WHAT ALL HAPPENED MAY TO SEPTEMBER 1940
Find out what all happened May to September 1940

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

Franz Rademacher proposes plans to make Madagascar the "Jewish homeland", an idea that had first been considered by 19th century journalist Theodor Herzl. (3. June 1940)

World War II: Battle of Britain – The German Luftwaffe begins attacking British convoys in the English Channel thus starting the battle (this start date is contested, though). (10. July 1940)

World War II: sinking of the RMS Lancastria by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France. At least 3,000 are killed; Britain's worst maritime disaster. (17. 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: 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)

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

Treaty of Craiova: Romania loses Southern Dobrudja to Bulgaria. (7. September 1940)

The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union. (17. June 1940)

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

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

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

World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt denounces Italy's actions with his "Stab in the Back" speech at the graduation ceremonies of the University of Virginia. (10. June 1940)

An Italian submarine torpedoes and sinks the Greek cruiser Elli at Tinos harbor during peacetime, marking the most serious Italian provocation prior to the outbreak of the Greco-Italian War in October. (15. August 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 successful west-to-east navigation of Northwest Passage begins at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (21. June 1940)

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