World War II
LKS2 Timeline
3rd September
Britain and France declare war on Germany.
10th May
The Battle of France begins.
26th May
Allied forces are evacuated from Dunkirk in France.
10th July
The Battle of Britain begins.
1945
1944 1941
7th September The Blitz begins. 7th December
Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the US.
6th June
The D-Day landings.
Germany surrenders to the Allies. VE Day (Victory in 7th and 8th May Europe Day) is celebrated the next day. 6th and 9th August
The US drops atomic bombs on two cities in Japan.
2nd September
Japan formally surrenders, ending the war.
AD 1900 AD 2000 1928 – All 1901 – Queen women given 1953 – Coronation of right to vote. Elizabeth II. Victoria dies. 1914-1918 – World War I.
The Armed Forces
1st September German troops invade Poland.
The Battle of Britain
1940
1939
Key Events
World War II
1991 – 1969 – First Moon landing. World Wide Web launched.
a British Army soldier
Before the war, people volunteered for the armed forces but as the war progressed, men and women had to register for National Service. This conscription meant that they could then be ‘called up’ into the armed forces or into other jobs to help the war effort. Women were not given combat roles but they did many different jobs in the armed forces. In July 1940, Germany planned a secret mission to invade Britain. They began by sending the Luftwaffe (German air force) to bomb British ships, airfields and other targets. RAF (Royal Air Force) planes fought back in what were known as dogfights.
View more World War II planning resources.
Believing they were winning, the Luftwaffe moved on to bombing London on 7th September 1940 (the start of the Blitz). On 15th September, the Luftwaffe launched another attack but the RAF fought back and it was clear that the Germans would not be able to win. This date is commemorated every year as the end of the Battle of Britain. visit twinkl.com