February 19 - US Marines invade the island of Iwo Jima. After a fierce battle they capture the island.

Patton Crosses the Rhine River

Mar 22, 1945

1945 March 22 - The US Third Army under General Patton crosses the Rhine River.

Adolf Hitler Commits Suicide

Apr 30, 1945

1945 April 30 - Adolf Hitler commits suicide as he knows Germany has lost the war.

Germany Surrenders

May 7, 1945

1945 May 7 - Germany surrenders to the Allies.

Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima

Aug 6, 1945

1945 August 6 - The United States drops the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The city is devastated.

Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki

Aug 9, 1945

1945 August 9 - Another atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.

Japan Surrenders

Sep 2, 1945

1945 September 2 - Japan surrenders to US General Douglass MacArthur and the Allies.