WHAT ALL HAPPENED FEBRUARY TO AUGUST 1940
Find out what all happened February to August 1940

World War II: The German submarine U-9 sinks the French coastal submarine Doris near Den Helder. (9. May 1940)

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

World War II: 13,000 British and French troops surrender to Major General Erwin Rommel at Saint-Valery-en-Caux. (12. June 1940)

World War II: German raids on British shipping convoys and military airfields begin. (10. May 1940)

World War II: the old city centre of the Dutch town of Middelburg is bombed by the German Luftwaffe, to force the surrender of the Dutch armies in Zeeland. (17. May 1940)

Basketball is televised for the first time (Fordham University vs. the University of Pittsburgh in Madison Square Garden). (28. February 1940)

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

Acting on the orders of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, NKVD agent Iosif Grigulevich orchestrates an unsuccessful assassination attempt on exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky in Coyoacán, Mexico. (24. May 1940)

World War II: The Battle of the Netherlands ends with the Netherlands surrendering to Germany. (14. May 1940)

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

The "Aufbau Ost" directive is signed by Wilhelm Keitel. (8. August 1940)

World War II: Paris falls under German occupation, and Allied forces retreat. (14. June 1940)

Finland initiates Winter War peace negotiations (29. February 1940)

World War II: In order to stop the ships from falling into German hands the French fleet of the Atlantic based at Mers El Kébir, is bombarded by the British fleet, coming from Gibraltar, causing the loss of three battleships: Dunkerque, Provence and Bretagne. One thousand two hundred sailors perish. (3. July 1940)

World War II: Royal Marines land in Namsos, Norway in preparation for a larger force to arrive two days later. (14. April 1940)

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

World War II: Germany's conquest of France begins as the German army crosses the Meuse. Winston Churchill makes his "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech to the House of Commons. (13. May 1940)

King Haakon VII, Crown Prince Olav and the Norwegian government left Tromsø and went into exile in London. (7. June 1940)

World War II: France officially surrenders to Germany at 01:35. (25. June 1940)

Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Finnish troops and the remaining population are immediately evacuated. (12. March 1940)