Timeline of History

The following is a timeline of history starting in 1939 and ending in 1951.

1939

 * The Spanish Civil War ends in a Nationalist victory, much to the delight of the Italian and German governments.


 * Italy occupies the nation of Albania.


 * Diplomatic negotiations between the German Reich and Soviet Union result in the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.


 * The German Reich and Kingdom of Italy sign the "Pact of Steel".


 * A lengthy series of tests with various prototypes finally gain concrete results for the Luftwaffe when the HE-178 becomes the first operational jet-powered aircraft. The Führer is convinced to devote the necessary resources to further develop and expand the jet program.


 * Negotiations regarding the status of Danzig fall through and German troops subsequently invade Poland, World War II begins.


 * The Soviet Union occupies Eastern Poland and the Baltic States., and demands bases in Finland, Finnish refusal results in the Winter War.

1940

 * Initial Finnish tactical victories in encirclement battles north of Lake Laatokka are followed by a huge Soviet offensive in the Karelian Isthmus in February. The situation in the front is desperate when the war ends to the bitter peace of Moscow, where Finland is forced to cede over 10% of her territory. Later on Finland grants military access to German troops moving to occupied Norway. The Soviet Union occupies Bessarabia and in Berlin Molotov announces that the Soviet Union wishes to "take care" of Finland in the near future. Hitler refuses, and gives orders to begin the preparations for Operation Barbarossa.


 * In 16th of January the Allies still desperately try to continue their foiled attempt to escalate the war into Scandinavia on the pretext of sending military aid to Finland. After the peace of Moscow removes this excuse to spread the war, the Royal Navy nevertheless starts to lay mines to the Norwegian coastal areas as the first part of the planned invasion of the country on the 8th of April.


 * On the 9th of April German troops move to Scandinavia to secure the sovereignty of Denmark and Norway, and the British-led Allied invasion to these neutral countries is subsequently repulsed.


 * On the 22nd of May German forces attack France through the Benelux-countries, resulting in a stunning German victory where the best armies of Entente powers are encircled and defeated by fast-moving columns of German Panzer divisions. Later on Marshal Pétain forms the new temporal French Government that leads France out from the war. Romania, Hungary and Slovakia join the Axis. During the summer Luftwaffe attempts to defeat the RAF in the skies of Britain, while the Kriegsmarine begins the Battle of Atlantic against British shipping lines. Hitler offers favourable peace terms and suggests an alliance between the British Empire and German Reich.


 * Despite the fact that the Western Allies are driven off from the continent when France and the Benelux countries are defeated and the BEF is hastily evacuated from Dunkirk, Britain refuses to negotiate. Winston Churchill becomes the new Prime Minister after Chamberlain resigns, and he stubbornly refuses to return to the negotiation table with the German Reich.

1941

 * Bulgaria joins the Axis and Yugoslavia is occupied after a British-orchestrated coup topples the German-friendly government in Belgrade, and the new junta prepares to join to the Allies. British attempts to create a "second front" in southern Europe are soundly defeated when Axis powers occupy Greece. Italian forces attack Egypt.


 * On 22nd of June 1941 Germany begins a pre-emptive strike against Soviet Union, and Hitler declares an all-European crusade against Bolshevism as volunteers begin to join in to the fight from all European countries. Shortly before the beginning of this colossal struggle Wilhelm Keitel resigns from office due his opposition of the Barbarossa plan.


 * Stalin gives order to apply "scorched earth"-tactics in the Eastern Front. The Red Army suffers enormous casualties in heavy encirclement battles fought in western parts of the USSR. The Soviet capitol is transferred to Sverdlovsk when Germans finally reach the outskirts of Moscow and heavy urban fighting for the control of the heart of the Soviet regime begins. The territory of occupied Baltic states becomes part of the Reichskommissariat Ostland. Finnish troops capture Pedrozavodsk in Eastern Karelia and the southern part of strategically vital Murmansk Railroad is severed.


 * The Royal Navy defeats the Italian Regia Marina in Matapan. The United States extends their Lend Lease aid to Soviet Union. Millions of tons of food, weapons and fuel are shipped to Murmansk. President Roosevelt declares an oil embargo against Japan, and Japan retaliates to this hostile action that threatens to strangle her economy with a devastating surprise attack against US Pacific Fleet on Pearl Harbour in December. The war in the Pacific begins as Japanese forces attack British and Dutch colonial territories.


