In response to Hitler 's actions , two days later , on 3 September , after a British ultimatum to Germany to cease military operations was ignored , Britain and France declared war on Germany . In the spring of 1940 , Germany conquered Denmark and Norway , the Netherlands , Belgium , Luxembourg , and France forcing the French government to sign an armistice after German troops occupied most of the country . The British repelled German air attacks in the Battle of Britain in the same year . In 1941 , German troops invaded Yugoslavia , Greece and the Soviet Union . By 1942 , Germany and other Axis powers controlled most of continental Europe and North Africa , but following the Soviet Union 's victory at the Battle of Stalingrad , the allies ' reconquest of North Africa and invasion of Italy in 1943 , German forces suffered repeated military defeats . In June 1944 , the Western allies landed in France and the Soviets pushed into Eastern Europe . By late 1944 , the Western allies had entered Germany despite one final German counter offensive in the Ardennes Forest . Following Hitler 's suicide during the Battle of Berlin , German armed forces surrendered on 8 May 1945 , ending World War II in Europe . After World War II , former members of the Nazi regime were tried for war crimes at the Nuremberg trials
war crimes
War crimes of the Wehrmacht
Germany