The First Years 1939-1941

Year : 1939 

Eastern Europe, September 1st,1939

At 04:45 hours on September 1st, on three sides of the Polish border 60 German Divisions of the German Army with 4 brigades,and 3 Waffen SS regiments along with 2,750 Panzer tanks invade the country of Poland. A day earlier the Germans staged a "Polish attack" on a radio station in order to give Germany the right to invade. Up against the German Army is 39 Polish Divisions but some are never operational during the invasion.  Two days after the invasion by the Germans into Poland, Britain and France declare war upon Germany. Along with several other countries that begin to form into the Allies. On September 17th,1939 in a secret pact signed by Germany and the Soviet Union , the Soviets attack from the east while the Germans fight on the west. Soviet forces in the invasion of Poland are 33 plus divisions of the Red Army. The Poles cannot hang on in face of overpowering forces. Nearly a month later the Polish Government surrenders to the German Army on October the 6th,1939. In the pact signed by the Soviets and Germans the two countries divide Poland into two. Losses for the Germans are 16,343 troops killed in the field, over 27,000 wounded. To the Polish losses are 66,000 men killed in action,133,700 men wounded and  694,000 Polish troops captured by invading forces.

Winter 1939-1940

Western Europe, German-French Border

During the winter of 1939 and 1940 on the Western Front there is a lack of fighting between the Allies and Germany. Known as the phoney war no fighting happens until the winter ends. On the Western Front the forces are 110 British and French Divisions against 23 German Divisions.

1940 

Denmark,Norway

After the Phoney war Germany launches an invasion of Denmark and Norway on April the 9th in 1940. In response in an earlier incident the German High Command sees these countries as needed bases in future operations such as the planned invasion of Britain and France. Germany has a force of 9 Divisions while the two countries total can only bring up 8 Divisions. On June 10th German has achieved yet another victory. And more countries have fallen under the German jack boot.

1940

Western Europe

On May the 10th,1940 the German Operation Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) starts against France. 3 Army Groups totaling 141 German Division, totaling 3,350,000 million troops with 2,445 Panzer tanks, and 5,638 aircraft begin the invasion. Against them is 144 Allied Divisions. Using the new military tactic Blitzkrieg the Panzer Divisions cut threw the Allied lines and head for the coast. Slicing the Allied Forces in two the Germans make rapid progress. German troops surround a large army of Allied troops at Dunkirk but told to stop the attack by Adolf Hitler, the Allied troops are able to escape via the english channel. But over 200,000 Allied troops are taken prisoner. On June 5th the German war machine begins a new offensive and heads for the capital of France, Paris. With the French been near defeated and the Germans at the gates of Paris the French Government names Paris an open city. The leader of France announces an armistice to Germany. Hitler in his moment of victory demands the surrender to take place where the Germans surrendered in the first World War in 1918. A crease fire goes into affect on June 25th,1940. Paris and Half of France becomes part of the Third Reich while the lower part of france becomes Vichy France a puppet government put in place by the Germans.