 * British troops capture Ethiopia, and the country regains it´s formal independence. Rommel and his legendary "Afrika Korps" arrive to save their Italian allies who are struggling in their campaign against the Allied troops in Libya.

1942

 * Architect Albert Speer replaces Fritz Todt as the main coordinator of the German wartime industry and production.


 * The Soviet counteroffensive initiated in December threatens to encircle the German spearhead at the ruins of Moscow, but the defenders manage to hold their ground in a bitter battle of attrition that rages on until the rasputitsa season in spring grinds the fighting in the Moscow regions to a halt.


 * Ukraine joins the Axis after the Germans have liberated most of the country and Ostministerium secures a cooperation deal between German authorities and Ukrainian nationalists led by Stepan Bandera. During the summer the second German strategic offensive, Fall Blau and the following smaller operations successfully capture Crimea and gain a foothold from southern banks of the Volga in Caucasus, severing the direct transport routes between the vital oilfields of Baku and rest of the USSR.


 * Rosenberg and his Ostministerium promise independence for the Baltic countries after the end of hostilities in the East.


 * Anglo-American strategic bombing campaign against Germany begins. Churchill visits Sverdlovsk. The TIME-magazine names Stalin as the "Man of the Year" for the second time. Quit India-movement frustrates the British administration in India.


 * The Afrika Korps is unable to stop the British attack at the Battle of El Alamein, and Rommel begins to slowly fall back towards Libya while delaying Montgomery´s advance.

1943

 * In January Hitler threatens to stop the transportation of grain and supplies to Finland and thus manages to force Mannerheim to start new offensives against the Murmansk Railway and make Finland to take more active role in the Siege of Leningrad.


 * The Finnish ski patrols and air forces start to harass the Soviet supply convoys in the "road of life" in the ice of Lake Laatokka, while the last major Finnish offensive in the WWII successfully reaches Belomorsk, severing the Murmansk Railway. Pierre Laval, the Prime Minister of Vichy France and Finnish President Ryti hosts the first high summits where leading politicians of other Axis powers consider the political structure of post-war Europe.


 * Goebbels reacts to this development and to Allied "Atlantic Charter" by giving an "European Declaration" in a radio speech on 25th of February: "In the future the major powers of New Europe will support and protect their smaller companions...Unification of Europe must be the ultimate aim of our common struggle..."


 * Foreign Minister Ribbentrop discusses his plans for postwar European cooperation with Hitler, but the Führer is initially quite critical towards such attempts and is unwilling to publicly comment the issue.


 * Hitler survives a string of assassination attempts orchestrated by a clique of anti-Nazi officers. On 13th and 21st of March the conspirators try twice to assassinate the Führer but both attempts are cancelled on a last possible moment. Finally they decide to strike, and Hitler is partially paralyzed in a failed assassination attempt in Wolfschantze, East Prussia. The SS and NSDAP start major purges within Reich. Martin Bormann, Wilhelm Canaris and many notable generals are executed. Heinrich Himmler becomes the new Minister of Interior.


 * Marshal Vlasov establishes his government of National Russia in Smolensk and the internal situation in the Soviet Union becomes increasingly tense as a threat of a new civil war in German-occupied territories seems high. By now Stalin is increasingly suspicious towards the Western Allies due the fact that they´ve so far refused to open a second front to European continent, and opts to ask for terms for an armistice in the Eastern Front in order to secure his own position within the Soviet system. Hitler accepts the Soviet armistice terms after lengthy negotiations with his General Staff and closest advisors - by now the injuries sustained in assassination attempt and his depression have forced Hitler to cede much of the actual power within the Nazi hierarchy to a small group of his most trusted associates. In 22nd of June 1943 Treaty of Kirovograd is signed, and Soviet Union cedes the Kola Peninsula, Karelia, the Baltic States, Belarus, the Ukraine, the Caucasus and large parts of central Russia west from Volga to Axis sphere of influence. Wide partisan warfare in the region continues while both armies abide the uneasy truce in the front-lines.


 * Roosevelt and Churchill meet at Casablanca and demand "unconditional surrender" from the Axis powers. Majority of Axis forces are evacuated from Tunis Bridgehead even though they are forced to leave behind most of their heavier equipment and weapons.


 * The Allies invade Sicily in Operation Husky, and during the following political turmoil in Rome Mussolini is forced to resign and Pietro Badoglio becomes the new Prime Minister. Italy tries to join to the Allies, but swift German intervention occupies most of the country and battles against the Allies in Italian soil continue. The Allied advance is slow due the difficult terrain that favours the defender, but in June 1944 Rome is declared a free city.


