Social:Declarations of war during World War II
This is a timeline of declarations of war during World War II.
A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is usually an act of delivering a performative speech (not to be confused with a mere speech) or the presentation of a signed document by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more sovereign states. The official international protocol for declaring war was defined in The Hague Peace Conference of 1907 (or Hague II).[1] For the diplomatic maneuvering behind these events, which led to hostilities between nations during World War II, see Diplomatic history of World War II.
List of war declarations
Below is a table showing the outbreak of wars between nations which occurred during World War II. Indicated are the dates (during the immediate build-up to, or during the course of, World War II), from which a de facto state of war existed between nations. The table shows both the "Initiator Nation(s)" and the nation at which the aggression was aimed, or "Targeted Nation(s)". Events listed include those in which there were simple diplomatic breaking of relations that did not involve any physical attack, as well as those involving overt declarations or acts of aggression. In rare cases, war between two nations occurred twice, with an intermittent period of peace. The list here does not include peace treaties or periods of any armistice.
Key to Type (fourth column):
A = Attack without prior, formal declaration of war;
C = Declaration and/or attack without standard, formal procedure, sometimes preceded by a casus belli thus fait accompli;
U = State of war arrived at through use of ultimatum;
W = Formal declaration of war made.
Date | Initiator nation(s) | Targeted nation(s) | Type | Notes/comments | Document/event |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1939-09-01 | Germany | Poland | U[2][3] | German attack began at 4:44 a.m., Berlin and Warsaw time.[4][2][5] | Invasion |
1939-09-01 | Template:Country data Slovak Republic (1939–1945) | Poland | A | Invasion | |
1939-09-03 | United Kingdom France Australia New Zealand India Tonga Template:Country data Transjordan Transjordan Morocco Template:Country data French protectorate of Tunisia Tunisia |
Germany | U[2][3] | At 11:15 a.m. London time,[6] British PM, Neville Chamberlain publicly delivered his Ultimatum Speech.[3][lower-alpha 1]>[7] As the Statute of Westminster 1931 was not yet ratified by the parliaments of Australia and New Zealand, the British declaration of war on Germany also applied to those dominions. Tonga was not a British dominion, but declared war separately, alongside Britain.[8] The French ultimatum to Germany expired a few hours later at 17:00. | United Kingdom declaration French declaration |
1939-09-04 | Template:Country data Kingdom of Nepal | Germany | W |
Declaration | |
1939-09-06 | South Africa | Germany | W[2][3] | Declaration | |
1939-09-10 | Bahrain Canada Oman |
Germany | W[2][3] | Declaration
Declaration Declaration | |
1939-09-17 | Soviet Union | Poland | A[2][3] | Invasion | |
1939-11-09 | Kuwait | Germany | W | Kuwaiti Declaration of War | |
1939-11-30 | Soviet Union | Finland | A[2][3] | Second war between these nations (after Finnish invasion in 1918–1920). | Invasion |
1940-04-09 | Germany | Denmark Norway |
A[2] | Invasion of Denmark Invasion of Norway | |
1940-04-12 | United Kingdom | Faroe Islands | A[3] | Invasion | |
1940-05-10 | Germany | Belgium Netherlands |
A/W[2][3] | Date of the German offensive in the West, W from Belgium and the Netherlands.[9] |
Belgium Netherlands |
1940-05-10 | Germany | Luxembourg | A[3] | Luxembourg | |
1940-05-10 | United Kingdom | Iceland | A | Invasion | |
1940-06-10 | Italy | France United Kingdom |
W[2][3] | France and the UK | |
1940-06-10 | Canada | Italy | W[2] | Declaration | |
1940-06-11 | South Africa Australia New Zealand |
Italy | W[2] |
South Africa Australia New Zealand | |
1940-06-11 | France | Italy | W[2] | Declaration | |
1940-06-25 | United Kingdom | Vichy France | A | Vichy France cuts off diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 8 July 1940. | Attack |
1940-09-09 | Italy | Egypt | A | Egypt never formally declared war on Italy. | Invasion |
1940-09-22 | Japan | Vichy France | A | Japanese troops occupy French Indochina | Invasion |
1940-09-23 | Free France United Kingdom Australia |
Vichy France | A | Invasion | |
1940-10-?? | Thailand | Vichy France | A | Franco-Thai War | |
1940-10-28 | Italy | Greece | U[3] | Italy invades Greece | Invasion |
1940-11-23 | Belgium (in-exile) | Italy | W[10] | Declaration | |
1941-02-05 | Free France | Italy | A | Invasion | |
1941-04-06 | Germany | Greece | W[2][3] | Invasion | |
1941-04-06 | Germany | Yugoslavia | A[2][3] | Invasion | |
1941-04-06 | Italy | Yugoslavia | A[3] | Invasion | |
1941-04-07 | Yugoslavia | Hungary | A[11] | After the German invasion, bombing of Hungarian locations | Invasion |
1941-04-14 | Germany | Egypt | A | Egypt did not formally declare war until 1945. | Invasion |
1941-05-02 | United Kingdom | Iraq | A | Invasion | |
1941-06-08 | Free France | Germany | A | Invasion | |
1941-06-22 | Germany Italy Romania |
Soviet Union | A[2][3] | A timed-declaration of war was given by Germany at the time of the attack[12] | Invasion |
1941-06-22 | Tuva |
Germany | W | Tuva was a client state of the Soviet Union. Part of the USSR from 1944. | |
1941-06-25 | Finland | Soviet Union | W | Finland recognized a state of war with the Soviet Union; third war between these nations. | Continuation War |
1941-06-27 | Hungary | Soviet Union | C[11] | After the bombing of several Hungarian locations, the Hungarian military concluded a Soviet attack, the Government had decided the two countries were already belligerent, without the consent of the Parliament, in absence of the Regent | Invasion |
1941-08-25 | Soviet Union United Kingdom Australia |
Iran | A | Invasion | |
1941-12-05 | United Kingdom | Finland Romania Hungary |
W[13] | Declaration | |
1941-12-06 | Finland Romania |
United Kingdom | W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-07 | United Kingdom | Hungary | W[14] | UK declaration of war from 1941-12-05 entered into force on 1941-12-07 1 minute after midnight | Declaration |
1941-12-07 | Japan | United States United Kingdom Thailand |
W/A[2] | W (Japanese point of view); A (British Empire and United States) |
Declaration Attack on Pearl Harbor Invasion of Malaya Attack on Singapore Invasion of Hong Kong Invasion of Thailand |
1941-12-07 | Canada Australia New Zealand |
Finland Romania Hungary |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-07 | Canada Panama |
Japan | W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-08 | United Kingdom United States Canada Australia Costa Rica Dominican Republic El Salvador Guatemala Haiti Honduras Netherlands (in-exile) New Zealand Nicaragua Template:Country data Commonwealth of the Philippines Tonga[8] |
Japan | W[3] |
British declaration
| |
1941-12-08 | South Africa | Japan Finland Romania Hungary |
W[3] | South African declaration | |
1941-12-08 | Mongolia | Germany | W |
Mongolian declaration | |
1941-12-08 | Manchukuo | United States | W[3] |
Manchukuo declaration | |
1941-12-09 | Australia New Zealand Cuba |
Japan | W[3] |
Australian declaration New Zealand's declaration | |
1941-12-09 | China | Germany Italy Japan |
W[3] | China and Japan had been at undeclared war since 1937 | Second Sino-Japanese war
Declaration |
1941-12-11 | Germany Italy |
United States | W[2][3] |
German declaration Italian declaration | |
1941-12-11 | United States Cuba Costa Rica Dominican Republic Guatemala Nicaragua |
Germany Italy |
W[3] | Germany
Italy | |
1941-12-11 | Netherlands (in-exile) | Italy | W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-11 | Poland (in-exile) | Japan | W[2] | Japan rejected declaration of War. Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō's answer was: "We don't accept the Polish declaration of war. The Poles, fighting for their freedom, declared war under the British pressure"[citation needed]. | |
1941-12-12 | Romania Bulgaria Template:Country data Slovak Republic (1939–1945) |
United States United Kingdom |
W[3] |
Romanian declaration Bulgarian declaration | |
1941-12-12 | Haiti El Salvador Panama |
Germany Italy |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-12 | Australia Netherlands |
Portugal | A | Portugal maintained neutrality throughout World War II. |
Invasion |
1941-12-13 | United Kingdom New Zealand South Africa |
Bulgaria | W[3] |
British declaration New Zealand's declaration South African declaration | |
1941-12-13 | Honduras | Germany Italy |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-13 | Italy | Cuba Guatemala |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-14 | Independent State of Croatia | United States United Kingdom |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-15 | Hungary | United States | C[15] | The Prime Minister informed the U.S. ambassador without approval of the Parliament and the Regent, but initially denied it would mean "war" in fact, however two days later he declared it means the two countries became belligerent. As the ambassador refused to accept the verbal form of this act, the next day the Prime Minister in written reinforced it. | Declaration |
1941-12-16 | Czechoslovakia (in-exile) | Germany Italy Finland Romania Hungary Japan Bulgaria Independent State of Croatia Template:Country data Slovak Republic (1939–1945) |
