The world in
What happened in 1940?
41 events across 7 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
Battle of FranceFrom May to June 1940, Germany invaded France and the Low Countries, defeating Allied forces within six weeks and occupying France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. After France fell, ground fighting on the Western Front largely paused until the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Frank Capra (film) / Public domain ↗
Tripartite PactOn 27 September 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin, creating a defensive military alliance. Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia later acceded. Two days after Yugoslavia’s accession, a coup in Belgrade occurred; Germany, Italy, and Hungary responded by invading Yugoslavia. The resulting Italo-German client state, the Independent State of Croatia, joined the pact on 15 June 1941.
Battle of the AtlanticThe Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, running from 1939 to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. At its core was the Allied naval blockade of Germany and Germany's counter-blockade, with the campaign peaking from mid-1940 to the end of 1943.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Edward W. Dinsmore / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Public domain ↗
Outbreak of World War IIIn 1939, World War II erupted as a global conflict involving nearly all nations divided into two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Axis. Characterized by total war, it mobilized entire economies and industries, becoming the deadliest conflict in history and involving large-scale massacres, starvation, disease, and genocide.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: User:Staberinde / CC BY-SA 3.0 de ↗
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The HolocaustDuring World War II, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically perpetrated genocide against the Jewish people, resulting in the murder of approximately two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population.
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Establishment of Auschwitz Concentration CampNazi Germany established the Auschwitz concentration camp in Oświęcim, Poland during World War II, which later became a vast network of extermination and labor camps.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: pzk net / CC BY 3.0 ↗
Signing of the Treaty on the Creation of the USSROn December 30, 1922, the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR was signed at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, officially establishing the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Plenipotentiary delegates from the Russian, Transcaucasian, Ukrainian, and Byelorussian Soviet republics signed the treaty, along with a declaration serving as its preamble. The treaty legally formalized the political union of the Soviet republics that had existed since 1919, creating a new federal government with centralized functions in Moscow. Legislative power was vested in the Congress of Soviets and the Central Executive Committee, while executive power lay with the Council of People's Commissars.
Establishment of Auschwitz II-BirkenauAuschwitz II-Birkenau began operations in 1940 as part of the Nazi concentration camp system in occupied Poland. It became the largest extermination camp, equipped with gas chambers for the mass murder of Jews and other victims.
Winter WarThe Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland from 30 November 1939 to 13 March 1940. After the Soviet invasion, despite overwhelming military superiority, the Soviet Union suffered severe losses and made little initial progress. The League of Nations deemed the attack illegal and expelled the Soviet Union. The war ended with the Moscow Peace Treaty, forcing Finland to cede and lease some territory.
Battle of DunkirkFrom 26 May to 4 June 1940, Allied forces defended the French port of Dunkirk and, in Operation Dynamo, evacuated to Britain. In total, 338,226 men, including about 120,000 French and Belgian soldiers, were brought to the United Kingdom.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Frank Capra (film) / Public domain ↗
- Armistice of 22 June 1940
On 22 June 1940, the French Third Republic and Nazi Germany signed an armistice near Compiègne, in a railcar in the surrounding forest. It was concluded by Germany’s Wilhelm Keitel and France’s General Charles Huntziger, and aimed to halt hostilities between the two sides.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
German invasion of the NetherlandsOn 10 May 1940, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands as part of Case Yellow. The main Dutch forces surrendered on 14 May, though troops under French command in the southwestern province of Zealand resisted until 17 May. The campaign ended with the complete German occupation of the country.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
German invasion of Belgium beginsOn 10 May 1940, German forces invaded Belgium, initiating the 18-day Belgian campaign as part of the larger Battle of France. It ended with the surrender of the Belgian Army on 28 May and German occupation.
Battle of TarantoOn the night of 11–12 November 1940, the Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, deploying torpedo bombers from an aircraft carrier to strike the Italian fleet in the harbour of Taranto.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Ernesto Burzagli (1873-1944). / Public domain ↗
- Battle of Suomussalmi
The Battle of Suomussalmi took place from December 1939 to January 1940 during the Winter War, between Finnish and Soviet forces. The Finnish forces achieved a victory, considered the clearest and most significant Finnish success in the northern half of Finland during the war.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Battles of NarvikThe Battles of Narvik, part of the Norwegian campaign of the Second World War, were fought from 9 April to 8 June 1940 in and around Narvik, northern Norway, and in Ofotfjord, involving both naval and land engagements.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Battle of Fort Eben-EmaelOn 10–11 May 1940, German Fallschirmjäger assaulted and captured the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael. The fort’s artillery dominated key bridges over the Albert Canal, offering routes into the Belgian heartland. While neutralizing the garrison and guns, German airborne forces also seized bridges over the canal, opening a way for the 18th Army to bypass Belgian defences and penetrate the interior.