 * The construction of the first general-purpose electronic computer is initiated in Britain.

1944

 * the Allies seek to return to Western Europe with Operation Overlord, a massive invasion to shores of Normandy. Due a combination of factors and tenacious German defense, the carefully-planned operation fails to win a defendable beachhead from the continent and the troops are withdrawn. General Eisenhower takes responsibility of the defeat and resigns. Montgomery becomes the new Supreme Allied Commander. The Congress of the United States sets a ten-man committee to research the reasons of the failure of Overlord.


 * "Bloody Normandy" gains more support for the opposition in Britain. Franklin Delano Roosevelt dies, and Harry S. Truman is elected as the new President in the United States. Allied air offensive against the industry and infrastructure of the Reich intensifies even further, as they seek to knock Germany out from the war by strategic bombing.


 * The front-lines in Italy stabilize after the Allies have managed to capture Rome. A civil war between liberals, communists and fascist paramilitary factions begins in Italy. New German V-rockets cause fear and destruction in London, and British public is growing increasingly tired of the war. The internal power struggles between top Nazi leaders begin as the health of Hitler continues to deteriorate.


 * Finnish Prime Minister Edwin Linkomies tours across Europe and promotes the idea of European unity. The leaders of Vichy France, Romania, Finland, Hungary and Slovakia discuss the future of the German allies in the New Europe.


 * Several local civil wars erupt between communists and nationalists in Caucasus. Casualties of counter-insurgency against the Soviet partisans keep mounting, and the German military leadership tries to support the Ukrainian and Russian liberation armies as much as possible so that they could take more part to the occupation duties, but these volunteer units are quite ineffective when fighting against their partisan countrymen. Many "Vlasovist" militias focus on purging their home regions of alleged traitors.


 * Werner Daitz, the Reichskommissar für Großraumwirtschaft and the main economist of the NSDAP publishes his grand work titled Europa-Charta. This document contains detailed plans for postwar European economic cooperation and defines the ideological guidelines that Daitz calls "European socialism." According to his views the most important tasks of the New Europe would be the prevention of internal hostilities and wars, re-organization of national life according to the völkisch ideals, and the promotion of European unity before the national self-interests. Daitz also promotes the idea of new, joint-European supreme court, Völkerfamilienrat.


 * Goebbels, the Minister of Propaganda eagerly supports the idea of New Europe. His propaganda office emphasizes the position of Europe as the unique cradle of Western civilization and culture, and seeks to portray National Socialism as a new, reformist force that will sweep away petty nationalism and dangerous internationalism, creating a new, European "family of nations" that could stand united together against American and Asian powers.

1945

 * The new jet fighters of Luftwaffe gradually defeat the Bomber Command in the skies of Europe. The Baltic Germans are allowed to return home. Sweden begins to negotiate with both sides of the conflict and tries to mediate a new peace conference.


 * President Truman gives the authorization to use nuclear weapons against Japan. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are destroyed, but the following attempt to use the bomb against Germany fails when the B-29 "Carolina Moon" carrying the bomb is shot down. Churchill and Conservatives fail in the British elections of 1945, and Labour forms the new government with Clement Atlee as the new Prime Minister. Lord Halifax is summoned back from the United States to initiate peace negotiations with Germany.


 * As a result of the secret diplomacy between Soviet and Allied authorities, Red Army troops initiate the Operation August Storm and successfully invade and occupy Manchuria. Japan surrenders soon afterwards after the nuclear strikes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and General MacArthur is chosen as the new military governor of Japan.

1946

 * Peace negotiations are initiated in Zürich. The final Accord to end WWII in Europe is signed on 22nd of April 1946, but in reality this means that the hostility between the Axis and Allies continues elsewhere and in more subtle forms. The Cold War begins.


 * Victory Day is celebrated at Nürnberg. This is the last public appearance of Adolf Hitler. The Führer declares that his quest is now completed, and announces that he will retire to Obelsalzberg and dedicate himself on art and architecture while still retaining his leadership of the Party. The titles of the Reichskanzler and Reichspräsident are granted to Albert Speer and Herman Goering respectively. After this major event the internal power struggle within the Reich intensifies.


 * Speer sends Goering to retirement and together with Party Secretary Goebbels he forms a new government: Sepp Dietrich (Minister of Propaganda), Karl Saur (Minister of Armaments), Martin Luther (Minister of Foreign Affairs), Wilhelm Stuckart (Minister of Interior), Johannes Popitz (Minister of Economics). Walter Schellenberg becomes the new leader of the RSHA. The SS experiences wide purges and many war-time members disappear without a trace.