W[3] | Czechoslovakia declares war on all countries at war with the United States of America, Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. | Declaration |
1941-12-17 | Albania | United States | W | Declaration | |
1941-12-19 | Nicaragua | Romania Hungary Bulgaria |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-19 | Romania | Nicaragua | W[16] | Out of the Axis countries only Romania reciprocated, declaring war on Nicaragua on the same day | Declaration |
1941-12-20 | Belgium (in-exile) | Japan | W | Declaration | |
1941-12-24 | Haiti | Romania Hungary Bulgaria |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1941-12-24 | Romania | Haiti | W[17] | Out of the Axis countries only Romania reciprocated, declaring war on Haiti on the same day | Declaration |
1942-01-01 | United Nations | Axis Powers | W | Declared during Arcadia Conference | Declaration |
1942-01-06 | Australia | Bulgaria | W | Declaration | |
1942-01-25 | Thailand | United Kingdom United States |
A | Declaration | |
1942-01-25 | United Kingdom New Zealand South Africa |
Thailand | W |
British declaration New Zealand's declaration South African declaration | |
1942-02-19 | Japan | Portugal | A | Portugal maintained neutrality throughout World War II. | Invasion |
1941-03-02 | Australia | Thailand | W[3] |
Australian declaration | |
1942-05-05 | South Africa Netherlands (in-exile) Poland |
Vichy France | A | Invasion | |
1942-05-05 | United Kingdom Northern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia South Africa Tanganyika Belgian Congo |
Vichy France Japan |
A | Invasion | |
1942-05-22 | Mexico | Germany Italy Japan |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1942-06-05 | United States | Hungary Romania Bulgaria |
W[11] | United States Declaration of War upon Hungary United States Declaration of War upon Romania United States declaration of war upon Bulgaria | |
1942-06-13 | Iroquois Confederacy | Germany Italy Japan |
W | Only Native American nation to have officially declared war on the Axis powers separately from the United States (other Native American nations declared war de facto alongside the United States with their tribal citizens enlisting in the Armed Forces). An Iroquois representative in full regalia announced on the steps of the U.S. Capitol by the following statement: "We represent the oldest, though smallest, democracy in the world today. It is the unanimous sentiment among Indian people that the atrocities of the Axis nations are violently repulsive to all sense of righteousness of our people, and that this merciless slaughter of mankind can no longer be tolerated. Now we do resolve that it is the sentiment of this council that the Six Nations of Indians declare that a state of war exists between our Confederacy of Six Nations on the one part and Germany, Italy, Japan and their allies against whom the United States has declared war, on the other part."[18] | Declaration |
1942-08-22 | Brazil | Germany Italy |
W | Declaration | |
1942-11-08 | United States Canada |
Vichy France | A | Invasion | |
1942-11-10 | Germany Italy |
Vichy France | A | Invasion | |
1942-11-12 | Germany | Template:Country data French protectorate of Tunisia Tunisia | A | German invasion via airlifting several divisions in reaction to Operation Torch, swiftly occupying Tunis and the eastern part of the country, and capturing the western portions after French Tunisian resistance before the allies reached the Tunisian border. In the resulting Tunisian campaign, the Allies finally defeated the Axis forces in Africa. | Invasion |
1942-12-14 | Ethiopia | Germany Italy Japan |
W | On 3 October 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia without a formal declaration of war. In response to the Italian invasion, Ethiopia declared war on Italy. Most of Ethiopia was occupied by Italy in 1936, however parts of Ethiopia remained under the control of the Ethiopian Patriots Movement, which begun its guerrilla war against the occupying Italian forces the day Addis Ababa fell in May 1936. In May 1941, Addis Ababa was liberated by the Gideon Force, restoring sovereignty to Ethiopia. | Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Declaration |
1943-01-09 | Reorganized National Government of China | United States United Kingdom |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1943-01-17 | Iraq | Germany Italy Japan |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1943-01-20 | Chile | Germany Italy |
W | President Ríos officially suspended all trade and diplomatic relations with the Axis powers, and Chile officially joined the Allies as authorities began rooting out Nazi spies from Operation Bolivar. While only declaring war on Germany and Italy (although Chile would not declare war on Japan until 1945, it began imprisoning Japanese nationals in 1943), the American government and international press celebrated this day as Chile declaring war on the Axis. | Declaration |
