Explore 4728 historical events from 1940–1949.
Franz Rademacher was a German lawyer and diplomat. As an official in the Nazi government of the Third Reich during World War II, he was known for initiating action on the Madagasca…
Franz Rademacher proposes plans to make Madagascar the "Jewish homeland", an idea that had first been considered by 19th
Haakon VII was King of Norway from 1905 until his death in 1957, having reigned for nearly 52 years.
King Haakon VII, Crown Prince Olav and the Norwegian government leave Tromsø and go into exile in London
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World …
World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville C
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: Germany's conquest of France begins, as the German army crosses the Meuse
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: Rotterdam, Netherlands is bombed by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany despite a ceasefire, killing about 900 p
USS Sailfish (SS-192) was a Sargo-class submarine of the United States Navy, originally named Squalus. As Squalus, the submarine sank off the coast of New Hampshire during test div…
USS Sailfish is recommissioned
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: The Battle of the Netherlands: After fierce fighting, the poorly trained and equipped Dutch troops surrend
The 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army established in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the First World War and Second W…
World War II: The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya from Italian forces
"This was their finest hour" was a speech delivered by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom on 18 June 1940, just over a month after he took over as Pr…
The "Finest Hour" speech is delivered by Winston Churchill
The Story Bridge is a heritage-listed steel cantilever bridge spanning the Brisbane River built to carry vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the northern and the sout…
Story Bridge, a major landmark in Brisbane, as well as Australia's longest cantilever bridge is formally opened.
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium
The Holocaust, known in Hebrew as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered ar…
The Holocaust: The first prisoners arrive at a new concentration camp at Auschwitz
Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was a Russian-American aviation pioneer in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. His first success came with the Sikorsky S-2, the second aircraft of hi…
Igor Sikorsky performs the first successful single-rotor helicopter flight
The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It…
Acting on the orders of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, NKVD agent Iosif Grigulevich orchestrates an unsuccessful assassina
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: The German 2nd Panzer Division captures the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer; the surrender of the last French and
The Intelligence Corps is a corps of the British Army. It is responsible for gathering, analysing and disseminating military intelligence and also for counter-intelligence and secu…
World War II: Army order 112 forms the Intelligence Corps of the British Army.
Under secretary of state (U/S) is a title used by senior officials of the United States Department of State who rank above the assistant secretaries and below the deputy secretar…
The United States' Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles issues a declaration on the U.S. non-recognition policy of…
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France
The siege of Calais (1940) was a battle for the port of Calais during the Battle of France. The siege was fought at the same time as the Battle of Boulogne, just before Operation D…
World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: In the Le Paradis massacre, 99 soldiers from a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit are shot after surrendering to
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: Belgium surrenders to Nazi Germany to end the Battle of Belgium
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and air…
World War II: During the Battle of France, the Luftwaffe bombs Paris
Aufbau Ost was the German operational code name for the mobilisation of forces before the start of Operation Barbarossa and the subsequent invasion of the Soviet Union.
The "Aufbau Ost" directive for the mobilization of German forces for the invasion of the Soviet Union is signed by…
The North American B-25 Mitchell is a twin-engined medium bomber designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer North American Aviation. It was named in honor of Briga…
First flight of the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber.