WHAT ALL HAPPENED MAY TO AUGUST 1940
Find out what all happened May to August 1940

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

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

World War II: the Vichy government is established in France. (10. July 1940)

Pennsylvania Central Airlines Trip 19 crashes near Lovettsville, Virginia. The CAB investigation of the accident is the first investigation to be conducted under the Bureau of Air Commerce act of 1938. (31. August 1940)

World War II: Invasion of Iceland by the United Kingdom. (10. May 1940)

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

World War II: In the Le Paradis massacre, 99 soldiers from a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit are shot after surrendering to German troops; two survive. (27. May 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: 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)

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

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

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

USS Sailfish is recommissioned. It was originally the USS Squalus. (15. May 1940)

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

World War II: The German 2nd Panzer Division captures the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer; the surrender of the last French and British troops marks the end of the Battle of Boulogne (25. May 1940)

World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. (10. May 1940)

World War II: the United Kingdom and the Vichy France government break off diplomatic relations. (5. July 1940)

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