Political and Military Events of WWII Prior to US entry

By alex.praul

  • Germany's Anschluss with Austria

    Anschluss means "union" The majority of Austria's 6 million people desired unitifaction with Germany

  • Germany's Annexation of the Sudetenland

    The Munich Agreement turned over Sudetenland The fuhrer declared the the annexation of Sudetenland would be Chamberlain's "last territorial demand"

  • The Munich Pact

    Annexed Sudentenland signed by Chamberlain and Daladier

  • Hitler's Annexation of Czechoslovakia

    Germany used the threat of violence in order to get the Czechs to sign the document. Hitler gloated that "Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist" by nightfall.

  • The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

    Signed by Germany and Russia Pact said that Germany and Russia would never attack each other again.

  • Germany's Invasion of Poland

    Germans raided Poland from the air as well as the ground. Germans used a new strategy called blitzkrieg or lightening war which used the newest technology to take the enemy by surprise and then quickly crush all opposition with overwhelming force.

  • The Phony War

    Called the "Phony War" because nothing really seemed to happen. Ended on April 9, 1940 when Hitler launched a surprise invasion on Denmark and Norway in order to "protect [those countries'] freedom and independence."

  • The Miracle at Dunkirk

    When the Germans had badly defeated the British, they decided to evacuate by sea. The navy put out a call to the public for help. Over the course of 10 days all kinds of civilian boats and ships came to the rescue of the navy. The civilians helped rescue nearly 340,000 men. This was a "Miracle" that was truly astonishing.

  • The Fall of France

    Italy invaded France from the south and Germany invaded France from the north Hitler's terms of surrender included: Germans would occupy the northern part of France, and a Nazi-controlled puppet government, headed by Marshal Philippe Petain, would be set up at Vichy, in southern France.

  • The Battle of Britain

    Really lasted from the summer of 1940 to the fall of 1940 The RAF put up a fierce fight and Hitler eventually called off the invasion of Britain indefinitely.