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# World on Fire

# World War II Major Events Timeline

Discover the pivotal events between 1918 and 1942 that shaped the first half of World War II. This timeline traces that path from the bitter conclusion of the First World War through the ascendancy of the Nazi party to America’s entry into the global conflict. Witness many of these events in World on Fire Seasons 1 and 2.

1. November 11, 1918

   ### World War I Ends



   Britain, France, the US, and other allies defeat Germany, bringing an end to World War I, billed as “the war to end all wars.”

2. January 30, 1933

   ### Hitler Appointed German Leader



   Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany and later assumes dictatorial powers. German rearmament takes off.

3. September 1, 1939

   ### World War II Begins



   Germany invades Poland, inciting Poland’s allies Britain and France to declare war on Germany.

4. September 17, 1939

   ### Soviet Union Invades Poland



   Working in concert with Hitler, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin orders the invasion of Poland, securing a share of Polish territory.

5. September 27, 1939

   ### Warsaw Captured



   Warsaw surrenders to German troops. Poland holds out for another 9 days before capitulating.

6. December 13, 1939

   ### UK Wins War’s First Sea Battle



   British cruisers defeat a German pocket battleship at the Battle of the River Plate, the first major naval engagement of World War II.

7. April 8, 1940

   ### Norway Invaded



   Germany invades Norway, ending a 6-month period of limited land operations called the “Phony War.”

8. May 10, 1940

   ### Churchill Becomes Prime Minister



   Winston Churchill replaces Neville Chamberlain as British Prime Minister. The same day, Germany invades Belgium.

9. May 26-June 4, 1940

   ### Miracle of Dunkirk



   The trapped British army evacuates to England from Dunkirk, France, surviving to fight another day.

10. June 14, 1940

    ### Paris Falls to Nazis



    Paris falls to German forces. France capitulates 11 days later.

11. July 10-October 31, 1940

    ### Britain Fights for Its Life



    The Battle of Britain pits German bombers against British fighters in a thwarted German prelude to invasion.

12. September 7, 1940 – May 11, 1941

    ### The Blitz



    German bombers target major cities in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, killing over 40,000 civilians and leveling over a million homes.

13. December 9, 1940 – February 9, 1941

    ### Operation Compass



    Armies of Great Britain and its empire defeat Italian forces for control of Egypt and eastern Libya.

14. February 12, 1941

    ### The Desert Fox Arrives



    German General Erwin Rommel takes command of the Afrika Korps, seeking to drive the British out of North Africa.

15. June 22, 1941

    ### Hitler Launches Operation Barbarossa



    Opening what will become the bloodiest front of World War II, massive German armies invade the Soviet Union.

16. December 7, 1941

    ### U.S. Plunged into War



    Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, starting war with the US. Sensing weakness, Hitler declares war on America 4 days later.

17. January 20, 1942

    ### Wannsee Conference



    High-ranking Nazi officials approve a systematic plan for the mass extermination of Jews across Europe—the “Final Solution.”

18. June 4–7, 1942

    ### Battle of Midway



    Japanese expansion in the Pacific is thwarted near Midway Island, as US dive bombers sink four Japanese aircraft carriers.

19. November 8, 1942

    ### America Joins the War in North Africa



    US troops land in French North Africa as part of Operation Torch, designed to support British forces in the region.

