Outbreak of World War II

In March 1936, against the advice of his generals, Hitler ordered German troops to reoccupy the demilitarized left bank of the Rhine.

Over the next two years, Hitler made alliances with Japan and Italy and moved against Autria and Czechslovakia, all without resistance from Britain, France and the rest of the Allied Forces.

Once the alliance with Italy was finalised in the "Pact of Steel", Hitler then signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union.

On September 1, 1939, Nazi troops invaded Poland, which prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany. This day marked the beginning of the second World War

Blitzkrieg

In 1940 after taking control of Norway and Denmark, Hitler ordered an attack on France through the Ardennes Forest. The Blitzkrieg ("lightning war") attack began on May 10. Holland surrendered, followed by Belgium.

The German forces made it all the way to Dunkirk in late May. On June 22, France was forced to surrender and then taken over by Germany.

While battling Western Europe, Hitler decided to launch an invasion on the Soviet Union, which many would argue was the decision that lost him the war.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor that December, Germany was forced to declare war on the United States, at this stage Hitler shifted his startegy to focus on breaking the alliance of the Allies. His main goal was to force one of the major Ally Powers to make peace with him.