1939 Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini sign “Pact of Steel” forming the Axis powers. 1940 British cipher experts at Bletchley Park break the Luftwaffe Enigma code. Britain officially rejects Hitler’s “peace offer.” Britain establishes Special Operations Executive (SOE) under Hugh Dalton to support resistance groups in Nazi-occupied Europe. The XIX Panzerkorps (Guderian) strikes from Abbeville

1940 Czech government-in-exile established in London under Dr. Benes. Hitler orders preliminary planning for invasion of Russia. Romania forced by Germany to give Dobruja province to Bulgaria. 1941 FDR asks Congress to extend the draft. US starts national aluminum salvage drive. France accepts Japan’s demand for military control of Indochina. In occupied Poland near Lublin,

1940 Luftwaffe night-fighters (Me 110s) first shoot down a British plane. President Roosevelt signs the ‘Two Ocean Navy Expansion Act’. This was the first step in preparing America for war against either Germany or Japan, or both. British claim 40 Luftwaffe planes down in a week; British civilian casualty figures for last month announced: 336

1940 General Sir Alan Brooke takes over from Ironside as C-in-C, Home Forces. Ironside becomes a Field Marshal. Hitler makes triumphant speech to Reichstag: accuses Allies of war mongering and appeals ‘for the last time to reason’. The Italian Cruiser, Bartolomeo Colleoni is sunk off Cape Spada, near Crete by HMAS Sydney. 1941 BBC announces

1940 Prince Konoye forms new Japanese Cabinet with Army and Navy nominees. 1941 The Japanese foreign minister, Yosuke Matsuoka is replaced by a moderate. New Japanese Cabinet has four generals and three admirals. US Army Air Force opens bases in Iceland to patrol convoy routes in North Atlantic. US Secretary of Navy Frank Knox approves

1940 The German Army presents its plan for the invasion of Britain. Six divisions are to land between Ramsgate and Bexhill in the southeast corner of England, four will land between Brighton and the Isle of Wight and three on the Dorset coast. Two Airborne division’s will also be deployed, with follow up forces including

1940 Hitler issues Directive No.16, orders for the planning of ‘Operation Sealion‘, the invasion of Britain. Twenty divisions are earmarked for the invasion, but the Luftwaffe must gain air superiority first. All plans are to be ready by mid-August. Destroyer Imogen sinks in Pentland Firth after collision in fog by the British light cruiser HMS