The Phoney War was the early period of the Second World War, after Britain and France declared war on Germany over its invasion of Poland, in which there was almost no fighting in the west. French forces made a limited advance into the Saar region in September 1939 but soon withdrew, and the Allies stayed behind the Maginot Line, while Germany shifted its forces east. The French called it the drôle de guerre, the strange war, and the Germans the Sitzkrieg. Meanwhile Poland was conquered by Germany and the Soviet Union, and the Soviets attacked Finland. The calm ended in spring 1940, when Germany attacked Denmark and Norway and then France and the Low Countries.
Before and after
- from 1 September 1939 to 2 September 1945World War II
- from 1 September 1939 to 3 September 1939Battle of Mława
- from 1 September 1939 to 7 September 1939Battle of Westerplatte
- from September 1939 to May 1945Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)
- from 3 September 1939 to 10 April 1940Phoney War
- from 4 September 1939 to 8 May 1945Defence of the Reich
- from 7 September 1939 to 16 September 1939Saar Offensive
- from 8 September 1939 to 28 September 1939Siege of Warsaw
- from 17 September 1939 to 6 October 1939Soviet invasion of Poland
More in Wars, politics & history
- 1919Paris Peace Conference
- 3 March 1923Time
- from 1 August 1927 to 1 May 1950Chinese Civil War
- 30 September 1938Munich agreement
- from 1 September 1939 to 6 October 19391939 Invasion of Poland
- 1944Golden Globes
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.