Timeline to start of World War II The start of World War II is recognized as Sept. 1, 1939, when German troops invaded Poland. This ignited the war in Europe, with the United Kingdom and France declaring war two days later. It was the culmination of a series of events — small, large and philosophical — some of which are outlined here in a timeline. Here, U.S. troops wade through water and Nazi gunfire during the D-Day landing in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.
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