Ireland, Switzerland and Sweden- all remained neutral dur-

ing the war. Although Switzerland

did deploy its Army to defend its

borders from all attacks from Nazi

Germany and her allies on their

territory to remain out of the World

War around them (THP, 1996) .

& Subsequent Retreat During World War 2

Nazi Germany’s Advance in Europe

1943

By the end of 1938 Nazi Germany extended

from the remilitarized zone of the Rhineland

through Austria into the Czechoslovakia’s

Sudetenland’s.

By the end of 1939 Nazi Germany had ex-

tended their reach into Czechoslovakia and

divided Poland up in two with Soviet Russia.

However Britain, France, Australia and New

Zealand declare war on Germany and along

with their colonies the Second World War

begins on the 3rd September 1939.

By the end of 1940 Nazi Germany occupied

Denmark, Norway; Belgium, Luxembourg;

the Netherlands and Northern France. Ger-

many had also signed the Tripartite (Axis)

Pact with Italy, Japan, Hungary and Roma-

nia. In this Time the Allied Troops had been

pushed back across France and evacuated

from the beaches of Dunkirk by the beginning

of June.

By the end of 1941 Nazi Germany occupied Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Greece and Yugoslavia. Germany had also engaged with Russian Forces during Operation Barbarossa which started in the summer. The Nazi Ad-vance was halted at both Moscow and Lenin-grad, abandoning the Attack on Moscow by the 5th December officially ending in January 1942 during the harsh Russian Winter. And Bulgaria join the Axis power’s. Meanwhile a mutual assistance agreement between Brit-ain and Soviet Russia was signed in July bringing Russia into the Allied powers. December 7th Japan attacks the UAS at Pearl harbour, forcing the USA to enter the war on December the 8th 1941.

By the end of 1942 Nazi Germany now occu-

pied France in its entirety and had made

further advances into the Russia including

Stalingrad in the south. (THP, 1996) &

(Worldology, 2009)

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

By the end of 1943 Nazi Germany had occupied Italy due

to Allied forces landing in Sicily and capturing Mussolini

and accepting the Italian surrender by September 8th. Nazi

Germany lost southern Italy including Naples by October

1st . Russia in the meantime recaptures Kiev in the Ukraine

and launched another offence on the Ukrainian Front.

By the Beginning of June Russian Troops had advanced

into Poland and Belarus Meanwhile allied Forces had

advanced as far as Rome.

June 6 1944 D-Day the five beached assault by

Allied Forces landed troops on the French Shore and be-

gan the long Advance across France capturing southern

France staged from the Allied forces from Italy. Paris was

liberated on the 25th August. Meanwhile Russia takes

Romania, Czechoslovakia and Occupies Estonia and

Hungary, Besieging Budapest. December 16-27 Battle of

the Bulge took place across the Ardennes the Last Major

German offensive was rebuffed by the Allied Forces re-

sulting in Germany’s withdraw by January 17th 1945.

By January 17th Russia forces captures Poland’s Capital

Warsaw and the Polish Coast by March 30th and by April

16th Begin their final attack on Germany reaching Berlin by

the 21st April. Meanwhile by March 7th Allied Forces cross

the Ruhr River into Germany at Cologne. Also Northern

Italy falls into Allied Hands completely with the surrender

of German Troops on May 2nd. After the Suicide of Adolf

Hitler on the 30th April and Unconditional surrender is

signed by General Alfred Jodl, Chief of the Operations

Staff in the German High Command on the 7th May 1945.

V-E Victory in Europe Day is celebrated across

the UK and marks the end of World War two and the end

of the Nazi Regime in Europe, although the end of the

world war two would not be for several months with the

surrender of Japan on the 15th August 1945 with VJ day.

(THP, 1996), (Worldology, 2009) & (Barrow, 2013)

Spain- was officially -but not internationally recognised- as

non-belligerent- however Spain was in a similar situation to

Romania in that after the Civil war two trains of thought both

pro and anti-Nazi collaborations resulted in Spain supplying

German forces for thanks for their part in the Spanish Civil but

stayed out of full war with the Allied powers. Although there

were Spanish volunteers in both the Axis and Allied powers

service (THP, 1996).

Turkey– remained

Neutral until 7 months

before the End of

WW2 taking up arms

with the Allied Powers

D-Day- Over 6,000 ships and landing craft delivered over

150,000 soldiers to the Normandy Coast, along the five care-

fully selected beaches codenamed: Utah, Omaha, Gold,

Juno and Sword. The invasion originally planned for the 5th

June was delayed by 24 hours, by the Supreme Allied Com-

mander General Eisenhower, leaving the Day of Deliverance

to be on the 6th June 1945. Marking the beginning of the end

of World War 2 and the end of Nazi Germany (BBC, 2009).

(Mitter & CNN,2015) (Rees, 2010 )

(Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2015) (BBC, 2009 )

The Expansion of Nazi Germany through

Europe is but a small part of World War 2.

Fighting stretched both and East and West

around the globe many nations joining in the

fighting. Other catastrophes that occurred under

the Nazi regime include concentrations camps

such as Auschwitz.

Student Number: 2219001

(European boundaries sourced from Groot, 2010 )

(European boundaries sourced from Groot, 2010 )

1944– End of the War

1938–Start of the War– 1942