1940
Commons approves trade agreement with Spain, first since Spanish Civil War.
French reinforcements arrive at Aandalesnes.
British troops forced to withdraw north of Trondheim after sharp fighting.
Norwegian troops attack the Germans south of Narvik, but are beaten back.
Germans appoint Josef Terboven as Reich Commissar of Norway.
1941
German forces in Greece break through British positions at Thermopylae and land paratroops on Greek islands in the north-eastern Aegean. The British expeditionary force begins the evacuation of its troops to Egypt and Crete.
1942
The Luftwaffe raids Exeter in the first of Hitler’s retaliatory raids, which were soon to become known as the ‘Baedeker’ raids after the famous guidebook series of that name. A second raid employing 91 aircraft is made against Rostok.
US Marine Corps raises maximum age for recruits from 33 to 36.
1943
The first Women’s Flying Training Detachment class (precursor of WASPs) graduates from flight training.
1944
All overseas travel is banned in Britain.
The first B-29 arrives in China, over the Hump of the Himalayas.
The British force the road to Kohima open.
U.S. troops secure Hollandia and Aitape in New Guinea inflicting 9,000 Japanese casualties, while only suffering 450 dead themselves. Australians troops enter Madang in New Guinea.
1945
The British Second and Canadian First Armies enter Bremen.
The US Seventh Army crosses the Danube at Dillingen and captures Ulm.
The Eighth Army captures Ferrara, 30 miles to the Northeast of Bologna and crosses the Po after fierce fighting. The U.S. Fifth Army takes Spezia on the Gulf of Genoa and Modern.
The Japanese Burma Area Army C-in-C leaves Rangoon. The British Fourteenth Army takes Pyinmana in central Burma.