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Photo of German troops in Warsaw, Poland - September 1939
GERMAN TROOPS IN WARSAW, POLAND - 1939


World War II Timeline - Year 1939
 

The Second World War officially begun on September 3, 1939.

This timeline includes events that took place before that day if they are relevant to WWII.


January 30, 1939
Hitler gives his speech The Jewish Question.

 

April 15, 1939
The President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt sends Hitler a telegram. These are its final paragraphs:

We recognize complex world problems which affect all humanity but we know that study and discussion of them must be held in an atmosphere of peace. Such an atmosphere of peace cannot exist if negotiations are overshadowed by the threat of force or by the fear of war.

I think you will not misunderstand the spirit of frankness in which I send you this message. Heads of great Governments in this hour are literally responsible for the fate of humanity in the coming years. They cannot fail to hear the prayers of their peoples to be protected from the foreseeable chaos of war. History will hold them accountable for the lives and the happiness of all even unto the last.

I hope that your answer will make it possible for humanity to lose fear and regain security for many years to come.

A similar message is being addressed to the Chief of the Italian Government.

 

April 20, 1939
Hitler's 50th birthday

 

April 28, 1939
At noon, Hitler delivers a hefty Reichstag address, which takes two and a half hours. One and a half hours into the speech, Hitler attends to Roosevelt's telegram from April 15, 1939, which Hitler describes as a "curious document".

 

August 18, 1939
Hitler launches his "Euthanasia" Program, i.e. the ordered killing of "unworthy eaters."

Initially, only children under the age of three who are mentally or physically handicapped qualify. From October 1939, the order will also include adults.

Under the code name T4, this program will eventually arrange the murder of approx. 275,000 people.

Why T4? Because the headquarters for this project was located at Tiergarten Street 4, Berlin.

 

August 31, 1939
In the realms of the Third Reich a hot and humid summer night — and the last quiet one — ends. Europe doesn't know it yet, but it will take five years and eight months until it will be this silent again. See May 8, 1945.


 

Beginning of the Second World War

September 1, 1939
Today, Friday, September 1, 1939, at 4:45 a.m., the German cruiser Schleswig-Holstein, which anchored at the Danzig harbor, opened fire on the heavily-fortified Polish Westerplatte.

Hitler's war on Poland has begun without a declaration of war.

Major Sucharski, the commander of the fleet at Gdynia, issues the following brief at 4:50 a.m.:

Westerplatte, September 1, 1939, 4:50 a.m.

At 4:45 a.m., the armored cruiser Schleswig-Holstein opened fire from all cannons on the Westerplatte. Shots continue to be exchanged.



In response, Polish guards blow up the Dirschau bridge across the Vistula which led from Danzig into the Corridor region.

Along the entire German-Polish border and along the border of Czechoslovakia and Poland fire is exchanged.

The German Luftwaffe attacks targets inside Poland.

Here is Danzig, Gdynia, the Polish Corridor, and the Polish frontier on a map:

Poland 1939 - Industry
1939 Poland - Industry



Around 10:00 a.m. Hitler delivers his speech
Returning Fire before the Reichstag in Berlin. Here is the German transcript of the speech: Es wird jetzt zurückgeschossen


Germany invades Poland. Hitler publishes his first war bulletin:

Das Oberkommando der Wehrmacht gibt bekannt
(The High Command of the Wehrmacht announces):

On the orders of the Führer and Reich Chancellor, the Wehrmacht has assumed the active defense of the Reich.

Friday morning, in compliance with their mission to halt the Polish aggression, troops of the German Army passed all German-Polish border checkpoints to launch a counter-offensive.

At this time, Luftwaffe squadrons started to put military objectives inside Poland out of action. The Navy has assumed the defense of the Baltic Sea.


 

September 3, 1939
Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.


September 17, 1939
The Soviet Union invades Poland.

 

 

 

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Faces of World War II

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World War II Maps

Map of the World in 1919: Political Realignment Following the First World War
1919 World Map: Political Realignment Following the First World War
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Map of Europe in 1919: the national boundary realignments resulting from the First World War
1919 Europe: Boundary Realignments Resulting From the First World War
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Map of Europe 1936-1939: German aggressions
1936-1939 Europe: German aggressions
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Map of WWII - Major Operations 1939-1945
MAJOR OPERATIONS OF WWII IN EUROPE
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Map of WWII: Major Operations in Asia and the Pacific
MAJOR OPERATIONS OF WWII IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
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Battle of Stalingrad July 17, 1942- February 2, 1943
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World War II: Allied Gains in Europe in 1944
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Map of Operation Overlord - 1944
Map of Operation Overlord - 1944
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Map of WWII: Allied Gains in Europe - December 15, 1944-May 7, 1945
Allied Gains in Europe -
December 15, 1944-May 7, 1945

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Map of Central Europe 1945: Allied Occupation Zones
Central Europe 1945: Allied Occupation Zones
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