CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

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		1933
30 Jan	_____	Hitler appointed Chancellor by President Hindenburg.
23 Mar	_____	Enabling Act passed by Reichstag to establish the National Socialist dictatorship.
14 Oct	_____	Germany withdraws from the League of Nations.
		1934
26 Jan	_____	Nonaggression pact concluded with Poland.
30 Jun	_____	Roehm and other opponents of Hitler murdered in blood purge.
2 Aug	_____	Death of President Hindenburg. Chancellorship and Presidency combined by Hitler.
19 Aug	_____	National plebiscite approves Hitler's assumption of executive power.
		1935
16 Mar	_____	Hitler announces the expansion of the Army to 36 divisions and 300,000 men. Conscription reintroduced.
21 May	_____	New armed forces law establishes a separate air force.
18 Jun	_____	Anglo-German naval agreement permits the construction of a modern German fleet.
1 Jul	_____	Truppenamt redesignated as the Army General Staff.
		1936
7 Mar	_____	German troops occupy demilitarized Rhineland.
27 Oct	_____	Formation of the Rome-Berlin Axis.
17 Nov	_____	Conclusion of the Japanese-German anti-Comintern agreement.
		1937
30 Jan	_____	Hitler reaffirms the Polish-German Nonaggression Pact.
12 Mar	_____	German troops cross the frontier to annex Austria to the Reich.
		1938
4 Feb	_____	Resignation of Blomberg and Fritsch. Hitler creates OKW under Keitel and assumes closer control over the German Armed Forces, redesignated the Wehrmacht.
29 Sep	_____	Munich Conference. Hitler's claim to the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia recognized by Britain, France, and Italy. Czechoslovakia accedes to German demands.
24 Oct	_____	Ribbentrop demands the return of Danzig and special concessions in the Polish Corridor.

		1939
20 Jan	_____	Schacht dismissed as president of Reichsbank after warning Hitler of economic consequences of his armaments program.
15 Mar	_____	Bohemia and Moravia occupied by German troops and organized as a protectorate of the Reich.
23 Mar	_____	Memelland annexed to Germany.
25 Mar	_____	Hitler directs service chiefs to make preparations for the solution of the Polish problem by military means.
31 Mar	_____	Chamberlain ends policy of appeasement with guarantees to Poland pledging Anglo-French support should Polish independence be threatened.
3 Apr	_____	"Directive for the Armed Forces, ,1939-40" issued by OKW. Part II entitled Plan WEISS and provides for a military build-up against Poland by 1 September.
21 Apr	_____	Annex to Plan WEISS specifies that there will be no declaration of war if the problem of Poland is to be resolved by force.
28 Apr	_____	Hitler abrogates Polish-German Nonaggression Pact of 1934 and the London Naval Agreement of 1935.
12 May	_____	Disorders in Danzig instigated by National Socialists.
15 Jun	_____	Operation order issued by OKH specifies the composition and mission of the ground forces to participate in Plan WEISS.
14 Jul	_____	Timetable for military preparations against Poland issued by OKW to the three services. Preparations to be completed by Y-day, which is to be set by Hitler.
23 Aug	_____	Germany signs pact of nonaggression with the Soviet Union. Hitler sets Y-day for 26 August.
24 Aug	_____	Britain and France give written guarantees to Poland.
25 Aug	_____	Hitler directs attack to commence at 0400, 26 August, but revokes order when he is informed of British and French guarantees. Mobilization proceeds according to "X" Plan, while Hitler tries to dissuade British and French.
28 Aug	_____	British and French remain firm in their stand on Polish question.
29 Aug	_____	German ultimatum to Poles.
30 Aug	_____	Ribbentrop declares negotiations with Poland at an end.
31 Aug	_____	Hitler signs "Directive No. 1 for the Conduct of the War," ordering attack on Poland at 0445, 1 September. "Gleiwitz Incident" staged as Polish provocation for armed German intervention.
1 Sep	_____	Wehrmacht crosses Polish frontier and attacks Polish air bases and naval installations.
3 Sep	_____	Army Group North cuts the Corridor and Army Group South crosses the Wartha. Britain and France declare war on Germany.
11 Sep	_____	Major Polish force destroyed at Radom.
12 Sep	_____	Headquarters, OKH shifts ground forces to permit envelopment of Poles escaping east of Vistula.
17 Sep	_____	Red Army moves into eastern Poland. The German XIX Corps captures Brzesc. Major Polish force destroyed at Kutno.

19 Sep	_____	Army Group South reports Polish President and Commander in Chief have fled to Romania.
21 Sep	_____	Surrender of Lwow.
27 Sep	_____	Surrender of Warsaw.
29 Sep	_____	Surrender of Modlin.
2 Oct	_____	Army Group North relinquishes control of its area to Third Army. Army Group North and Fourth Army leave Poland for the western front.
3 Oct	_____	Army Group South becomes OB EAST and responsible for occupation of Poland. Three frontier army commands organized. Tenth Army enroute to western front.
4-6 Oct	_____	Destruction of last major Polish force at Kock.
12 Oct	_____	Hitler directs establishment of a government general in Poland.
13 Oct	_____	Eighth and Fourteenth Armies move to western front.
18 Oct	_____	Army Group South relieved from assignment as OB EAST and ordered to the western front. Frontier Army Command Center becomes OB EAST.
22 Oct	_____	Headquarters, Frontier Army Command North (Third Army) moves to western front. Wehrkreis I assumes control of the area of responsibility of Frontier Army Command North.
26 Oct	_____	Occupation of Poland turned over to civilian control. Dr. Frank becomes governor general and military occupation forces are restricted to security duties.

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