1940 was one of the most monumental years within the deadly World War. By March and April of 1940 the war was well under way. Finland quickly arranged a peace treaty with the Soviet Union, knowing that any further attack from the Soviets would prove detrimental to the small country.

Nazi Germany was certainly not procrastinating in their attempts to rid Europe of minority groups (most notably people of the Jewish religion). Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain in early May, and he would prove to be quite the militaristic match for Hitler. By late May of 1940, the Nazis had invaded seven countries, of which Holland and Belgium both surrendered.

In June of 1940, ten months after the start of the World War, France became a key player in a game that they did not want to play. The Germans bombed Paris on June 3^rd, and proceeded to enter the city on the 14^th. In the midst of the German occupation in France, another battle was raging in the European continent. Just one week after the bombing of Paris, Italy declared war on Britain and France. Even though France managed to sign an armistice with Germany on June 22^nd, their hostilities with Italy continued.

Tensions between Britain and France began to intensify, and by July 5^th of 1940 the French government decided to break off relations with British, and only five days later the Battle of Britain began. The Battle of Britain was a major turning point in the Second World War. In the longest bombing campaign to that date, Nazi Germany fought valiantly to defeat the Royal Air Force. However, the British made a great victory, avoiding a ground invasion and German occupation.

However, the Germans would not give up that easily. August consisted of a number of German air raids on London, Berlin, and the like. Hitler was relentless in his attempts to overcome this European superpower, and on September 3^rd, he planned Operation Sea Lion (invasion of Britain).

The intense blitz between Germany and Britain continued, and on September 27^th, 1940 the Axis alliance, consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan, was formed. Germany continued to busy itself with air raids and invasions. In early October, Germany began an occupation of Romania, and therefore had to push back Operation Sea Lion to the spring of 1941. They still had every intention of continuing their air raids on Britain. In mid-November, they bombed Coventry, and proved very devastating to the city.

Italy continued to trudge on through 1940. Only a few days before Germany’s bombing of Coventry, a torpedo raid was launched on an Italian fleet in Taranto that crippled the fleet.

All in all, 1940 proved to be a year of making friends and enemies within World War II. Air raids, torpedo strikes, and the formation of alliances were becoming major determinants in the outcome of World War II.

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