Okay, here's a list of the most important events of 1940, in the style of a Wikipedia article:
1940
1940 was a pivotal year marked by the escalating World War II in Europe and significant developments across various fields, including politics, science, technology, and culture.
Political and Military Events
January: Winter War: Soviet forces intensify their offensive against Finland in the Winter War.
March 12: The Winter War ends with the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty, ceding territory to the Soviet Union.
April 9: Germany invades Denmark and Norway. Denmark surrenders on the same day, while Norway continues to resist.
May 10:Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, replacing Neville Chamberlain. Germany launches the Battle of France, invading France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
May 10-June 4: The Battle of Dunkirk. Allied forces are evacuated from Dunkirk, France, under heavy fire.
June 10: Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom.
June 14: German forces enter Paris.
June 22: France surrenders to Germany, resulting in the establishment of the Vichy France government.
July 10-October 31: The Battle of Britain takes place. The German Luftwaffe attempts to gain air superiority over Britain.
September 7: The Blitz begins, with Germany bombing London and other British cities.
September 27: The Tripartite Pact is signed by Germany, Italy, and Japan, formalizing the Axis powers alliance.
November 5: Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected for an unprecedented third term as President of the United States.
November 20-23: Hungary, Romania and Slovakia join the Axis powers.
Scientific and Technological Events
February 27: Carbon-14 discovered by Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben at the University of California, Berkeley. Carbon-14 dating would later become an important method in archeology.
July: The United States begins research into nuclear weapons with the establishment of the National Defense Research Committee.
November 26: Igor Sikorsky conducts the first successful test flight of the VS-300, the first helicopter designed by him in the United States.
Cultural Events
February 7: Walt Disney's Pinocchio is released.
May 1:Batman first appears in Detective Comics #27.
October 15:The Great Dictator, Charlie Chaplin's satirical film about Adolf Hitler, is released.
January 16: The United States Census reports a population of 131,669,275.
June 28: The Republican National Convention nominates Wendell Willkie for president and Charles McNary for vice president.
July: The United States begins research into nuclear weapons.
September 3: The United States transfers fifty aging destroyers to the United Kingdom in exchange for leases on British bases in the Western Hemisphere ("Destroyers for Bases Agreement").
September 16: The first peacetime conscription in United States history is enacted with the Selective Training and Service Act.
November 5: Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected for an unprecedented third term as President of the United States.
1940 marked a year of significant global upheaval, technological advancement, and cultural milestones, setting the stage for the escalating conflicts and transformations of the years to come.