1943-04-07 | Bolivia | Axis powers | W | Bolivia officially joined the Allies on 7 April 1943. Shortly after war was declared, the President, Enrique Peñaranda, was overthrown in a coup. Bolivian mines supplied needed tin to the Allies, but no troops or warplanes were sent overseas. Bolivians remained confident their geographic isolation would protect them from the war. | Declaration |
1943-08-01 | State of Burma | United States United Kingdom |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1943-09-08 | Germany | Italy Albania |
A | After Italy's capitulation to the Allied powers, Germany swiftly invaded both Italy and Italian-controlled territories (such as Albania, an Italian satellite state) to preempt a possible Allied intervention. | Operation Achse, German occupation of Albania |
1943-09-09 | Iran | Germany | W | Declaration | |
1943-10-13 | Italy | Germany | W[2] | Italy had changed sides after the fall of Mussolini. The Declaration of War was given by Pietro Badoglio to the German ambassador in Madrid.[2] | Declaration |
1943-11-26 | Colombia | Germany | W | See Colombia during World War II | Declaration |
1944-01-17 | Free France | Italian Social Republic | A | Invasion | |
1944-01-27 | Liberia | Germany Japan |
W | Declaration | |
1944-06-06 | France |
Germany | A | Invasion | |
1944-07-25 | France |
Japan | A | Invasion | |
1944-08-25 | Romania | Germany | W[3] | Romania switched sides | Declaration |
1944-09-05 | Soviet Union | Bulgaria | W | Declaration | |
1944-09-07 | Hungary | Romania | W[3] | Declaration | |
1944-09-07 | Romania | Hungary | W[3] | Declaration | |
1944-09-08 | Bulgaria | Germany | W | Bulgaria switched sides | Declaration |
1944-09-15 | Germany | Finland | A | Lapland War | |
1944-09-21 | San Marino | Germany Italian Social Republic |
A | Battle of San Marino | |
1944-09-23 | Template:Country data Second Philippine Republic | United States United Kingdom |
W[19] | Philippine declaration | |
1944-12-28 | Hungary | Germany | W[20] | The Provisional National Government, which had been established under Soviet protection in the city of Debrecen, declared war on Germany. The German-backed Arrow Cross regime was still at war with the Soviet Union and its troops were still in action. As it had not switched sides of its own accord, Hungary was never recognized as having defected to the Allies. | Hungarian declaration |
1945-02-02 | Ecuador | Germany Japan |
W | Ecuadorian declaration | |
1945-02-07 | Paraguay | Germany Japan |
W | Paraguayan declaration | |
1945-02-12 | Peru | Germany Japan |
W[3] | Declaration | |
1945-02-15 | Venezuela Uruguay |
Germany Japan |
W |
Venezuelan declaration Uruguayan declaration | |
1945-02-23 | Turkey | Germany Japan |
W | Declaration | |
1945-02-24 | Egypt | Germany Japan |
W | Declaration | |
1945-02-26 | Syria Lebanon |
Germany Japan |
W | Declaration | |
1945-02-28 | Saudi Arabia | Germany | W | Declaration | |
1945-03-01 | Saudi Arabia | Japan | W[3] | Declaration | |
1945-03-01 | Iran | Japan | W[3] | Iran declares war on Japan retroactive to the previous day (Feb. 28, 1945) | Declaration |
1945-03-03 | Finland | Germany | W | Finland declares war on Germany retroactive to Sept. 15, 1944 following terms of 1944 Moscow Armistice | Lapland War |
1945-03-07 | Romania | Japan | W[3] | Declaration | |
1945-03-27 | Argentina | Germany Japan |
W |
Argentinean declaration | |
1945-04-11 | Chile | Japan | W | Declaration | |
1945-06-07 | Brazil | Japan | W[3] | Declaration | |
1945-07-09 | Norway (in-exile) | Japan | W | Norwegian government-in-exile announces that it had declared war on Japan on December 7, 1941 | Declaration[21] |
1945-07-14 | Italy | Japan | W | Declaration | |
1945-08-08 | Soviet Union | Japan | W[2] | Last outbreak of war during the entire Second World War. | Soviet–Japanese War |
1945-08-10 | Mongolia | Japan | W[22] | W (de jure) A (de facto 1945-08-09) War declared 24 hours after crossing the border with Soviet troops |
Soviet Invasion of Manchuria Mongolia in World War II |
Gallery
German ambassador, Hans-Adolf von Moltke, Polish leader Józef Piłsudski, German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and Józef Beck, Polish Foreign minister meeting in Warsaw on June 15, 1934, five months after signing the Polish-German Non-Aggression Pact.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, landing at Heston aerodrome on 30 September 1938 after his meeting with Hitler at Munich. In his hand he holds the peace agreement between Britain and Germany.
