Non – Aggression Pact to Battle of Britain Sept. 1, 1939 to May 10, 1941
Soviet / German Non-Aggression Pact Public –will not attack each other Private –divide Poland –Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia to USSR
Soviet / German Non-Aggression Pact
Sept. 1, 1939 Hitler’s Lightning Attack on Poland / blitzkrieg
Hitler Invades Poland
Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Germany takes western half of Poland USSR takes eastern half of Poland, Finland (not w/o a fight), Lithuania, Estonia
The Phony War 7 months of sitting
The Phony War
April 9, 1940 Hitler invades and takes Denmark and Norway
Invasion of Denmark and Norway
Late April, 1940 Hitler invades Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg Hitler invades through Ardennes and meets up with forces in Belgium
Invasion of Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg
May 26, 1940 Allies retreat to Dunkirk 338,000 troops ferried by boat to England
June 10, 1940 Mussolini joins Hitler and attacks France from south
June 14, 1940 Paris falls
June 22, 1940 France surrenders
July 1940 Operation Sea Lion Begins –Hitler begins bombing Britain First –British airfields and aircraft factories Eventually –British cities Radar and Enigma machine help Britain resist
May 10, 1941 Battle of Britain called off Germany turns attention South and East North Africa & the Soviet Union