istoryworld
Events relating to the second world war
The prototype of the Spitfire, designed by Reginald Mitchell, has its first test flight
Neville Chamberlain follows Baldwin as prime minister at the head of the UK's National government
Neville Chamberlain makes the first of three flights to Germany, this time to negotiate with Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden
Neville Chamberlain returns to Britain from Munich claiming to have achieved 'peace for our time... peace with honour'
On the very first day of the war a U-boat sinks a British liner, the Athenia, with the loss of 112 civilian lives
Two million Anderson air-raid shelters are distributed to British homes, to be constructed in the garden from corrugated steel panels
The recent fate of Czechoslovakia prompts France and Britain to guarantee the security of Poland
Stalin appoints Vyacheslav Molotov as People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs for the USSR
Helped by the results of Polish cryptographers, Bletchley Park begins to gain invaluable access to German military secrets
An incident on the border between Japanese Manchukuo and Soviet territory sparks a four-month war with the USSR that brings heavy Japanese losses
The He-178, designed by Hans von Ohain, becomes the first jet engine to fly, with a test flight lasting five minutes
Britain and France, receiving no answer from Hitler to their ultimatum over his attack on Poland, declare war on Germany
French troops rush to defend France's border with Germany, along the heavily fortified Maginot Line
A British Expeditionary Force (BEF) of about 150,000 infantry crosses the Channel to help defend France's border with Belgium
Alan Turing joins the code-breaking team working on Enigma at Bletchley Park
A German U-boat sinks the British aircraft carrier Courageous off the coast of Ireland
A German U-boat sinks the British battleship Royal Oak at anchor in Scapa Flow
All Saints, along with Petersham Vicarage, the village hall and (later) Elm Lodge, is requisitioned by Anti-Aircraft Command and plays a key role in operational research on Radar throughout the Second World War
The ration book is introduced in Britain, at first just for bacon, butter and sugar, but soon also for meat, eggs, tea, milk, cheese, jam, and clothing
After the German invasion of the Netherlands and Belgium, Winston Churchill replaces Chamberlain as the British prime minister
German troops force their way into France through the Ardennes, launching the Battle of France
The French rely on the heavily fortified Maginot Line to keep out the Germans, but they outflank it
Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch government escape just in time to Britain
Winston Churchill, in his first speech to the House of Commons as prime minister, offers the nation nothing but 'blood, toil, tears and sweat'
The Local Defence Volunteers are formed in Britain and are soon given, on Winston Churchill's suggestion, the name Home Guard
