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HITLER INVADES CZECHOSLOVAKIA :
Date : 15th March 1939.
Hitler enters Prague and
German troops occupy Czechoslovakia. Hitler's actions in Czechoslovakia
goes against what was agreed at Munich. A Czech government-in-exile
is established in London led by Eduard Benes.
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BRITAIN AND FRANCE GUARANTEES TO POLAND
:
Date : 31st March 1939.
British Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain announces Anglo-French guarantees to Poland
if attacked by Hitler's Nazi Germany.
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ANTI-COMINTERN PACT SIGNED :
Date : 7th April 1939.
Nazi Germany, Italy, Spain
and Japan sign an Anti-Comintern Pact (Anti-Communist International
Pact).
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ITALY INVADES ALBANIA :
Date : 7th April 1939.
Mussolini's Italian troops
invade Albania in the continued attempt to expand his empire and
influence.
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'PACT OF STEEL' :
Date : 22nd May 1939.
Nazi Germany and Italy
sign a 'Pact of Steel', a political and military alliance. The
'Pact of Steel' was an extension to the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact
formed by the two countries in 1936.
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NAZI-SOVIET NON-AGGRESSION PACT :
Date : 23rd August 1939.
Nazi Germany and the Soviet
Union signed a Non-aggression Pact, sometimes known as the Ribbentrop-Molotov
Pact. Hitler's Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop agreed
with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, that both countries
would remain neutral and avoid acts of aggression against each
other, if either country went to war.
The pact contained secret
clauses for the partition of Poland between the two powers, western
Poland to Hitler and eastern Poland to Stalin.
Stalin
Biography :
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BRITISH AND POLISH PACT SIGNED :
Date : 25th August 1939.
Britain and Poland sign
an Anglo-Polish Assistance Treaty.
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GERMANY INVADES POLAND :
Date : 1st September 1939.
The 'Polish Corridor',
which was established in the 1919 Treaty
of Versailles to give Poland access to the sea, but isolated
east Prussia from Germany became the focal point for Hitler.
Resentment of the 'Polish
Corridor' inspired Nazi propaganda to inflame tension between
Germany and Poland, an instigated incident sparks Nazi Germany
to invade Poland. Hitler achieves his goal and annexes the separated
east Prussia which contains the city of Danzig.
The
Invasion Of Poland :
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BRITAIN SENDS ULTIMATUM :
Date : 2nd September 1939.
The invasion of Poland
by German troops stuns the world. Britain and France honours the
agreement signed with Poland, and sends an ultimatum to Germany,
withdraw from Poland or face war.
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WAR IS DECLARED : WORLD WAR II BEGINS
:
Date : 3rd September
1939.
Germany ignores the
ultimatum given by Britain and France, and Europe is plunged into
war. Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declare war on
Nazi Germany for its aggression on Poland. A British Expeditionary
Force begins to leave for France.
Although war is declared
Britain and France enters a period known as 'The
Phoney War'.
The
Phoney War :
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US DECLARES NEUTRALITY :
Date : 5th September 1939.
The United States declares
official neutrality in foreign wars. American public opinion is
against fighting another war in Europe.
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SOUTH AFRICA DECLARES WAR :
Date : 6th September 1939.
South Africa declares war
on Nazi Germany after the South African government, who wanted
to stay neutral, is defeated by Parliament.
Ireland opt for remaining
neutral.
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CANADA ENTERS WAR :
Date : 10th September 1939.
Canada declares war on
Nazi Germany and enters World War II.
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RUSSIA INVADES POLAND :
Date : 17th September 1939.
With Polish troops fighting
for survival against the invading Nazis in the west of the country,
Russian troops invade in eastern Poland and occupy territories
as agreed in the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
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POLAND SURRENDERS :
Date : 27th September 1939.
Poland loses the battle
against Hitler's Blitzkrieg and surrenders. Its capital, Warsaw
is reduced to rubble.
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POLAND PARTITIONED :
Date : 29th September 1939.
Nazi Germany and the Soviet
Union sign the agreement that partitions Poland. Poland is wiped
off the map. Russia then signs pacts with Estonia and Finland.
During the month of September,
23 British merchant ships are sunk by Nazi U-boats.
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HITLER'S PEACE PLANS REJECTED :
Date : 12th October 1939.
British Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain rejects Hitler's peace plans.
The Soviet Union presents
territorial demands to Finland. Which is rejected.
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US 'CASH AND CARRY' CLAUSE :
Date : 3rd November 1939.
In the United States
a 'Cash and Carry' clause is introduced into the US Statute of
Neutrality, which was declared on 5th September 1939.
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SOVIET UNION INVADES FINLAND :
Date : 30th November 1939.
As a result of their territorial
demands being rejected by Finland, the Soviet Union launches an
invasion of Finland.
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BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE :
Date : 13th December 1939.
Fighting a 'Distant War'
policy British ships hunt the Nazi warship Graf Spee and clash
in the Atlantic. The Graf Spee finds sanctuary in the neutral
port of Montevideo, Uruguay. British ships wait for her to re-emerge
to renew the battle, but the Graf Spee's captain scuttles the
ship rather than engage the waiting British warships.
Battle
Of The River Plate :
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War II 1930 -1939
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