Battle of Britain
Hitler holds a meeting of his army and navy chiefs in his Berghof
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1940 in Germany — Page 9
Explore 575 historical events and records for Germany in 1940.
Historical records for Germany in 1940
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 575 unique records.
575Unique records
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July
Invasion of Russia
Originally intended to last 5 months. Announces Russian invasion plans to his military commanders
Operation Barbarossa
Originally intended to last 5 months. Announces Russian invasion plans to his military commanders
General
Appointed General Field Marshal
Invasion of Russia
Involved in planning the invasion of Russia
Operation Barbarossa
Involved in planning the invasion of Russia
August
Battle of Britain
Believes air superiority was "not enough". Donitz later stated, "we possessed neither control of the air or the sea; nor were we in any position to gain it"
Battle of Britain
The OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or "High Command of the Armed Forces") issues its plan
Battle of Britain
Raeder believes that air superiority might make a successful landing possible although it would be a risky operation and required "absolute mastery over the Channel by our air forces"
Invasion of Great Britain
Believes air superiority was "not enough". Donitz later stated, "we possessed neither control of the air or the sea; nor were we in any position to gain it"
Invasion of Great Britain
Raeder believes that air superiority might make a successful landing possible although it would be a risky operation and required "absolute mastery over the Channel by our air forces"
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL)
Hitler gives the Luftwaffes Commander in Chief, Reichsmarschall (Empire Marshal) Hermann Goring and the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (High Command of the Air Force) a (Directive No. 17) to launch the air assault
Operation Adler
Hitler gives the Luftwaffes Commander in Chief, Reichsmarschall (Empire Marshal) Hermann Goring and the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (High Command of the Air Force) a (Directive No. 17) to launch the air assault
Operation Sea Lion
Believes air superiority was "not enough". Donitz later stated, "we possessed neither control of the air or the sea; nor were we in any position to gain it"
Operation Sea Lion
Issues a directive for launching Operation Sea Lion
Operation Sea Lion
Signs jointly with Hitler the directive for authorizing Operation Sea Lion
Operation Sea Lion
Raeder believes that air superiority might make a successful landing possible although it would be a risky operation and required "absolute mastery over the Channel by our air forces"
Wehrmacht
The OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or "High Command of the Armed Forces") issues its plan
Adlertag
Goring had promised Hitler that Adlertag and Adlerangriff would achieve the results required within days, or at worst weeks. It had meant to be the beginning of the end of RAF Fighter Command, but Adlertag and the following operations failed to destroy the RAF, or gain the necessary local air superiority. As a result, Operation Sea Lion was postponed indefinitely
Operation Adler
Eventually, it was carried out on 13 August 1940. Goring had promised Hitler that Adlertag and Adlerangriff would achieve the results required within days, or at worst weeks.
Operation Adler
It had meant to be the beginning of the end of RAF Fighter Command, but Adlertag and the following operations failed to destroy the RAF, or gain the necessary local air superiority. As a result, Operation Sea Lion was postponed indefinitely
Operation Adler
The essential target was RAF Fighter Command. The services destruction would deny the British their air superiority asset. Throughout July and early August, the Germans made preparations for Adlertag. The date of the assault was postponed several times because of bad weather.
Battle of Britain
Directive no 17 intensifies the air war against England
Fuhrer Directive No. 17
Directive no 17 intensifies the air war against England
Invasion of Great Britain
Rejects the Navys proposals for carrying the Army as "suicide"
Operation Sea Lion
Rejects the Navys proposals for carrying the Army to England as "suicide"
Suicide
Rejects the Navys proposals for carrying the Army to England as "suicide". Rejects the Navys proposals for carrying the Army as "suicide"
Battle of Britain
Renews attacks on the Channel, marks the next phase. Over the next 3 days the Germans lose 35 to the British 29 aircraft over the Channel. Gathers a force of 2,800 planes, 900 fighters & 1,300 bombers in 3 fleets
Battle of Britain
Luftwaffe raids strike Manston, Hawkinge, Lympne and radar sites.
Battle of Britain
Orders systematic attacks on RAF airfields and radar stations.
Battle of Britain
Luftwaffe attacks switch to British airfields and radar stations.
Battle of Britain
Orders attacks against airfields and radar stations during the Battle of Britain.
Chain Home Attacks
Authorises attacks on radar stations during Adlerangriff.
Eagle Day
The fighters are called back because of the bad weather & 8 bombers are lost. 1st of 4 days to destroy British air superiority over Britain
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe operations target radar stations and Fighter Command airfields.
Adlertag
The Operation begins on Adlertag ("Eagle Day") by German forces, elimination of British air cover had been set as one of the prerequisites for Sea Lion - the amphibious assault of Britain. A series of Luftwaffe attacks beginning on 13 August 1940 known as Operation Eagle Attack (Unternehmen Adlerangriff) set to begin on Adlertag ("Eagle Day")
Battle of Britain
The engagements resulting from Eagle Day are later dubbed the Battle of Britain. 1st day of the main offensive
Battle of Britain
The Operation begins on Adlertag ("Eagle Day") by German forces, elimination of British air cover had been set as one of the prerequisites for Sea Lion - the amphibious assault of Britain. The engagements resulting from Eagle Day are later dubbed the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The engagements resulting from Eagle Day are later dubbed the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
Commands major Luftwaffe formations during Eagle Day.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.