Despite greater numbers of air and army personnel - and the presence of the British Expeditionary Force - the Low Countries and France proved no match for the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe. Germany's combination of fast armoured tanks on land, and superiority in the air, made a unified attacking force that was both innovative and effective. On 10 May - the same day that Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister of the UK - Germany invaded France, Belgium and Holland, and western Europe encountered the Blitzkrieg - or 'lightning war'. The 'winter war' between Russia and Finland concluded in March, and in the following month Germany invaded Denmark and Norway.ĭenmark surrendered immediately, but the Norwegians fought on - with British and French assistance - surrendering in June only once events in France meant that they were fighting alone. Rationing was introduced in Britain early in the New Year, but little happened in western Europe until the spring. That country was carved up between the two invaders before the end of the year, and Russia continued this aggression by going on to invade Finland. With the Ribbentrop Pact signed between the Soviet Union and Germany in late August, Russia followed Germany into Poland in September. In eastern Europe and Scandinavia, however, there was nothing phoney about the war. Gas masks were distributed, and everybody waited for the proper war to begin. Preparations for war continued in earnest, but there were few signs of conflict, and civilians who had been evacuated from London in the first months drifted back into the city. Western Europe was eerily quiet during this 'phoney war'. While the USA proclaimed neutrality, it continued to supply Britain with essential supplies, and the critical Battle of the Atlantic between German U-Boats and British naval convoys commenced. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. Three years of mounting international tension - encompassing the Spanish Civil War, the Anschluss (union) of Germany and Austria, Hitler's occupation of the Sudetenland and the invasion of Czechoslovakia - culminated in the German invasion of Poland on 1 September.

After atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenders on 14 August.Truman becomes President of the US on Roosevelt's death, and Attlee replaces Churchill.Russians reach Berlin: Hitler commits suicide and Germany surrenders on 7 May.Guam liberated by the US Okinawa, and Iwo Jima bombed.Soviet offensive gathers pace in Eastern Europe.Allies land at Anzio and bomb monastery at Monte Cassino.

British and Indian forces fight Japanese in Burma.

Italy surrenders, but Germany takes over the battle.

Allied victory in North Africa enables invasion of Italy to be launched.

Surrender at Stalingrad marks Germany's first major defeat.

Mass murder of Jewish people at Auschwitz begins.

American naval victory at Battle of Midway, in June, marks turning point in Pacific War.

Singapore falls to the Japanese in February - around 25,000 prisoners taken.

Germany suffers setbacks at Stalingrad and El Alamein.

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, and the US enters the war.

Allies take Tobruk in North Africa, and resist German attacks.

The Blitz continues against Britain's major cities.

Hitler begins Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of Russia.

British victory in Battle of Britain forces Hitler to postpone invasion plans.

British Expeditionary Force evacuated from Dunkirk.

Churchill becomes Prime Minister of Britain.

German 'Blitzkrieg' overwhelms Belgium, Holland and France.

Britain and France declare war on Germany two days later.

Second front wwii