WHAT ALL HAPPENED APRIL TO DECEMBER 1940
Find out what all happened April to December 1940

World War II: Italy begins an unsuccessful invasion of France. (20. June 1940)

World War II: Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov arrives in Berlin to discuss the possibility of the Soviet Union joining the Axis Powers. (12. November 1940)

Lucille Ball marries Desi Arnaz in Greenwich, Connecticut. (30. November 1940)

World War II: The Dunkirk evacuation ends – British forces complete evacuation of 338,000 troops from Dunkirk in France. To rally the morale of the country, Winston Churchill delivers his famous "We shall fight on the beaches" speech. (4. June 1940)

World War II: The Battle of Britain ends – the United Kingdom prevents a possible German invasion. (31. October 1940)

First flight of the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. (19. August 1940)

World War II: under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Romania requiring it to cede Bessarabia and the northern part of Bukovina. (26. June 1940)

Holocaust: The Warsaw Ghetto is established. (16. October 1940)

Warsaw is awarded the Virtuti Militari. (9. November 1940)

World War II: Following the initial Italian invasion, Greek troops counterattack into Italian-occupied Albania and capture Korytsa. (22. November 1940)

In Romania, the ruling Iron Guard fascist party assassinates over 60 of arrested King Carol II of Romania's aides and other political dissidents, including former Prime Minister Nicolae Iorga. (27. November 1940)

World War II: The Soviet Union formally annexes Latvia. (5. August 1940)

World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Prime Minister of France. (11. July 1940)

World War II: The Tripartite Pact is signed in Berlin by Germany, Japan and Italy. (27. September 1940)

In Tacoma, Washington, the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapses in a windstorm, a mere four months after the bridge's completion. (7. November 1940)

World War II: Norwegian Campaign – Norwegian squads in Hegra Fortress and Vinjesvingen capitulate to German forces after all other Norwegian forces in southern Norway had laid down their arms. (5. May 1940)

World War II: Norwegian refugees form a government-in-exile in London (5. May 1940)

World War II: Battle of Dunkirk – In France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. (26. May 1940)

Romania cedes Bessarabia (current-day Moldova) to the Soviet Union. (28. June 1940)

King Carol II of Romania abdicates and is succeeded by his son Michael. (6. September 1940)