See also
- Diplomatic history of World War II
- Allies of World War II
- Axis powers: German Instrument of Surrender and Surrender of Japan
Notes
- ↑ Included in the speech: "...This morning, the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note, stating that unless we heard from them by 11 O'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany..."
References
- ↑ On the Opening of Hostilities; 1907; Yale Law School Library; retrieved March 2014.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 "2194 Days of War"; (1977); Salmaggi, C. & Pallasvini, A.; ISBN:91-582-0426-1; per tables included. [Italian; American]
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 3.40 3.41 3.42 3.43 3.44 3.45 3.46 3.47 3.48 Doody, Richard, "Chronology of World War II Diplomacy 1939 - 1945", World at War, https://worldatwar.net/timeline/other/diplomacy39-45.html, retrieved February 2014
- ↑ "Germans invade Poland". History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland.
- ↑ "BBC ON THIS DAY | 1". http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/1/default.stm.
- ↑ Mann, Andrea. "September 3, 1939: Britain declares war on Germany after Hitler's troops invade Poland". BT.com. https://home.bt.com/news/on-this-day/september-3-1939-britain-declares-war-on-germany-after-hitlers-troops-invade-poland-11364001286165#:~:targetText=September%203%2C%201939%3A%20Britain%20declares%20war%20on%20Germany%20after%20Hitler's,countries%20were%20now%20at%20war..
- ↑ 1939: Britain and France declare war on Germany, BBC
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The United States Invasion of Tonga In 1942". https://pacificwrecks.com/airfields/tonga/tongatabu/then-now.html.
- ↑ Swedish Encyklopedia; "Bonniers Lexikon" (Vol. 1); (c.1960s); table in article by Andra Världskriget: The Second World War; Pp. 461-462.
- ↑ Veranneman, Jean-Michel (30 September 2014). Belgium in WWII. ISBN 9781783376070. https://books.google.com/books?id=MmVtBQAAQBAJ&q=23+november+belgium+declares+war+on+italy&pg=PA84.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Táblázat az egyes államok hadiállapotba kerüléséről". Arcanum Adatbázis Kft.. https://www.arcanum.hu/hu/online-kiadvanyok/2vhSzakkonyv-magyarok-a-ii-vilaghaboruban-2/magyarorszag-es-a-magyar-kiralyi-honvedseg-a-xx-szazadi-vilaghaboruban-1914-1945-BB49/tablazat-az-egyes-allamok-hadiallapotba-keruleserol-BB4A/.
- ↑ "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich"; Shirer, William L
- ↑ "BBC - WW2 People's War - Timeline". https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1138501.shtml.
- ↑ "Hadiállapot Magyarország és Nagy-Britannia között". Arcanum Adatbázis Kft.. https://www.arcanum.hu/hu/online-kiadvanyok/Lexikonok-magyarorszag-a-masodik-vilaghaboruban-lexikon-a-zs-F062E/h-F09B4/hadiallapot-magyarorszag-es-nagy-britannia-kozott-F09C0/.
- ↑ Draveczki-Ury, Ádám (11 December 2011). "Hetven éve történt: hadüzenet az Egyesült Államoknak". Honvédelmi Minisztérium. https://honvedelem.hu/cikk/hetven-eve-tortent-haduzenet-az-egyesult-allamoknak/.
- ↑ Dr Erik Goldstein, Routledge, 2005, Wars and Peace Treaties: 1816 to 1991, p. 218
- ↑ Dr Erik Goldstein, Routledge, 2005, Wars and Peace Treaties: 1816 to 1991, p. 217
- ↑ Treuer, David (22 January 2019). The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present. Riverhead Books.
- ↑ "1. United States/Philippines (1898-1946)". http://uca.edu/politicalscience/dadm-project/asiapacific-region/united-statesphilippines-1898-1946/.
- ↑ "Az új államiság kiépítése Magyarországon | Magyarok a II. világháborúban | Kézikönyvtár". https://www.arcanum.hu/hu/online-kiadvanyok/2vhSzakkonyv-magyarok-a-ii-vilaghaboruban-2/magyarorszag-es-a-magyar-kiralyi-honvedseg-a-xx-szazadi-vilaghaboruban-1914-1945-BB49/az-uj-allamisag-kiepitese-magyarorszagon-60D/.
- ↑ "Norway Declares War on Japan". 9 July 1945. p. 1. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2634950.
- ↑ Christopher P. Atwood (1999), "Sino-Soviet Diplomacy and the Second Partition of Mongolia, 1945–1946", Mongolia in the Twentieth Century: Landlocked Cosmopolitan, Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds. (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe), 147.