Anschluss
Commands the 2nd Panzer Division through Linz to Vienna during the Anschluss
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Heinz Guderian Biography and Timeline
Follow Heinz Guderian through 50 dated historical records for Germany.
Heinz Guderian, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
50Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1938–1941Years on this page
1938
1939
Invasion of Poland
Commands XIX Panzer Corps, perfects his blitzkrieg technique
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of Poland
Crosses the Polish corridor
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Polish Corridor
The Battle had cost 150 killed from 4 Divisions
Role range: 1939-1945
Capture of Brest Litovsk
Commands a Panzer force which captures Brest Litovsk
Role range: 1939-1945
Commander of Sixteenth Corps
Appointed Commander XIX Panzer Corps
1940
Battle of River Meuse
From Dinant to Sedan the Germans are within reach of the River Meuse
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of River Meuse
Reaches Sedan
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of River Meuse
Guderian crosses the River Meuse
Role range: 1939-1945
Capture of Sedan
Breaks through Sedan & reaches the Channel coast within 1 week
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Montcornet
Manages to fend off de Gaulles attempt to break off his supply lines
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of River Meuse
Ordered by Rundstedt to launch a "reconnaissance in force", undermines Hitler
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of France
Advances as far as the Channel Coast
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Dunkirk
Reaches the Channel Coast
Role range: 1939-1945
Capture of Abbeville
Guderains tanks break through to Abbeville
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Dunkirk
An Allied counter-attack briefly stops the Germans
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Dunkirk
1st Panzer Division breaches the Aa Canal, 15 kilometers from Dunkirk
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Dunkirk
Hitler orders the left wing to stop, it is forbidden to cross the Aa
Role range: 1939-1945
Capture of Boulogne-sur-Mer
Ordered to halt by the German High Command & not to advance on Dunkirk. Guderains tanks capture Boulogne-sur-Mer
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Dunkirk
The "halt order" is lifted & the Panzers resume their advance
Role range: 1939-1945
Colonel
Appointed Colonel General
Colonel
Appointed Colonel General after his 19th corps defeat the French at Sedan
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Dunkirk
The French rearguard surrenders
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of France
Advanced as far as the Swiss border when France surrenders
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Barbarossa
The XIX Corps is expanded for the invasion of Russia
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of France
Guderains blitzkrieg policy is accepted by the German High Command
Role range: 1939-1945
1941
Dismissal
Relieved of his command by Hitler after the Panzers are forced onto the defensive
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Minsk
Hoth & Guderian encircle Minsk trapping 300,000 Russian soldiers
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Smolensk
Helps encircle large Russian forces at Smolensk
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Kiev
Rundstedt & Guderian complete the encirclement of Kiev
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Moscow
Guderian takes Yeremenko by surprise when he begins to attack Moscow
Role range: 1939-1945
Capture of Kalinin
Captures Kalinin severing the Leningrad-Moscow railway line
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Moscow
The 10th Panzer Division & SS Das Reich reach Borodino, 70 miles from Moscow
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Moscow
1st Panzer Division captures Kalinin 100 niles outside Moscow
Role range: 1939-1945
Siege of Moscow
Reaches Tula & threatens Moscow from the south
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of Russia
Progress on Moscow is stopped due to the weather & Russian resistance
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Barbarossa
Progress on Moscow is stopped due to the weather & Russian resistance
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of Russia
Reports to Hitler that the Russian weather has brought his forces to a standstill
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Barbarossa
Reports to Hitler that the Russian weather has brought his forces to a standstill
Role range: 1939-1945
Counter-Attack
The Russians begin their counter-attack
Role range: 1939-1945
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.