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The Austrian Anschluss
Hitler announces an “Anschluss” (union) between Germany and Austria. He is annexing the smaller nation into a greater Germany. Due to the Treaty of Versailles Germany and Austria were not aloud to be unified. -
The Munich Conference
Adolf Hitler,Benito Mussolini, French Premier Edouard Daladier, and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain sign the Munich Pact, which seals the fate of Czechoslovakia, virtually handing it over to Germany in the name of peace. Upon return to Britain, Chamberlain would declare that the meeting had achieved “peace in our time.” -
Hitler Demands Danzig
In preparation for war with Poland, in the spring of 1939 Hitler demanded the annexation of the Free City of Danzig to Germany and extraterritorial rail access for Germany across the "Polish Corridor," the Polish frontier to East Prussia.With that, the German invasion of Poland became World War II. -
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
Germany and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression pact, stunning the world, given their diametrically opposed ideologies. But the dictators were, despite appearances, both playing to their own political needs. He made it plain that Britain would be obliged to come to the aid of Poland in the event of German invasion. But he wanted, and needed, an ally.Once Poland was German-occupied territory, the alliance would not last for long. -
The Invasion of Poland
German forces bombard Poland on land and from the air, as Adolf Hitler seeks to regain lost territory and ultimately rule Poland. WWII had begun. The German invasion of Poland was a primer on how Hitler intended to wage war–what would become the “blitzkrieg” strategy. This was characterized by extensive bombing early on to destroy the enemy’s air capacity, railroads, communication lines, and munitions dumps, followed by a massive land invasion with overwhelming numbers of troops. -
The Fall of France
Germany asserted itself as a modern conqueror of nations, successfully invading and occupying six countries in fewer than 100 days. Germany invaded Denmark, which capitulated in a mere six hours. Also, Nazi warships and troops were entering Norwegian waters, attacking ships, landing troops, and starting a conflict that would last for two months. More than 2 million German troops on land and in the air invaded France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands using blitzkrieg tactics. -
The Evacuation of Dunkirk
Took place in Dunkirk, France, during WWII between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and Allied forces in Europe.The Battle of France began in earnest.To the east, the German Army invaded the Netherlands and advanced westward. The Supreme Allied Commander French General Maurice Gamelin initiated and entered Belgium to engage the Germans in the Netherlands. -
The Battle of Britain
German and British air forces clashed in the skies over the United Kingdom, locked in the largest sustained bombing campaign to that date.The Battle of Britain ended when Germany’s Luftwaffe failed to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force despite months of targeting Britain’s air bases, military posts and, ultimately, its civilian population.
