World War 2 began in 1939 when Germany, led by Hitler, invaded Poland after defying the Treaty of Versailles and remilitarizing. Britain and France declared war on Germany in response. Over the following years, Germany conquered much of Europe using their Blitzkrieg tactics while Britain resisted under Winston Churchill. The US joined the Allies in 1941 after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Major turning points included Germany's defeat at Stalingrad in 1942-1943 and the Allied D-Day invasion of German-occupied France in 1944, culminating in Germany's surrender in 1945 after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war.
2. 1939
• By defying the Versailles
treaty, Hitler began building
up the German Army
• Slowly, he began taking over
other European countries
while Britain and France did
nothing
• On September 1, Hitler
invaded Poland.
• Two days later Britain and
France declared war on
Germany
3. 1940
• UK begins rationing
• German ‘Blitzkrieg’ takes
over Belgium, Holland, &
France
• Churchill becomes Prime
Minister of Britain
• British Navy evacuates
French Troops from
Dunkirk
• British victory in Battle of
Britain forces Hitler to
postpone invasion plans
4. 1941
• Hitler double crosses
Stalin and tried to invade
Russia
• The Blitz continues
against Britain’s major
cities
• Allies take Tobruk in
North Africa, and resist
German attacks
• Japan attacks Pearl
Harbor, & US enters the
war
5. 1942
• Germany suffers setbacks
at Stalingrad
• American Navy has a
victory at the Battle of
Midway in June, marks
the turning point in
Pacific War
• Mass murders of Jewish
people at Auschwitz
begins
6. 1943
• Surrender at Stalingrad
marks Germany’s first
major defeat
• Ally victory in North
Africa enables invasion of
Italy to be launched
• Italy surrenders, but
Germany takes over the
battle
7. 1944
• Soviet offensive begins
attach on Germany’s
eastern front
• D-Day: the Allied
invasion of France. Paris
is liberated in August
• http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=bwBkQy9CpS0
8. 1945
• Auschwitz is liberated
• Russians reach Berlin:
Hitler commits suicide and
Germany surrenders on May
7
• Truman becomes President
of the US when FDR passes
• After the atomic bombs are
dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, Japan surrenders
on August 14
