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World War II Timeline: A Comprehensive Guide to the Most Devastating Conflict in Human History

Dean Cox

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A World War II Timeline (War Timelines)

by Elizabeth Raum

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Language	:	English
File size	:	29596 KB
Print length	:	48 pages

World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, claiming the lives of an estimated 40-85 million people. It began in 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and ended in 1945 with the surrender of Japan. The war was fought between the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States). The war had a profound impact on the world, leading to the downfall of fascism, the rise of the United States as a global superpower, and the beginning of the Cold War.

This timeline provides a detailed and engaging account of the major events of World War II. It includes interactive maps, detailed timelines, and exclusive insights from historians. This is the definitive guide to understanding the Second World War.

1939

September 1: Germany invades Poland, beginning World War II.
September 3: Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.
September 17: The Soviet Union invades Poland from the east.
October 6: Warsaw falls to the Germans.
November 30: The Soviet Union invades Finland, beginning the Winter War.

1940

April 9: Germany invades Denmark and Norway.
May 10: Germany invades Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
May 26: France surrenders to Germany.
June 10: Italy declares war on France and Great Britain.
June 14: The Germans occupy Paris.
July 10: The Battle of Britain begins.
September 7: The Blitz begins, a German bombing campaign against Great Britain.

1941

March 11: The Lend-Lease Act is passed by the United States, providing aid to Great Britain and other Allied powers.
April 6: Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece.
June 22: Germany invades the Soviet Union, beginning Operation Barbarossa.
July 25: The United States and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.
December 7: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.
December 8: The United States declares war on Japan.
December 11: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States.

1942

January 27: The Battle of Bataan begins
February 15: Singapore falls to the Japanese.
April 9: The Bataan Death March begins.
May 6: The Battle of Coral Sea begins.
June 4-7: The Battle of Midway takes place, a decisive victory for the United States.
August 7: The Guadalcanal Campaign begins.
November 8: The Allies land in North Africa, beginning Operation Torch.