Hitler indicates that he must respond to a Polish attack on a
German radio station. The Germans staged this attack.
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The start of WW2
September 3rd 1939
After this attack on Poland, England and France can only do one thing:
Declare war on Germany....
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The first three months
end of 1939 - beginning of 1940
The first phase of the war happens mostly in Eastern Europe.
Because of the agreements made in the Molotov-von Ribbentroppact, the Soviet-Union attacks Poland from the east.
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Blitzkrieg in Western Europe
april-july 1940
The war seems far away....
This changes in the spring of 1940 when the Germans literally 'roll up' Europe with enormous speed and superior strength.
This way of warfare is called Blitzkrieg.
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The Netherlands surrenders
15th of May 1940
Although in some places the Dutch army offered more resistance than the Germans had expected, after the bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch government can do nothing but surrender (capitulate) to the Germans.
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France surrenders
22nd June 1940
A part of France, Vichy, does not become occupied. They collaborate with the Germans (Vichy France)
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Battle of Britain
July - October 1940
The German attack on Britain. Thanks in part to the invention of radar, Great Britain is able to defend itself against Germany.
However, it doesn't mean Great-Britain doesn't get bombed by the Germans....
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...during the whole war England, especially London, will be heavily bombed. First by bombers, but later also by the V1 and V2 missiles.
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The people of London take refuge in the Underground during a German air raid. In addition, the British government had an evacuation plan: 'Pied Piper', in which mainly children, mothers and pregnant women would be sent to the safe countryside.
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This poster was commissioned by the British government to give people confidence. They would win the war.
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Operation Barbarossa
June - December 1941
Despite the non-agression pact, Germany attacks the Soviet-Union.
Hitler needs ''Lebensraum'' and resources for his people.
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Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
7th of December 1941
Axis Power Japan wants to be powerful in Asia.
To reach this goal, they attack the American marinebase Pearl Harbor on Hawaii by surprise.
With the destroyed US fleet, Japan has free rein in Asia
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The US at war
8th of December 1941
One day after the attack, the United States declared war on Japan.
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Because of the agreements the Axis Powers made, Germany and Italy declare war on the United States on December 11th
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Strijdende partijen na 11 december 1941
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Japan occupies the Dutch East Indies
March 1942
The Dutch are locked up in ''Jappenkampen''
The conditions are terrible: poor hygiene, hunger and corporal punishment
Women sometimes have to work as prostitutes (''troostmeisjes).
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Battle of Stalingrad
August 1942 - February 1943
Due to the icy cold and poor supplies, the German army is defeated.
Hitler has to give up: Stalingrad turns out to be unconquerable.
It becomes a turning point in the war: the Soviet Union begins to push back at the German army.
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D-Day
6th of June 1944
The Normandy landings finally brought a front in the West, something Stalin had long requested.
De D in D-Day stands for Decision.
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Battle of Arnhem
September 1944
The Allies want to push through to the northern part of the Netherlands, to invade Germany from there, but they are mistaken in the strength of the Germans.
Operation Market Garden failed at Arnhem ('A bridge too far').
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Yalta conference
February 1945
The Allies meet in Yalta (Soviet Union) to discuss what to do with Germany and Europe after the war.
The Big Three are: Churchill (GB), Roosevelt (US) and Stalin (SU).
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt
President of the United States
Jozef Stalin
Leader of the Soviet-Union
Winston Churchill
Prime minister of Great-Britain
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Hitler is defeated
April 1945
In April, Stalin's Red Army attacks Berlin.
It is the final blow for Hitler: he commits suicide.
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Liberation of the Netherlands
5th of May 1945
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Germany surrenders
8th of May 1945
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Atomic bomb on Hiroshima
6th of August 1945
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Atomic bomb on Nagasaki
9th of August 1945
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Japan surrenders
15th of August 1945
The atomic bombs cause major destruction. Japan has no other choice but to surrender.
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The liberation of the Netherlands
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Mad Tuesday
5th of September 1944
The allies advance very fast after D-Day.
The events are followed on illegal radios: "They are in the Netherlands!"
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German soldiers flee from the approaching Allies.
But the Allies don't show up at all...
The people started celebrating too early.
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Battle of Arnhem
September 1944
The Allies want to push through to the northern part of the Netherlands, to invade Germany from there, but they are mistaken in the strength of the Germans.
To help the Allied advance, Radio Oranje calls on the railway staff to go on strike. The Germans can no longer use the railway for their war.
It also leads to food and fuel shortages...
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Hongerwinter
November 1944 - April 1945
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The Hongerwinter had a couple of causes:
It was no longer possible to supply coal from Limburg, because this part of the Netherlands had already been liberated.
In addition, the railway strike ensured that nothing was transported anymore...
...Plus the Germans retaliated by blocking the main routes to the western Netherlands.
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The system of distributing coupons/stamps , which had already been introduced in 1939, no longer works in the last phase of the war: there was simply nothing left
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German capitulation
4 mei 1945
On the 5th of May, negotiations took take place in Hotel De Wereld in Wageningen about the unconditional surrender of the German troops in the Netherlands.
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The liberation
May 1945
Nowadays, the liberation of the Netherlands is celebrated on the 5th of May. But the entirety of Netherlands wasn't liberated at the same time. Sometimes it was earlier, sometimes it was later like on Texel.
This island was liberated on the 20th of May 1945..
Lesduur is: 45 min
