In March 1939, the German leader Adolph Hitler threatened to invade Poland. Hitler had already shown the seriousness of his intentions by taking over Austria (in 1938) and Czechoslovakia (in 1939). Both Great Britain and France gave guarantees to help Poland if it was attacked. So when Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Britain and France were forced to declare war on Germany.
Under Hitler’s leadership, Germany had been well prepared for war. During 1939 and 1940, German troops scored victories in Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. Before the war started, Hitler had signed a ‘non-aggression pact’ with the Soviet Union, both sides promising not to attack the other. As German troops swept across Europe, Soviet troops attacked Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. World War II ended in 1945.
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Fact File: Winston Churchill was Britain’s wartime leader from May 1940 until just before the war ended. Here he is seen making his famous ‘V for victory’ sign. |
Picture Credit : Google