The Second Great War (1939–1987) is considered, some times, as a rematch of the First Great War (1914–1918).
The war is conventionally divided in three main periods:
Early German Expansion (1939–1941)[]
The Second Great War begins with the German invasion of Poland and the subsequent declaration of war by France and the United Kingdom against Germany.
The German Reich and the Soviet Union had subscribed a non-aggression pact. Under this circumstances, the Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland, attempted to invade Finland and invaded Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
On his side, Germany invaded Denmark, southern Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Luxembourg.
This period ended with a de facto truce between Britain and the German Reich.
Timeline[]
- 1939
- September
- 1 - Nazi Germany attacks Poland, beginning the war
- 3 - France, Australia, and Britain declare war on Germany
- 6 - South Africa declares war on Germany
- 10 - Canada declares war on Germany
- 17 - Soviet Union invades Poland and then occupies eastern Polish territories.
- 27 - Warsaw surrenders to Germany; Modlin surrenders one day later; last Polish large operational unit surrenders near Kock eight days later.
- October
- 8 - Germany annexes Western Poland.
- November
- 30 - Winter War begins: Soviet forces invade Finland and reach the Mannerheim Line, starting the war.
- December
- 14 - The USSR was expelled from League of Nations because of attacking Finland.
- 1940
- January
- 6 - Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau.
- February
- 23 - Soviet Union troops conquer Lasi Island.
- March
- 12 - Soviet Union and Finland sign a peace treaty in Moscow ending the Winter War. Finns, and the World opinion, shocked by the harsh terms.
- 18 - Axis powers - Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet at Brenner Pass in the Alps and agree to form an alliance against France and the United Kingdom.
- April
- 9 - Germany invades Denmark and southern Norway in operation Weserübung. The British campaign in Norway is simultaneously commenced.
- May
- 10 - Germany invades Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
- 13 - Nazi Germany's conquest of France begins as the German army crosses the Meuse River.
- 14 - The Netherlands surrender to Germany.
- 25 - The Battle of Dunkirk begins.
- 28 - Belgium surrenders to Germany.
- June
- 5 - Dunkirk evacuation ends - British forces complete evacuating 300,000 troops from Dunkirk in France.
- 10 - Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom.
- 10 - Canada declares war on Italy.
- 14 - Paris falls under German occupation.
- 17 - The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union.
- 22 - French General Petain signed the surrender agreement with Germany and Italy.
- July
- 10 - Vichy France government established.
- 21 - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are proclaimed to be "independent" Socialist republics.
- August
- 3 - Lithuania is officially incorporated in the Soviet Union as the Lithuanian SSR.
- 5 - Latvia is officially incorporated in the Soviet Union as the Latvian SSR.
- 6 - Estonia is officially incorporated in the Soviet Union as the Estonian SSR.
War Against the Soviet Union (1941–1944)[]
This war was triggered by a rematch of the Finnish-Soviet War, this time with Britain granting full support to Finland.
Britain also convinced Japan to attack the Soviet Union in exchange for oil supplies.
The British-German truce was formalized by a non-aggression pact provided the the Reich would also attack the Soviet Union and recognize a non-soviet government in Russia.
In July 1944, the Soviet Union surrendered.
Cold War (1944–1986)[]
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the United Kingdom expired, but there was not direct hostilities between both nations.
The war was fought through a series of proxy wars, including British support to partisans in Yugoslavia or Italy. The Italian Civil War, etc.
Having lost most allies, a series of Civil wars started in 1979, with several factions supported by Britain.
The war ended in 1986 with the dissolution of the Third Reich.
A final armistice was signed between the new democratic government of the Kingdom of Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland, the British Empire and the Commonwealth, on January 7, 1987.