1939 

Jan

Feb

March 18, 1939 - Germany and Italy form the Axis.

April

May

June

July

Aug 23, 1939 - Nazi & Soviet non-aggression pact signed.

Sept 1, 1939 - The Germany army invades Poland. Two weeks later, Soviet troops enter eastern Poland and occupy the provinces of western Belorussia and western Ukraine bordering on the Soviet Union - as agreed with Germany in a secret annex to the Hitler-Stalin Pact.

Sept 2, 1939 - The passenger liner SS Athenia is sunk by the German submarine U-30.  Italy proclaims neutrality in the German-Polish conflict

Sept 3, 1939 - Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa declare war on Germany.

Sept 5, 1939 - United States proclaims neutrality.

Sept 7, 1939 - French troops enter Saar, Germany.

Sept 10, 1939 - Canada declares war on Germany.

Sept 16, 1939 - British carrier HMS Courageous sunk.

Sept 17, 1939 - Soviet Union invades Poland.

Sept 19, 1939 - Soviet and German troops meet at Brest-Litovsk, Poland.

Sept 24, 1939 - British Navy begins pursuit of the German battleship, 'The Graf Spee'.

Sept 28, 1939 - Poland surrenders

Oct, 1939 - Hitler signs the order authorizing involuntary euthanasia.

Oct 3, 1939 - European allies declare war on the Axis Powers.

Oct 6, 1939 - Last organized resistance in Poland is crushed.

Oct 14, 1939 - British battleship HMS Royal Oak sunk in the Scapa Flow naval base by a German submarine.

Nov 8, 1939 - Failed assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler in Bürgerbräukeller, Munich. The carpenter George Elser is later arrested.

Nov 30, 1939 - Finland invaded by Russia

Dec 17, 1939 - German battleship Graf Spee scuttled of Montevideo, Uruguay, following the Battle of the River Plate.