Invasion of Poland
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of World War II in Europe. This invasion prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany, leading to a widespread conflict across the continent.
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Event · English
World War II
World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations.
The Timeline
1939 — 1945
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1939
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1940
Fall of France
In May 1940, Germany launched a blitzkrieg against France, resulting in a swift defeat and occupation by June. The fall of France shocked the Allies and altered the balance of power in Europe. -
1941
Operation Barbarossa
On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in a campaign known as Operation Barbarossa. This marked the largest military operation in history and opened the Eastern Front, which would become a critical theater of war. -
1941
Pearl Harbor Attack
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This attack led to the United States formally entering the war, significantly bolstering the Allied powers. -
1942
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad began in August 1942 and lasted until February 1943, marking a turning point in the war. The Soviet victory decisively halted the German advance into the Soviet Union and began a series of offensives that would push the Germans back. -
1944
D-Day
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord, known as D-Day, with a massive invasion of Normandy, France. This operation was crucial in establishing a foothold in Europe and marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. -
1944
Liberation of Concentration Camps
As Allied forces advanced in 1944, they began liberating concentration camps across Europe. These liberations revealed the full extent of the Holocaust and the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. -
1945
Yalta Conference
In February 1945, Allied leaders Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin met at the Yalta Conference. They discussed the post-war reorganization of Europe and the strategy to defeat Japan, setting the stage for the Cold War. -
1945
Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
On August 6 and August 9, 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These bombings led to Japan's unconditional surrender and the end of World War II. -
1945
End of World War II
World War II officially ended on September 2, 1945, when Japan formally surrendered aboard the USS Missouri. The war resulted in significant geopolitical changes and laid the groundwork for the United Nations and the Cold War.
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