Diplomacy and the Post-war World: World War II Timeline
Explore 31 dated records related to diplomacy and the post-war world between 1938 and 1946.
Dated historical records
Entries below follow the dates recorded in the WWII CHRONOS archive. Each linked title opens the original historical entry, including its source reference.
- — Anschluss of Austria — Nazi Germany annexes Austria, accelerating the breakdown of the European security order.
- — Munich Agreement — Germany, Italy, Britain and France agree to transfer the Sudetenland to Germany without Czechoslovakia taking part in the decisive negotiations.
- — British and French Guarantees to Poland — After the expansion of German power, the British and French governments declared support for Polish independence. European diplomacy increasingly recognised the danger of another war.
- — Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact — Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union sign a non-aggression pact with a secret protocol dividing spheres of influence.
- — Tripartite Pact — Germany, Italy and Japan formalise a military-political alliance.
- — Bulgaria Joins the Tripartite Pact — In early 1941, diplomatic and military pressure by the Axis powers in the Balkans was increasing. The region was strategically important for future operations against Greece and Yugosla
- — Anglo-Soviet Agreement on Joint Action — Britain and the Soviet Union agree to cooperate against Nazi Germany.
- — Atlantic Charter — Roosevelt and Churchill published principles for the post-war international order.
- — Germany Declares War on the United States — The European and Pacific wars become even more closely connected.
- — Declaration by United Nations — Twenty-six states reaffirm their common struggle against the Axis powers and pledge not to make a separate peace.
- — Tehran Conference — The leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain discuss a common strategy for the war.
- — Bretton Woods Conference Opens — Delegates work on a new international financial system.
- — Failed Plot to Assassinate Hitler — A conspiracy by German military and civilian opponents of the regime fails.
- — Dumbarton Oaks Conference Begins — Representatives of major powers develop plans for the future United Nations.
- — Yalta Conference — The leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain discuss the end of the war and post-war Europe.
- — Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt — The US president dies during the final campaigns of the Second World War.
- — Meeting on the Elbe — American and Soviet troops meet near Torgau.
- — San Francisco Conference Opens — Delegates begin discussing the Charter of the United Nations.
- — German Surrender Signed at Reims — By spring 1945, German forces were losing control across Europe. The leadership of the Third Reich could no longer continue the war on two fronts.
- — UN Charter Signed — Delegates at the San Francisco Conference sign the Charter of the United Nations.
- — Trinity Nuclear Test — The United States conducts the world's first detonation of a nuclear device in New Mexico.
- — Potsdam Conference — The Allied leaders discuss the post-war settlement.
- — United Nations Formally Established — The Charter of the United Nations enters into force.
- — Nuremberg Trials Begin — The International Military Tribunal opens proceedings against major Nazi leaders.
- — First UN General Assembly — The first session of the United Nations General Assembly opens in London.
- — UN General Assembly Creates an Atomic Energy Commission — The General Assembly adopts its first resolution, addressing atomic energy.
- — Churchill's Fulton Speech — Winston Churchill delivers his 'Iron Curtain' speech about the division of Europe.
- — Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal Begins — Proceedings begin against senior Japanese military and political leaders.
- — Nuremberg Tribunal Judgments — Judgments are delivered against the principal defendants in the international trial.
- — Executions of Those Sentenced at Nuremberg — Some of the Nazi leaders sentenced to death by the International Military Tribunal are executed.
- — UNICEF Established — The UN General Assembly creates the children's fund.
For wider context, explore the interactive historical timeline and compare events across theaters.