WHAT ALL HAPPENED APRIL TO JUNE 1940
Find out what all happened April to June 1940

World War II: the British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya, Africa from Italian forces. (17. June 1940)

World War II: After fierce fighting, the poorly trained and equipped Dutch troops surrender to Germany, marking the beginning of five years of occupation. (15. May 1940)

World War II: Rotterdam is bombed by the German Luftwaffe. (14. May 1940)

The Rhythm Night Club fire at a dance hall in Natchez, Mississippi, kills 198 people. (23. April 1940)

World War II: Operation Ariel begins – Allied troops start to evacuate France, following Germany's takeover of Paris and most of the nation. (15. June 1940)

The first flight of the Vought F4U Corsair. (29. May 1940)

John Steinbeck is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Grapes of Wrath. (6. May 1940)

Vidkun Quisling seizes power in Norway. (9. April 1940)

Igor Sikorsky performs the first successful single-rotor helicopter flight. (24. May 1940)

World War II: After a brief lull in the Battle of France, the Germans renew the offensive against the remaining French divisions south of the River Somme in Operation Fall Rot ("Case Red"). (5. June 1940)

The Norway Debate in the British House of Commons begins, and leads to the replacement of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain with Winston Churchill three days later. (7. May 1940)

World War II: The Battle of Dunkirk ends with a German victory and with Allied forces in full retreat. (3. June 1940)

"Finest Hour" speech by Winston Churchill. (18. June 1940)

World War II: Germany invades Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. (10. May 1940)

A Communist government is installed in Lithuania. (16. June 1940)

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands flees her country to Great Britain after the German invasion. Princess Juliana takes her children to Canada for their safety. (13. May 1940)

World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg. (10. May 1940)

A group of 728 Polish political prisoners from Tarnów become the first residents of the Auschwitz concentration camp. (14. June 1940)

The Holocaust: The first prisoners arrive at a new concentration camp at Auschwitz. (20. May 1940)

World War II: Belgium surrenders to Nazi Germany to end the Battle of Belgium. (28. May 1940)