1941
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Jan. 22 -
Tobruk falls to the Allies.
Tobruk, an Italian-held city in Libya,
North Africa, surrenders to British and Australian forces. 27,000
POWs captured.
Feb. 12 -
German field marshall Erwin Rommel arrives in Tripoli, North Africa.
Rommel, a German field marshall, takes over in Africa. He begins to re-organize Italy's army in an attempt to retake Tobruk, among other African points.
Feb. 14 -
First units of German 'Afrika Korps' arrive in North Africa.
Rommel's own divisions land in Tripoli. It won't be another week before they officially become the Afrika Korps, the German Expeditionary Force. Meanwhile, Hitler attempts to get
Yugoslavia to join the
Tripartite Pact. He is unsuccessful.
Feb. 24 –
HMS Dainty sinks at Tobruk.
Rommel begins the first of many Blitzkriegs against Allied strongholds in Africa. His first success is with fighter planes over the previously Axis-controlled port of Tobruk.
Mar. 1 –
Bulgaria joins the fight against the Allies.
Bulgaria sides with the Axis and joins the Tripartite Pact.
Mar. 5 –
Operation Lustre begins.
Britain begins bringing troops in to
Greece, in an attempt to aid the Greek army. Almost a hundred thousand men are transferred during the success of Operation Lustre.
May 10 -
Deputy Führer Rudolph Hess flies to Scotland.
Hess, a deputy in the Nazi party and Hitler's second in command, reportedly flies to Scotland to negotiate peace with the British. He does so without approval from Hitler.
Mar. 11 -
President Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act.
The Lend-Lease act allows the United States to send aid, equipment and arms without becoming involved in the war. Officially, it gives the U.S. a way of remaining neutral. Unofficially, it brings
America closer to the fight. $1 billion closer.
Mar. 27 -
A coup in Yugoslavia overthrows the pro-Axis government.
King Peter reclaims the throne in Yugoslavia. An anti-axis leader now controls the military again and Hitler retaliates immediately by ordering the invasion of Yugoslavia.
Operation Barbarossa is put on hold.
Apr. 6 -
Nazis invade Greece and Yugoslavia.
German troops attack from Bulgaria and advance through Yugoslavia with ease. Greece provides a difficulty, until the armored divisions punch through. The Germans reach as far as
Skopje in the first day. Civilians across Yugoslavia prove to be as much difficulty as the army, in their resitance.
Apr. 9 –
Greek resistance falls at Metaxas Line.
Axis forces overrun Greek troops at crucial stronghold. Although the Greek army surrenders, the Allied forces stay in Yugoslavia and Greece. A tactical retreat is ordered and they begin regrouping.
Apr. 13 –
Japan and USSR sign a five year Neutrality Pact.
Moscow's Foreign Minister arranges a neutrality between the two nations, which serves more in the favour of the Soviets. Immediately, Stalin moves troops out of
Siberia to reinforce against German attacks.
Apr. 17 -
Yugoslavia surrenders to the Nazis.
Cincar Markovic, former
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, signs an armistice in place of King Peter, who fled to Greece days prior.
Apr. 21 –
Allies evacuate Greece.
After Greek Prime Minister Korizis' suicide, the Allied Generals decide that a retreat will be necessary.
London gives permission for the Allied forces to evacuate.
Apr. 28 -
Greece surrenders to the Nazis.
When German forces enter Athens and fend off the remaining Allied soldiers, Greece falls to the Axis.
May 15 –
The Allies begin Operation Brevity.
In an attempt to gain
Fort Capuzzo at
Halfaya Pass, Libya, the Allies launch an attack based on decrypted Axis communications. The battle doesn't go according to plan and the Allies are forced to retreat.
May 24 -
Sinking of the British ship Hood by the Bismarck.
A navel battle between German and British ships where the German Bismarck manages to sink the
HMS Hood. The Bismarck escapes.
May 27 -
Sinking of the Bismarck by the British Navy.
HMS Dorestshire, Norfolk, Rodney, and
King George V manage to sink the Bismarck after a two hour battle.
Jun. 14 -
United States freezes German and Italian assets in America.
President Roosevelt places the U.S. farther from neutrality by locking
Axis finances in the States.
Jun. 17 -
Operation Battleaxe fails.
The British attempt to assist Torbuk is unsuccessful. Allied reinforcements withdraw, leaving Tobruk under seige once again.
Jun. 22 -
Operation Barbarossa begins.
Germany declares war on the
Soviet Union and attacks in full force. Although
Stalin had forewarning, the USSR is not prepared.
Churchill offers aid to Stalin.
Jun. 26 –
Finland declares war on the USSR.
