1939
The German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee sinks the liner Doric Star off the western coast of South Africa.
1940
Greeks capture Premeti, Pogradec and the Albanian port of Sarande.
F4F-3 Wildcat fighter enters service with US Navy.
1941
Temperature falls to -31°F (-37°C) on Russian Front.
The Japanese Embassy in Washington begins to leave, destroying code books and personal files in the process.
Chicago Tribune and Washington Times-Herald publish news of classified unapproved US Victory Program war plans, leaked to the papers by isolationist Sen. Burton Wheeler, creating cries of warmongering among isolationists.
In Libya, the German army under General Rommel retreats to Gazala
1942
The U.S.A 5th Air Force launches its first raid against the Italian port of Naples.
German forces in Tunisia capture Tebourba.
President Roosevelt cancels Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA).
US Ninth Air Force, based in Egypt, bombs Naples (Rommel’s supply port) in first US attack on Italy
1943
Tito’s Partisans set up a provisional government in the liberated part of Yugoslavia.
Units of the German 11th Army begin an offensive to eliminate the Soviet bridgehead at Kerch in the eastern Crimea.
The second Cairo conference opens with Churchill, Roosevelt and the Turkish President Inonu.
Bolivia declares war on all the Axis powers.
US submarine Sailfish sinks Japanese escort carrier Chuyo off Japan, 1250 killed.
1944
Athens is now under martial law.
Italian partisans liberate Ravenna in first major planned partisan attack in Italy.
British Fourteenth Army begins major offensive in Burma, crossing Chindwin River.
1945
The U.S. Senate votes to allow the USA to join the UN and to permit the UN to use American forces to preserve peace and security.