 |
| 01/09/1939 |
Britain and France, instead
of immediately declaring war against Germany look to Mussolini
who had proposed an international conference to revise the Versailles
treaty terms. In France, general mobilisation declared. |
| 02/09/1939 |
Hitler indicates to the Britain and
France that he would withdraw from Poland provided that he was
allowed to retain Danzig and the Polish Corridor. This was dismissed
and a joint ultimatum was given to Germany to withdraw her troops
from Poland within twelve hours or find herself at war with
Britain and France. |
| 03/09/1939 |
After Germany rejects the Anglo-French
ultimatum of 1st September, which called for the withdrawal
of all German forces from Poland, France declares war on Germany. |
| 05/09/1939 |
French forces begin a limited offensive
towards Saarbrücken. |
| 06/09/1939 |
General Smuts wins cabinet battle in
South Africa and declares war on Germany. |
| 07/09/1939 |
Nine divisions of the French Army penetrate
in to the Saarland, but their advance is very slow and no effort
is made to attack the 'Westwall' itself. |
| 09/09/1939 |
Advance elements of the BEF begin to
a arrive in France. |
| 11/09/1939 |
Arrival of first British
troops in France officially announced. |
| 12/09/1939 |
First Anglo-French Supreme War Council
convenes under Chamberlain and Daladier. |
| 24/09/1939 |
Food rationing introduced in Germany
on small scale. |
| 25/09/1939 |
Heavy artillery duels flare
on Western Front. |
| 27/09/1939 |
Polish government-in-exile
set up in Paris. |
| |
 |
| 06/10/1939 |
Hitler in a speech to the
Reichstag announces the victorious conclusion of the Polish
campaign and calls upon Britain and France to cease hostilities
and come to terms with Germany. This is rejected by both the
British and French government's. |
| 09/10/1939 |
Hitler issues orders for the invasion
of France and the Low Countries. This first plan called for
the German Army to wheel through Belgium as they had done during
World War One, although this time they were to invade Holland
as well. Only the start date wasn't specified, although Hitler
was thinking of November. However, bad weather and demands by
his generals for more preparation time caused postponement until
the following year. |
| 11/10/1939 |
British Expeditionary Force on continent
reaches strength of 158,000 in five weeks. |
| 16/10/1939 |
Heavy German attack on Western Front
halted. |
| 17/10/1939 |
French troops are pushed back in the
Saar region. |
| |
 |
| 07/11/1939 |
The Belgium and Dutch Monarch's emphasize
their country's neutrality, but offer to act as peace negotiators.
Hitler rejects the proposal, as do both Britain and France.
Paul Thummel, a double agent, passes details of the German plans
for the western offensive to the Czech government-in-exile. |
| 08/11/1939 |
A bomb intended to kill Hitler explodes
at the annual meeting of the veterans of the 1923 Nazi Putsch
in Munich, but the Führer had already left the beer cellar.
The German media accused Britain of orchestrating the assassination
attempt on Hitler. Two British SIS agents, Major Richard Stevens
and Captain S. Payne Best, are captured in Holland by the Germans. |
| 17/11/1939 |
The Supreme Allied War
Council agrees on the co-ordination of British and French war
production. It is also decided that if the Germans should invade
Belgium, then both British and French troops will move forward
in to Belgium to defend the Albert Canal, River Meuse and the
River Dyle, which were strong positions from which to meet any
German attack. However, the Belgium government refuses to allow
Allied reconnaissance parties in to country for fear of provoking
the Germans. |
| |
 |
| 15/12/1939 |
A fifth British division
arrives in France. |
