
| 1940 | |
|---|---|
| May 1940 | |
| 10 | Germany launches invasion of western Europe. |
| June 1940 | |
| 10 | Italy declares war on Great Britain and France. |
| 17 | Pro-Russian government established in Lithuania. |
| 20 | Latvia and Estonia occupied by Russians. |
| 22 | Franco-German armistice signed at Compiegne. |
| 26 | Russia occupies Bessarabia and northern Bukovina. |
| July 1940 | |
| 13 | Hitler discusses reason for continuance of British resistance at daily situation conference. |
| 21 | During a staff meeting, Hitler first mentions possibility of a campaign against Russia. |
| 31 | Hitler orders preparations for a campaign against Russia in spring of 1941. |
| August 1940 | |
| 21 | Romania cedes the southern Dobrudja to Bulgaria. |
| 30 | Vienna Arbitration Award: Romania yields one third of Transylvania to Hungary. |
| September 1940 | |
| 13 | Italy begins drive into Egypt. |
| 27 | Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact. |
| October 1940 | |
| 7 | German troops enter Romania. |
| 12 | Hitler postpones invasion of Great Britain until spring 1941. |
| 28 | Italy invades Greece from Albania. |
| 31 | British occupy Crete and Limnos. |
| November 1940 | |
| 4 | Hitler orders preparations for eventual interventionin Greece. |
| 4 | Royal Air Force begins to operate from Greek airfields. |
| 12 | Directive No. 18 issued, enumerating the followingobjectives: capture of Gibraltar via Spain, seizureof Egypt and Suez Canal from Libyan bases, and invasion of Greece from Bulgaria. |
| November 1940 | |
| 12-13 | Molotov visits Berlin and confers with Hitler on future relationship between Germany and SovietUnion. |
| 18 | Hitler confers with King Boris of Bulgaria. |
| 20 | Hungary adheres to Tripartite Pact. |
| 23 | Romania joins Tripartite Pact. |
| 28 | Hitler confers with Yugoslav Foreign Minister Cincar-Marcovic and asks Yugoslavia to join TripartitePact. |
| December 1940 | |
| 5 | Hitler conference, Army plans for campaigns against Greece and Russia presented. |
| 9 | British start counterattack in North Africa and advance across Libya. |
| 11 | Hitler abandons plan to capture Gibraltar. |
| 13 | Directive No. 20 is issued, outlining Operation MARITA, the campaign against Greece. |
| 18 | Directive No. 21 issued, ordering preparations for Operation BARBAROSSA, the campaign against Russia. |
| 1941 | |
| January 1941 | |
| 13 | British offer to send ground forces is rejected by Greece. |
| 18-20 | Hitler meets Mussolini and informs him about intended German attack on Greece. |
| February 1941 | |
| 14 | Hitler urges Yugoslav Premier Cvetkovic to join Tripartite Pact. |
| 17 | Bulgaria and Turkey conclude treaty of friendship. |
| 28 | German troops bridge the Danube. |
| 28 | At a conference in Ankara, British Foreign Secretary Eden and President Inoenue of Turkey stress mutual respect and adherence to Turkish-British alliance, but Turkey refuses to intervene in Balkans. |
| March 1941 | |
| 1 | Bulgaria joins Tripartite Pact. |
| 2 | German troops enter Bulgaria. |
| 4 | Hitler sends message to President Inoenue of Turkey. |
| 4 | Hitler confers with Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia. |
| 7 | British Expeditionary Force begins to land in Greece. |
| March 1941 | |
| 9-16 | Italian spring offensive in Albania. |
| 18 | Yugoslav privy council decides to join Tripartite Pact. |
| 24 | Rommel starts drive through weak British defenses in North Africa. |
| 25 | Yugoslavia signs Tripartite Pact. |
| 26-27 | Yugoslav coup d'etat. |
| 27 | General Simovic assumes power in Yugoslavia. |
| 27 | Directive No. 26 is issued, outlining Operation 25, the campaign against Yugoslavia. |
| 29 | Conference of German Army commanders responsible for campaign in Balkans. |
| April 1941 | |
| 3 | Croat leaders join Simovic government. |
| 5 | Soviet Union signs treaty of friendship and non aggression with Yugoslavia |
| 6 | German air bombardment of Belgrade. |
| 6 | Twelfth Army invades southern Yugoslavia and Greece. |
| 6 | Second Army launches limited-objective attacks against Yugoslavia. |
| 7 | Operation BARBAROSSA postponed to 22 June. |
| 7 | German troops enter Skoplje. |
| 7 | Metaxas Line pierced by German mountain troops. |
| 8 | First Panzer Group starts drive toward Belgrade. |
| 9 | 2d Panzer Division elements capture Salonika; Greek Second Army capitulates. |
| 10 | XLVI Panzer Corps enters the race for Belgrade. |
| 10 | Start of Second Army drive on Zagreb and capture of the city. |
| 10 | Croatia proclaims itself an independent state. |
| 10 | XLIX Mountain and LI Infantry Corps cross northwestern Yugoslav border. |
| 10 | First Panzer Group reaches point forty miles from Yugoslav capital. |
| 11 | XLI Panzer Corps advances to within forty-five miles of Belgrade. |
| 11 | German mountain troops cross the Vardar. |
| 12 | Fall of Belgrade. |
| 13 | Greek First Army begins to withdraw from Albania. |
| 14 | XVIII Mountain Corps pierces Mount Olympus defenses. |
| 14 | Beginning of Yugoslav armistice negotiations. |
| 15 | German troops enter Sarajevo. |
| 15 | Seizure of Lamia. |
| 15 | General Student submits his plan for the seizure of Crete to Goering. |
| 17 | Capture of Thasos. |
| 17 | Yugoslav representatives sign unconditional surrender. |
| 18 | German armistice with Yugoslavia becomes effective at 1200. |
| 19 | 5th Panzer Division enters Plain of Thessaly. |
| 19 | XVIII Mountain Corps captures Larisa. |
| 20 | Seizure of Samothraki. |
| 21 | Greek First Army offers to surrender to Germans. |
| 21 | British withdraw air force from Greece. |
| 21 | Redeployment of German troops from Balkans begins. |
| 23 | Greek First Army signs surrender agreement with Germans and Italians. |
| 24 | Last British stand at Thermopylae. |
| 25 | Directive No. 28 covering Operation MERKUR, the seizure of Crete, is issued. |
| 25 | Seizure of Limnos. |
| 26 | German parachute troops seize the Isthmus and town of Corinth. |
| 27 | Panzer elements enter Athens. |
| 29 | German forces reach south coast of the Peloponnesus. |
| 30 | Hostilities cease in Greece. |
| May 1941 | |
| 15 | Tentative date for beginning of Operation BARBAROSSA. |
| 20 | Beginning of airborne invasion of Crete. |
| 21 | German mountain troops begin to land at Maleme airfield. |
| 21-22 | British Navy intercepts German seaborne invasion force approaching Crete. |
| 22 | Air-sea battle in Crete waters. |
| 22 | German forces secure the Maleme airhead. |
| 23 | British planes return to Heraklion airfield. |
| 26 | Canea falls. |
| 27 | Capture of Heraklion airfield. |
| 28 | British begin to withdraw to south coast of Crete. |
| May 1941 | |
| 28 | Italian landings at Sitia Bay. |
| 28-29 | British garrison evacuates Retimo. |
| 29 | German troops establish contact with Retimo force. |
| 30 | Relief of Heraklion forces. |
| June 1941 | |
| 1 | German forces reach Sphakia and complete seizure of Crete. |
| 22 | D-day for German invasion of Russia. |