Outbreak of the Greco-Italian WarOn 28 October 1940, Italy launched a military offensive against Greece, initiating the Greco-Italian War. This conflict marked the beginning of the Balkans campaign of World War II. Italian forces invaded from Albania, but Greek troops successfully resisted and counterattacked. In April 1941, Germany intervened, and the fighting evolved into the Battle of Greece.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Upload to Wikimedia Commons by Christaras A. Upload to English Wikipedia by w:en:User:Periklis* on 2006-10-10. / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Albanian Resistance in World War IIIn April 1939, Italy invaded Albania, beginning its World War II. Fascist Italy set up a puppet state, and Communist groups started a resistance, initially independent, uniting in early 1942 against first Italian then German occupation, leading to the country's liberation in 1944.
Second Vienna AwardOn 30 August 1940, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy arbitrated at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna, compelling Romania to cede Northern Transylvania to Hungary to avert war between the two countries.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Siege of MaltaThe Siege of Malta was a key campaign in the Mediterranean theatre of World War II, lasting from June 1940 to November 1942. It involved the British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy against the air and naval forces of Italy and Nazi Germany, fighting for control of the strategically vital island of Malta, then a British colony, and ended in a decisive Allied victory.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Russell, J E (Lt) - Royal Navy official photographer / Public domain ↗
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Signing of the Moscow Peace TreatyOn 12 March 1940, Finland and the Soviet Union signed the Moscow Peace Treaty, ending the 105-day Winter War. Under the treaty, Finland ceded border areas including the Karelian Isthmus to the Soviet Union.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Jniemenmaa , Semenov.m7 / CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
Establishment of Vichy FranceOn 10 July 1940, the French National Assembly granted full powers to Philippe Pétain, who then promulgated a new constitution, establishing the French State with Vichy as its seat, ending the Third Republic. The regime arose from France's defeat and armistice with Germany and pursued collaboration with the Nazis.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
- Phoney War
The Phoney War was a period of limited military activity at the start of World War II, lasting from September 1939 to May 1940. Following the Allied declaration of war on Germany, there were virtually no major land operations on the Western Front.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Nazi Plunder Campaign Begins
In 1933, Nazi Germany began the systematic looting of art and valuables, initially targeting German Jews before expanding into occupied territories. Carried out as part of the Holocaust and under the pretext of 'art protection' by special units, the campaign resulted in the theft of countless paintings, books, religious treasures, and other cultural items.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Nisko Plan
In 1939, Nazi Germany launched an operation to deport Jews to the Lublin District of the General Governorate in occupied Poland, known as the Nisko Plan. The operation was cancelled in early 1940.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Signing of the Treaty of CraiovaOn 7 September 1940, the Kingdom of Romania and the Kingdom of Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Craiova, under which Romania ceded Southern Dobruja back to Bulgaria. The region had been acquired by Romania after the Second Balkan War in 1913. Ratified on 13 September, the treaty required Bulgaria to pay 1 million lei as compensation for Romanian investments. A population exchange followed. Unlike other Axis-mediated territorial treaties, this treaty was not reversed by the Allies after World War II, and Southern Dobruja remains part of Bulgaria.
- Battle of Britain
In 1940, during World War II, the Royal Air Force defended the United Kingdom against the German Luftwaffe, preventing a Nazi invasion.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Sub-Saharan Africa
Battle of GabonThe Battle of Gabon took place in November 1940 as part of the West African campaign of World War II. Free French forces under General Charles de Gaulle captured the colony of Gabon and its capital, Libreville, from Vichy France. This led to the rallying of all of French Equatorial Africa to Free France, securing their foothold in Africa.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Battle of Dakar (Operation Menace)In September 1940, the Allies launched Operation Menace to capture the strategic port of Dakar in Vichy French West Africa, with Free French forces under de Gaulle. The attack faced resistance and ended in Allied withdrawal and failure.