Finland joins Germany against Russia. Other Axis countries follow in the days to come.
Jul. 3 -
Stalin calls for a Scorched Earth policy.
As the German forces advance, Stalin orders the destruction of all salvageable material so that nothing can be used by the German army. Thus, Stalin hopes that the Axis will have to create long
supply lines.
Jul. 12 -
Mutual Assistance agreement between British and Soviets.
The USSR and the British sign the Mutual Assistance Agreement which says that neither will make peace with Germany without the other.
Jul. 26 –
United States freezes Japanese assets in United States and suspends relations.
President Roosevelt cuts off all relations with Japan.
Jul. 31 -
Hermann Göring instructs Heydrich to prepare for the Final Solution.
Reinhard Heydrich begins to make plans “..for bringing about the complete solution of the Jewish question.”
Aug. 1 -
United States announces an oil embargo against aggressor states.
Rossevelt cuts off the export of oil to all countries except Britain. Japan is now forced to make a decision in the war.
Aug. 12 –
Roosevelt and Churchill announce the Atlantic Charter.
The
Atlantic Character is signed. It states that no nations under it will make territorial changes that both parties do not agree with, without the threat of arms or war.
Aug. 18 –
Berlin Jews deported to Poland.
Hitler orders that all Jews in Berlin to be moved to the slums of Poland.
Sep. 1 -
Nazis order Jews to wear yellow stars.
The
Star of David is to be placed on all Jews over the age of six.
Sep. 19 -
Nazis take Kiev.
Six weeks of fighting end when the Germans conquer Kiev. Half a million Soviets die, along with a hundred thousand Axis.
Oct. 2 -
Operation Typhoon begins.
An all out Axis offensive on
Moscow begins.
Oct. 15 -
Germans take Odessa.
Over thirty thousand Soviets evacuate
Odessa just in time for the Axis to enter the city.
Oct. 30 -
Germans reach Sevastopol.
Operation Typhoon halts due to weather. The rain and mud force the Axis forces to wait until the winter begins. The U.S. loans Russian one billion dollars interest free, to buy from the States via the
Lend-Lease Agreement
Nov. 10 –
Japanese fleet departs Toyko.
The Japanese attack force headed for
Pearl Harbor leaves
Toyko. Churchill declares “should the United States become involved in a war with Japan, a British declaration of war will follow within the hour.”
Nov. 13 -
British aircraft carrier Ark Royal is sunk.
German
U-Boats U-81 and U-205 hit the Ark Royal off the coast of Gibraltar. It sinks later that night.
Nov. 15 –
Operation Typhoon renewed.
Weather improves and the attack on Moscow heads off again.
Nov. 27 -
Soviet troops retake Rostov.
Days after German troops secured Rostov, the Soviets fought back and regained the lost area. The United States sends warning to their oversea commanders that war may be declared soon.
Dec. 2 –
Negotians between the States and Japan fail.
Japan orders their naval forces to “
Climb Mount Niitaka”. The order means that the attack on Pearl Harbor is to continue.
Dec. 5 –
Operation Typhoon is abandoned.
The Germans give up the push for
Moscow, due to the harsh winter.
Dec. 6 -
Soviet Army launches a major counter-offensive around Moscow.
German forces all around Moscow are broken by a suprise Soviet attack. A majority of the battles are in
USSR favour.
Dec. 7 -
Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor.
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, catching the Americans by complete surprise. Eight US Battleships are destroyed and their naval force is severely depleted.
Canada declares war on Japan.
Dec. 8 –
Declarations of war against Japan.
Britain,
Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands,
China and the US declare war on Japan.
Dec. 11 -
Germany declares war on the United States.
Both Italy and Germany join Japan in a declaration of war against the US. In return, the States declares war against both countries.
Dec. 16 -
Rommel begins a retreat to El Agheila, Libya.
German troops begin retreating from Tobruk, giving up the year long seige.
Dec. 18 –
Japanese land on near Hong Kong.
Canadian and British troops try to hold off the Japanese, but are unsuccessful.
Dec. 19 -
Hitler takes complete command of the German Army.
Removing
Walther von Brauchitsch, Hitler makes himself
Commander in Chief of the German Army.
Dec. 25 -
Japan takes Hong Kong.
Canadian and British troops stationed in Hong Kong surrender after days fighting against a Japanese advance.
An E2 Quest: Writeup Redemption submission.
Thanks to avalyn for a whole ton of help! And to BelDion for the original writeup!
Sources:
Most of the timeline itself came from BelDion's wu.
http://www.ehistory.com
http://encarta.msn.com
http://www.onwar.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk