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The Year is 1940 ...
Britain begins rationing (Jan 8).
Finland signs a peace treaty with Soviets (March 12).
Germans bomb Scapa Flow naval base near Scotland (March 16).
Nazis invade Denmark and Norway (April 9).
Nazi plan to invade France is called the Sichelschnitt (cut of the sickle), Nazis invade France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; Winston Churchill becomes British Prime Minister. (May 10).
Holland surrenders to the Nazis (May 15).
Evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk begins (May 26).
Belgium surrenders to the Nazis (May 28).
Germans bomb Paris; Dunkirk evacuation ends (June 3).
Norway surrenders to the Nazis; Italy declares war on Britain and France. U.S. changes from position of "neutrality" to a position of "non-belligerency" (June 10).
Germans enter Paris, which is not defended (June 14).
Marshal Pétain becomes French Prime Minister (June 16).
Hitler and Mussolini meet in Munich; Soviets begin occupation of the Baltic States (June 18).
France signs an armistice with the Nazis (June 22).
Hitler tours Paris (June 23).
Britain recognizes Gen. Charles de Gaulle as the Free French leader (June 28).
German U-boats attack merchant ships in the Atlantic (July 1).
French Vichy government breaks off relations with Britain (July 5).
Battle of Britain begins (July 10).
Soviets take Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (July 23).
Italians occupy British Somaliland in East Africa (Aug 3-19).
Nazi bombing begins on airfields and factories in England (Aug 13).
Air battles and daylight raids over Britain (Aug 15).
Hitler creates a blockade of the British Isles (Aug 17).
First German air raids on Central London (Aug 23).
First British air raid on Berlin (Aug 25).
U.S. and Britain in "Destroyers for Bases" Deal (Sept 2).
Hitler plans invasion of Britain, called Operation Sealion (the (Sept 3).
German Blitz against England begins (Sept 7).
Italy invades Egypt (Sept 13).
German air raids on London, Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool and Manchester (Sept 15).
United States military conscription bill passed "Peacetime Draft" (Sept 16). Over 16 million men register. Abrupt increase in U.S. military spending.
Tripartite (Axis) Pact signed by Germany, Italy and Japan (Sept 27).
Eventually Axis powers are Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Allies are U.S., Britain, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, and Yugoslavia.
German troops enter Romania (Oct 7).
Germans postpone Operation Sealion until Spring of 1941 (Oct 12).
Italy invades Greece (Oct 28).
President Roosevelt re-elected to unprecedented third term. Calls for U.S. to become "Arsenal for Democracy" (Nov 5).
Torpedo bomber raid on the Italian fleet at Taranto, Italy (Nov 10).
Nazis bomb Coventry, England (Nov 14).
Hungary joins the Axis Powers (Nov 20).
Greeks overcome the Italian 9th Army (Nov 22).
Romania joins the Axis Powers (Nov 23).
Britain begins western desert offensive in North Africa against Italy (Dec 9).
German air raid on London (Dec 29-30).
Committee to defend America by Defending the Allies formed. America First Committee formed (isolationist).
Rebecca
wins an Oscar
for Best Picture
Buy it on Amazon.com
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