East African CampaignThe East African Campaign was a military conflict fought between Allied forces and Axis Italy in East Africa from June 1940 to November 1941 during the Second World War. The Allies, mainly from the British Empire, included troops from Belgian Congo, Free French, and Ethiopian irregulars, fighting against Italy and its East African colony. Operations took place in Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Kenya.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Lt. H. J. Clements, No. 1 Army Film and Photographic Unit, U.K. / Public domain ↗
Establishment of Serengeti National ParkIn 1940, Serengeti National Park was established in northern Tanzania. Located in the Serengeti region, the park is renowned for the annual migration of vast herds of wildebeest and zebras and covers over 14,000 km².
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
North Africa
Attack on Mers-el-KébirOn 3 July 1940, the Royal Navy attacked French ships at Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria, as part of Operation Catapult. Following France's defeat, the UK sought to neutralize the fleet to prevent German seizure. The assault killed 1,297 French servicemen, sank a battleship, and damaged five vessels, at a cost of five British aircraft and two aircrew.
Western Desert campaignThe Western Desert campaign was the initial stage of the North African campaign of World War II, lasting from June 1940 to February 1943. Fought primarily in the deserts of Egypt and Libya, it began with Italian colonial forces facing the British Eighth Army, later joined by the German Afrika Korps. The campaign was heavily influenced by supply and transport issues, with Allied interdiction of Axis convoys being crucial. The British 'Operation Compass' in December 1940 destroyed the Italian 10th Army, and after back-and-forth fighting, it paved the way for the Allied control of North Africa in 1943.
North African campaignThe North African campaign was a series of battles fought between the Allies and the Axis powers in North Africa from 1940 to 1943 during World War II, involving operations in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts, as well as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Lt. L. B. Davies – No 1 Army Film Photographic Unit / Public domain ↗
East Asia
- Second Sino-Japanese War begins
In 1937, full-scale war broke out between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, known as the Second Sino-Japanese War. The war was primarily fought in China, also extending into neighboring areas such as northern Burma. It was the largest Asian war in the 20th century and is often regarded as the beginning of World War II in Asia.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Hundred Regiments Offensive beginsIn August 1940, the Eighth Route Army launched a large-scale offensive against Japanese communication lines in North China, known as the Hundred Regiments Offensive. Initially involving around 22 regiments, it later grew to 105 regiments, focusing on disrupting the Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan railway and other routes to counter Japan’s 'prison cage policy'. The campaign lasted into January 1941, achieving tactical successes and boosting national morale, though guerrilla bases suffered counterattacks and some infrastructure was quickly restored.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: The original uploader was Refrain at Chinese Wikipedia . / Public domain ↗
Central & South America
Founding of the University of Costa RicaThe University of Costa Rica was founded as a public university in San José in the mid-20th century. Its precursor was the Universidad de Santo Tomás, established in 1843. It is the oldest and largest institution of higher learning in Costa Rica and a prominent research university in the country.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: No machine-readable author provided. ArquiWHAT assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain ↗
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Creation of the Imperial Museum of BrazilThe Imperial Museum of Brazil was established in the historic center of Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro. It is housed in the former summer palace of Emperor Pedro II, a building of historical and architectural significance.
North America
Illinois Institute of Technology Namesake AdoptedIn 1940, the Illinois Institute of Technology adopted its current name upon the merger of the Armour Institute and Lewis Institute. Located in Chicago, it is a private research university offering programs in architecture, engineering, science, and more. Its main campus project was largely designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and was recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of the most significant architectural projects of the 20th century.
South Asia
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Franco-Thai WarBetween 1940 and 1941, Thailand and Vichy France fought a small-scale armed conflict over disputed territories in French Indochina, against the backdrop of World War II.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Around 1940
These are known only to the century, not to the year. They are listed separately so a rough date is never mistaken for an exact one.
- Emergence of the Green Revolution
- Completion of the Taipei Grand Mosque
- Establishment of Women's Suffrage Worldwide
- Establishment of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
- Construction of Grimeton Longwave Radio Station
- Construction of the Trans-Iranian Railway begins
- Construction of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Begins
- Construction of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in 'The Centre of Heaven and Earth'