This unique map from 1944 follows the invasion of Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France by Nazi Germany. Many major events are shown on the map, starting with the invasion of Poland on September 1st, 1939 - considered by many to be the start of World War II.
Map includes the following text: WORLD WAR 2 IN THE NORTH SEA AREA
1 September, 1939: Germany invaded Poland. 3 September, 1939: England and France delcared war against Germany. 27 September, 1939: Warsaw captured by German armies. 9 April, 1940: Germany invaded Norway. May, 1940: German armies overran Netherlands, Belgium, and Northern France. 29 May - 4 June, 1940: England evacuated continental army at Dunkirk. 14 June, 1940: German armies capture Paris. 22 June, 1940: Armistace between France and Germany. August to October, 1940: Germans attempted to knock out England with the arial blitzkrieg. March, 1941: The United States passed the Lend-Lease Act which enabled America to help England survive. Later, Russia was included in the Lend-Lease aid. November, 1941: The United States repealed the Neutrality Act which had barred American ships from the North Sea area. 1942: German submarines in packs turned loose in the North Atlantic against the convoys to England and Russia. 1943: Both the German submarines and the German air force operating in the North Sea area were brought under control by the combined efforts of the British, American and Canadian navies and air forces. The great ariel offensive against Germany by the American Air Force and Royal Air Force was begun.
OCT 14, 1939 - H.M.S. ROYAL OAK WAS SUNK BY TORPEDO FROM GERMAN SUB. 1 - MAY 22, 1941 - THE BISMARCK, ACCOMPANIED BY THE PRINZ EUGEN AND 4 LESSER SHIPS BEGAN HER FIRST VOYAGE, A RAIDING SORTIE ON ALLIED CONVOYS. 2 - MAY 23, 1941 - THE BISMARCK WAS SIGHTED BY THE BRITISH CRUISERS SUFFOLK AND NORFOLK WHO CONTINUED TO SHADOW HER THROUGH THE NIGHT. 3 - MAY 24, 1941 - AFTER A SHARP ENGAGEMENT IN WHICH SHE SANK H.M.S HOOD AND DAMAGED H.M.S. PRINCE OF WALES, THE CRIPPLED BISMARCK ELUDED SEARCHING PLANES AND SHIPS WHILE FRANTICALLY TRYING TO REACH THE FRENCH COAST. 4 - MAY 26, 1941 - CATALINAS LOCATED THE BISMARCK AND A SWORDFISH TORPEDO WRECKED HER STEERING GEAR. THAT NIGHT THREE TORPEDO HITS WERE SCORED BY CLOSING IN DESTROYERS. 5 - MAY 27, 1941 - MAIN BRITISH FORCE CAME UP AND WITHIN AN HOUR THE CORNERED BISMARCK WAS A BLAZING WRECK. REFUSING TO SURRENDER, SHE WAS FINALLY SUNK BY TORPEDOES FROM THE DORSETSHIRE. JULY 7, 1941 - U.S. NAVAL FORCES OCCUPY ICELAND. DEC. 26, 1943 - THE SCHARNHORST, IN A RAID ON AN ALLIED CONVOY, RAN INTO UNITS OF BRITISH HOME FLEET WHCIH GAVE CHASE AND SANK HER. DEC. 28, 1943 - TWO U.S. NAVAL FLYERS SPOTTED A FLOTILLA OF GERMAN DESTROYERS AND SHADOWED IT UNTIL A BRITISH FORCE ARRIVED. THREE NAZI DESTROYERS WERE SUNK AND SEVERAL DAMAGED. |