The document describes the expansion of Nazi Germany through Europe between 1938 and 1943. It notes that by 1938 Germany had occupied the Rhineland and Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia. By 1939 it occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia and divided Poland with the Soviet Union. By 1940 it occupied Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and northern France. By 1941 it occupied the Baltic states, Greece, Yugoslavia and launched an invasion of the Soviet Union. By 1942 it occupied all of France and advanced further into the Soviet Union, including Stalingrad. By 1943 the Allies had occupied Italy and the Soviets began advancing through Ukraine and Belarus as Allied forces advanced through Italy towards Rome.

1. Ireland, Switzerland and
Sweden- all remained neutral dur-
ing the war. Although Switzerland
did deploy its Army to defend its
borders from all attacks from Nazi
Germany and her allies on their
territory to remain out of the World
War around them (THP, 1996) .
& Subsequent Retreat During World War 2
Nazi Germany’s Advance in Europe
1943
By the end of 1938 Nazi Germany extended
from the remilitarized zone of the Rhineland
through Austria into the Czechoslovakia’s
Sudetenland’s.
By the end of 1939 Nazi Germany had ex-
tended their reach into Czechoslovakia and
divided Poland up in two with Soviet Russia.
However Britain, France, Australia and New
Zealand declare war on Germany and along
with their colonies the Second World War
begins on the 3rd September 1939.
By the end of 1940 Nazi Germany occupied
Denmark, Norway; Belgium, Luxembourg;
the Netherlands and Northern France. Ger-
many had also signed the Tripartite (Axis)
Pact with Italy, Japan, Hungary and Roma-
nia. In this Time the Allied Troops had been
pushed back across France and evacuated
from the beaches of Dunkirk by the beginning
of June.
By the end of 1941 Nazi Germany occupied
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Greece and
Yugoslavia. Germany had also engaged with
Russian Forces during Operation Barbarossa
which started in the summer. The Nazi Ad-
vance was halted at both Moscow and Lenin-
grad, abandoning the Attack on Moscow by
the 5th December officially ending in January
1942 during the harsh Russian Winter. And
Bulgaria join the Axis power’s. Meanwhile a
mutual assistance agreement between Brit-
ain and Soviet Russia was signed in July
bringing Russia into the Allied powers.
December 7th Japan attacks the
UAS at Pearl harbour, forcing the USA to
enter the war on December the 8th 1941.
By the end of 1942 Nazi Germany now occu-
pied France in its entirety and had made
further advances into the Russia including
Stalingrad in the south. (THP, 1996) &
(Worldology, 2009)
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
By the end of 1943 Nazi Germany had occupied Italy due
to Allied forces landing in Sicily and capturing Mussolini
and accepting the Italian surrender by September 8th
. Nazi
Germany lost southern Italy including Naples by October
1st
. Russia in the meantime recaptures Kiev in the Ukraine
and launched another offence on the Ukrainian Front.
By the Beginning of June Russian Troops had advanced
into Poland and Belarus Meanwhile allied Forces had
advanced as far as Rome.
June 6 1944 D-Day the five beached assault by
Allied Forces landed troops on the French Shore and be-
gan the long Advance across France capturing southern
France staged from the Allied forces from Italy. Paris was
liberated on the 25th
August. Meanwhile Russia takes
Romania, Czechoslovakia and Occupies Estonia and
Hungary, Besieging Budapest. December 16-27 Battle of
the Bulge took place across the Ardennes the Last Major
German offensive was rebuffed by the Allied Forces re-
sulting in Germany’s withdraw by January 17th
1945.
By January 17th
Russia forces captures Poland’s Capital
Warsaw and the Polish Coast by March 30th
and by April
16th
Begin their final attack on Germany reaching Berlin by
the 21st
April. Meanwhile by March 7th
Allied Forces cross
the Ruhr River into Germany at Cologne. Also Northern
Italy falls into Allied Hands completely with the surrender
of German Troops on May 2nd
. After the Suicide of Adolf
Hitler on the 30th April and Unconditional surrender is
signed by General Alfred Jodl, Chief of the Operations
Staff in the German High Command on the 7th May 1945.
V-E Victory in Europe Day is celebrated across
the UK and marks the end of World War two and the end
of the Nazi Regime in Europe, although the end of the
world war two would not be for several months with the
surrender of Japan on the 15th August 1945 with VJ day.
(THP, 1996), (Worldology, 2009) & (Barrow, 2013)
Spain- was officially -but not internationally recognised- as
non-belligerent- however Spain was in a similar situation to
Romania in that after the Civil war two trains of thought both
pro and anti-Nazi collaborations resulted in Spain supplying
German forces for thanks for their part in the Spanish Civil but
stayed out of full war with the Allied powers. Although there
were Spanish volunteers in both the Axis and Allied powers
service (THP, 1996).
Turkey– remained
Neutral until 7 months
before the End of
WW2 taking up arms
with the Allied Powers
D-Day- Over 6,000 ships and landing craft delivered over
150,000 soldiers to the Normandy Coast, along the five care-
fully selected beaches codenamed: Utah, Omaha, Gold,
Juno and Sword. The invasion originally planned for the 5th
June was delayed by 24 hours, by the Supreme Allied Com-
mander General Eisenhower, leaving the Day of Deliverance
to be on the 6th
June 1945. Marking the beginning of the end
of World War 2 and the end of Nazi Germany (BBC, 2009).
(Mitter & CNN,2015)(Rees, 2010 )
(Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2015)
(BBC, 2009 )
The Expansion of Nazi Germany through
Europe is but a small part of World War 2.
Fighting stretched both and East and West
around the globe many nations joining in the
fighting. Other catastrophes that occurred under
the Nazi regime include concentrations camps
such as Auschwitz.
Student Number: 2219001
(European boundaries sourced from Groot, 2010 )
(European boundaries sourced from Groot, 2010 )
1944– End of
the War
1938–Start of
the War– 1942