The modern world is still living with the consequences of World War 2, the most titanic conflict in history. 70 years
ago on September 1st 1939, Germany invaded Poland without warning sparking the start of World War Two. By the
evening of September 3rd, Britain and France were at war with Germany and within a week, Australia, New Zealand,
Canada and South Africa had also joined the war. The world had been plunged into its second world war in 25
years. Six long and bloody years of total war, fought over many thousand of square kilometres followed. From the
Hedgerows of Normandy to the streets of Stalingrad, the icy mountains of Norway to the sweltering deserts of Libya,
the insect infested jungles of Burma to the coral reefed islands of the pacific. On land, sea and in the air, Poles
fought Germans, Italians fought Americans and Japanese fought Australians in a conflict which was finally settled
with the use of nuclear weapons. World War 2 involved every major world power in a war for global domination and
at its end, more than 60 million people had lost their lives and most of Europe and large parts of Asia lay in ruins.
I hope you will enjoy viewing worldwar-2.net and find its information both helpful and interesting. The website
includes an exhaustive day by day timeline, covering every event that occured during World War 2, by military
theatre and in chronological order from 1939 through to 1945, which gives a fascinating insight into the most
devastating war in our history.
"My strength has now been reduced to the
equivalent of 36 squadrons...we should be
able to carry on the war single-handed for
some
time
if
not
indefinitely."
Sir
Hugh
Dowding
RAF
Fighter
Command
May
1940
"We must be very careful not to assign to
this deliverance the attributes of a victory.
War's are not won by evacuations."
Winston
Churchill
To
Parliament
4th
June
1940
"Dunkirk has fallen... with it has ended the
greatest battle of world history. Soldiers! My
confidence in you knew no bounds. You
have
not
disappointed
me."
Adolf
Hitler
Order
of
the
Day
5th June 1940
French Hotchkiss H-39
The Hotchkiss H-39 had respectable
performance, but its major disadvantage was
a one man turret and its tactical use against
the massed German armour, making them
no more effective than any other Allied tank.
4th
July
1940
Italian bombers raid Alexandria. Italian forces attack from Abyssinia and
Eritrea and capture the British outposts of Kassala and Gallabat on the
Sudanese border. In direct response to the devastating British attack on the
French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria, the Vichy French government of Marshal
Petain breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain. In the House of Commons,
prime minister Churchill declares,' I leave the judgment of our actions with
confidence to Parliament. I leave it to the nation and I leave it to the United
States. I leave it to the world and to history.' Italian bombers raid Malta.
German Stukas and MTBs attack a British convoy South of Portland, sinking 5
merchant
ships.
5th
July
1940
The RAF carries out night raids on Kiel and Wilhelmshaven. Romania
announces its alignment with the Axis powers. In retaliation for the British
action at Mers-el-Kebir, Vichy French warships based at Dakar capture 3
British merchant ships, while French aircraft stationed in Morocco attack
British shipping off Gibraltar. The British destroyer Whirlwind is sunk by U-34
off Land’s End. President Roosevelt lays down ‘five fundamentals of freedom’:
freedom from fear, of information, of religion, of expression, and from want.
6th
July
1940
After spending 8 weeks in the west supervising the German offensive, a
triumphant Hitler returns to Berlin and is cheered wildly by the population of
Berlin. German aircraft and minesweepers sink 4 British submarines, Narwhal,
Spearfish, Shark and Thames. The first German U-boat base in France is
opened
at
Lorient.
7th
July
1940
Italy allows French Mediterranean bases to remain armed. A French naval
squadron that has sought refuge at Alexandria is disarmed and interned by the
British
Navy.
8th
July
1940
British Metropolitan Police to be armed when guarding vulnerable positions.
The Swedish government agrees to transport German war material across
Sweden to Norway. Swordfish aircraft damage the French battleship Richelieu
at
Dakar
after
the
French
reject
demilitarisation
proposals.
9th
July
1940
Commons passed War Credits of £1,000,000,000. Tea rationing of 2oz per
head per week introduced in Britain. RAF begins night bombing of Germany.
The British and Italian fleets make contact at Battle of Cape Spartivento. The
Austrailia
Casualties (1939 - 1945):
Soldiers (Allied) - 31,200 Killed
British force includes 1 Aircraft Carrier and 3 Battleships, while the Italian
squadron under Admiral Campioni consists of 2 Battleships, 6 heavy and 12
light cruisers. The Italians brake off contact after their flag ship Giulio Cesare
is hit and damaged, although they still claim a naval victory. The British
submarine Salmon is lost south-west of Stavanger, Norway. The German
raider Komet leaves Bergen in Norway for operations in the Pacific via the
Northwest Passage in the Arctic Ocean assisted by Russian icebreakers.
10th
July
1940
Birthday Honours list includes only service recipients. British Union Party
(Fascists) banned. Preliminary phase of Battle of Britain begins with German
air attacks on Channel convoys with the aim of tempting the RAF in to battle.
The Luftwaffe launches its first large scale attack on Britain as 70 aircraft
attack the dock facilities at Swansea and the Royal Ordnance Factory at
Pembrey in Wales.