 * In July 1946 the Vienna Process begins. Diplomatic delegations from Germany, Italy, France, Finland, Denmark, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia gather Schönbrunn Castle to prepare the foundation of new European cooperation treaties.


 * Truman and Canadian Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King form a close economical and political alliance. The agriculture of the UK slowly recovers from the the German wartime blockade, and Sir Oswald Mosley establishes the new "British Union Party" after he is released from prison.

1947

 * Further negotiations in Zürich fail to reach a compromise, and Italy remains divided.


 * The X Parteitag (Parteitag der Friedes) held in Nürnberg, with General Secretary Goebbels being the main speaker for the first time.


 * A successful fascist coup takes place in Bulgaria.


 * Civil wars in Ukraine and Caucasus officially end with the defeat of local communist militias. Thousands are killed in massive riots in the area of Reichskomissariat Moskau when the army is called in to quell the resistance.


 * The Truman Doctrine, a political program aimed to stop the spread of fascism is supported by the Marshall-plan that economically supports countries opposing fascism.

1948

 * The Europäische Wirtschaftsunion is signed in Frankfurt-am-Mein. EUW, the European Economic Union is created, marking the beginning of the European post-war integration. The central-European coal and steel industry is combined to multinational Reichswerke- cartel. The main charter and the final structure of the New Europe is the main topic among the European leaders in the Conference of Vienna.


 * The Government of Marshall Pétain regains the control of the German-occupied northern areas and Savoy from North Italy, and the modern state of France, the French State, is born. Pierre Laval becomes the first "Chef" of France.


 * The Civil War in occupied Russia ends with a German victory, however the Red Army successfully defeats all attempts to stir similar uprisings within the Soviet Union, where Stalin initiates a series of new purges to "root out the traitors and defeatists who betrayed our noble cause in the last war."


 * The Finno-German Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance is signed in Berlin. Later in the year the Finnish army and police units near Helsinki are in a state of higher readiness due the threat of a right-wing coup.


 * The United States renews their security guarantees to Britain and all other Allied countries. In Canada Adrien Arcand establishes the "National Unity Party" that aims to distance the country from the US. Xenophon Giosmas rises to power in Greece as the civil war ends in a Fascist victory.


 * Mathatma Gandhi is assassinated in India. The National Congress of India declares independence.


 * The National Party wins elections in South Africa. The country leaves from the Commonwealth and a new internal policy called apartheid is adopted.

1949

 * Regulation of consumer goods in the German-occupied territories ends. OSTPOL, the new economic program for Eastern Europe begins. The construction of a new particle accelerator begins in Stuttgart.


 * The member states of the United Nations (formerly called Allies) form the "North Atlantic Treaty Organization."


 * The Chinese Communist Party emerges as the winner in the Chinese Civil War and unifies the country after decades of division and warfare as the People's Republic of China is established. United States of Indonesia (USI) and Philippines become independent.

1950

 * Operation "Glühwürmchen" is successful, and professor Heisenberg develops a functional hydrogen bomb.


 * The "Volkswagen to every home" program is a huge success in the Reich.


 * The Arrow Cross Party rises to power with German support after Admiral Horthy dies in Hungary, and Ferenc Szálas becomes a strong Head of State following the German example.


 * Benito Mussolini is assassinated by the Italian partisan movement. King Vittorio abdicates and the nation devolves into civil war. By 1951, Italy is divided into a fascist north and a democratic south.


 * Sino-Soviet Cooperation for the spreading of Communism begins. The United States provides limited economical support to PRC as a sign of detente.


 * In Lebanon the Free French forces are defeated by the German-supported SS Arab Legion in Syria. Lebanon declares independence.


 * Chaos and strikes in the mining regions of Congo lead to a civil war where French-speaking evolues rise against the colonial power. The German Afrika Corps is sent to the region to restore order together with the Belgian SS-Legion and a small Finnish volunteer force led by the legendary SS-Hauptsturm-führer Lauri Törni.


 * The British puppet regime in Egypt is toppled by a revolution led by Rashid el Galian. After this King Farouk nationalizes the Suez Channel, Egypt leaves the Commonwealth and sends troops to occupy Sudan. Iraq and Egypt look towards the Reich for support, and a major arms deal takes place where Egypt gains a large number of obsolete Panzer IVs.