Events in 1940

February 8, 1940

Jewish relocations to ghettos in Poland

Mass relocations of Jews to ghettos in occupied Poland began in early 1940. It was a systematic process of Jewish population isolation, initiated by Nazi occupiers, which led to the creation of the largest ghettos in history, including the Warsaw ghetto housing over 400,000 people. These actions were a key stage in the implementation of the Nazi policy of Jewish extermination.

March 5, 1940

The Katyn Massacre

The Katyn massacre was a mass execution of approximately 22,000 Polish prisoners of war, mainly officers and members of intelligentsia, carried out by the Soviet NKVD in spring 1940. The decision to conduct the executions was made on March 5, 1940, by order of the Political Bureau of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), signed by Stalin. The executions were carried out in Katyn, Kharkiv, and Kalinin between April and May 1940.

April 20, 1940

Union of Retaliation

Union of Retaliation - a secret subversive organization established on April 20, 1940, within the Union of Armed Struggle. It conducted sabotage and subversive actions against the German occupier, significantly weakening its military and economic potential. The organization operated until November 1942, when it was incorporated into the structures of the Home Army's Directorate of Diversion.

May 3, 1940

Constitution Day History

Constitution Day, originally established as 'I Am an American Day' in 1940, evolved into a national observance celebrating the signing of the U.S. Constitution and promoting constitutional education across America.

May 16, 1940

Operation AB

Operation AB (Extraordinary Pacification Operation) was a mass extermination action carried out by the Nazis in occupied Poland from May to July 1940. Its aim was to murder Polish intelligentsia and social elites. As a result of the operation, approximately 6,000 people were arrested, of whom over 3,500 were murdered in mass executions, mainly in Palmiry near Warsaw.

May 26, 1940

Dunkirk Evacuation

Operation Dynamo, known as the Dunkirk evacuation, was one of the most dramatic military operations of World War II. Between May 26 and June 4, 1940, a massive evacuation of 338,226 Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk was carried out using both warships and civilian vessels. This operation was crucial for preserving British military potential and the further course of the war.

June 14, 1940

Fall of Paris

German forces entered Paris without resistance on June 14, 1940, marking the beginning of a four-year Nazi occupation that transformed the French capital into a stronghold of German military power in Western Europe.

July 10, 1940

Battle of Britain Begins

The Battle of Britain officially commenced on July 10, 1940, marking the start of Nazi Germany's first major aerial campaign against Britain, beginning with attacks on shipping convoys in the English Channel.

July 10, 1940

Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain was a crucial aerial conflict of World War II that took place over British territory between July and October 1940. In this first military campaign conducted exclusively by air forces, the German Luftwaffe attempted to break the resistance of the British RAF, which was meant to pave the way for the planned invasion of the British Isles.

July 15, 1940

Polish Squadrons 302 and 303

In July and August 1940, two legendary Polish fighter squadrons were formed - 302 'Poznań' and 303 'Warszawa' Tadeusz Kościuszko Squadron, which played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain. Polish pilots demonstrated extraordinary combat effectiveness, courage, and dedication in defending British skies against the German Luftwaffe.

September 16, 1940

First US Peacetime Military Draft

The United States implemented its first peacetime military draft through the Selective Training and Service Act, requiring all men aged 21-45 to register for potential military service. This historic decision strengthened America's military capabilities before entering World War II.

September 16, 1940

US Military Draft in WW2

The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 established America's first peacetime military draft, requiring men aged 21-35 to register for service, eventually mobilizing over 10 million men for World War II.

September 16, 1940

US Military Draft Act

The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 established America's first peacetime draft, requiring all men aged 21-45 to register for military service. This historic legislation transformed the U.S. military from 335,000 soldiers in 1939 to over 1.4 million by 1941.

November 5, 1940

FDR's Third Term Victory

Franklin D. Roosevelt secured an unprecedented third presidential term victory in 1940, breaking George Washington's two-term tradition. He won with 54.7% of the popular vote and 449 electoral votes against Republican nominee Wendell Willkie during a critical period of World War II.

November 16, 1940

Establishment of the Warsaw Ghetto

On November 16, 1940, Nazi Germany officially established the Warsaw Ghetto, the largest Jewish ghetto in occupied Europe. Over 400,000 people of Jewish origin were crowded into an area of 3.4 km², separated from the rest of the city by 3-meter-high walls. This decision was part of the Nazis' broader plan to isolate and exterminate the Jewish population.

December 29, 1940

Arsenal of Democracy Speech

President Roosevelt's historic radio address pledging American industrial might to support Allied nations during World War II. This 37-minute fireside chat transformed U.S. foreign policy and mobilized unprecedented industrial support for the war effort.