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- timeline_list_0_date: November 11, 1918
- timeline_list_0_image: 13431
- timeline_list_0_headline: World War I Ends
- timeline_list_0_description: Britain, France, the US, and other allies defeat Germany, bringing an end to World War I, billed as “the war to end all wars.”
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- timeline_list_1_date: January 30, 1933
- timeline_list_1_image: 13432
- timeline_list_1_headline: Hitler Appointed German Leader
- timeline_list_1_description: Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany and later assumes dictatorial powers. German rearmament takes off.
- timeline_list_2_date: September 1, 1939
- timeline_list_2_image: 13446
- timeline_list_2_headline: World War II Begins
- timeline_list_2_description: Germany invades Poland, inciting Poland’s allies Britain and France to declare war on Germany.
- timeline_list_3_date: September 17, 1939
- timeline_list_3_image: 13445
- timeline_list_3_headline: Soviet Union Invades Poland
- timeline_list_3_description: Working in concert with Hitler, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin orders the invasion of Poland, securing a share of Polish territory.
- timeline_list_4_date: September 27, 1939
- timeline_list_4_image: 13433
- timeline_list_4_headline: Warsaw Captured
- timeline_list_4_description: Warsaw surrenders to German troops. Poland holds out for another 9 days before capitulating.
- timeline_list_5_date: December 13, 1939
- timeline_list_5_image: 13434
- timeline_list_5_headline: UK Wins War’s First Sea Battle
- timeline_list_5_description: British cruisers defeat a German pocket battleship at the Battle of the River Plate, the first major naval engagement of World War II.
- timeline_list_6_date: April 8, 1940
- timeline_list_6_image: 13444
- timeline_list_6_headline: Norway Invaded
- timeline_list_6_description: Germany invades Norway, ending a 6-month period of limited land operations called the “Phony War.”
- timeline_list_7_date: May 10, 1940
- timeline_list_7_image: 13435
- timeline_list_7_headline: Churchill Becomes Prime Minister
- timeline_list_7_description: Winston Churchill replaces Neville Chamberlain as British Prime Minister. The same day, Germany invades Belgium.
- timeline_list_8_date: May 26-June 4, 1940
- timeline_list_8_image: 13436
- timeline_list_8_headline: Miracle of Dunkirk
- timeline_list_8_description: The trapped British army evacuates to England from Dunkirk, France, surviving to fight another day.
- timeline_list_9_date: June 14, 1940
- timeline_list_9_image: 13437
- timeline_list_9_headline: Paris Falls to Nazis
- timeline_list_9_description: Paris falls to German forces. France capitulates 11 days later.
- timeline_list_10_date: July 10-October 31, 1940
- timeline_list_10_image: 13439
- timeline_list_10_headline: Britain Fights for Its Life
- timeline_list_10_description: The Battle of Britain pits German bombers against British fighters in a thwarted German prelude to invasion.
- timeline_list_11_date: September 7, 1940 – May 11, 1941
- timeline_list_11_image: 21635
- timeline_list_11_headline: The Blitz
- timeline_list_11_description: German bombers target major cities in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, killing over 40,000 civilians and leveling over a million homes.
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- timeline_list_12_date: December 9, 1940 – February 9, 1941
- timeline_list_12_image: 21638
- timeline_list_12_headline: Operation Compass
- timeline_list_12_description: Armies of Great Britain and its empire defeat Italian forces for control of Egypt and eastern Libya.
- timeline_list_13_date: February 12, 1941
- timeline_list_13_image: 21637
- timeline_list_13_headline: The Desert Fox Arrives
- timeline_list_13_description: German General Erwin Rommel takes command of the Afrika Korps, seeking to drive the British out of North Africa.
- timeline_list_14_date: June 22, 1941
- timeline_list_14_image: 21639
- timeline_list_14_headline: Hitler Launches Operation Barbarossa
- timeline_list_14_description: Opening what will become the bloodiest front of World War II, massive German armies invade the Soviet Union.
- timeline_list_15_date: December 7, 1941
- timeline_list_15_image: 13438
- timeline_list_15_headline: U.S. Plunged into War
- timeline_list_15_description: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, starting war with the US. Sensing weakness, Hitler declares war on America 4 days later.
- timeline_list_16_date: January 20, 1942
- timeline_list_16_image: 21636
- timeline_list_16_headline: Wannsee Conference
- timeline_list_16_description: High-ranking Nazi officials approve a systematic plan for the mass extermination of Jews across Europe—the “Final Solution.”
- timeline_list_17_date: June 4–7, 1942
- timeline_list_17_image: 21640
- timeline_list_17_headline: Battle of Midway
- timeline_list_17_description: Japanese expansion in the Pacific is thwarted near Midway Island, as US dive bombers sink four Japanese aircraft carriers.
- timeline_list_18_date: November 8, 1942
- timeline_list_18_image: 21634
- timeline_list_18_headline: America Joins the War in North Africa
- timeline_list_18_description: US troops land in French North Africa as part of Operation Torch, designed to support British forces in the region.
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World War II Major Events Timeline | Masterpiece | Official Site - PBS