«Հայաստանի վարչապետ Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը ցանկանում է ազատազրկել ՀՀ նախկին նախագահ Ռոբերտ Քոչարյանին». Россия 24-ի անդրադարձը
Россия 24-ն անդրադարձել է՝ Ռոբերտ Քոչարյանին ազատազրկելու Փաշինյանի ծրագրին: Հիշյալ հաղորդման շրջանակում տեսանյութ է եթեր տրվել, որով նշվում է, որ Հայաստանի վարչապետ Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը ուզում է ազատազրկել ՀՀ նախկին նախագահ Ռոբերտ Քոչարյանին: Ըստ ռուսական աղբյուրի այդ մասին հայտնի է դարձել Փաշինյանի՝ հատուկ ուժայինների հետ հեռախոսազրույցից, որը հրապարակվել էր համացանցում: Ընդ որում, որևէ օրենք չի կանգնեցում ՀՀ վարչապետին:
In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden, which the Allies were attempting to cut off.[90] Denmark capitulated after a few hours, and Norway was conquered within two months[91] despite Allied support. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the appointment of Winston Churchill as Prime Minister on 10 May 1940.[92]
On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France. To circumvent the strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.[93] The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region,[94] which was mistakenly perceived by Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles.[95][96] By successfully implementing new blitzkrieg tactics, the Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although abandoning almost all of their equipment.[97]
On 10 June, Italy invaded France, declaring war on both France and the United Kingdom.[98] The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14 June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones,[99] and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime, which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which the United Kingdom attacked on 3 July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany.[100]
London seen from St. Paul’s Cathedral after the German Blitz, 29 December 1940
The Battle of Britain[101] began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours.[102] The United Kingdom rejected Hitler’s ultimatum,[103] and the German air superiority campaign started in August but failed to defeat RAF Fighter Command. Due to this the proposed German invasion of Britain was postponed indefinitely on 17 September. The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in the Blitz, but failed to significantly disrupt the British war effort[102] and largely ended in May 1941.[104]
Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy, using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic.[105] The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27 May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck.[106]
In November 1939, the United States was taking measures to assist China and the Western Allies, and amended the Neutrality Act to allow «cash and carry» purchases by the Allies.[107] In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased. In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases.[108] Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in the conflict well into 1941.[109] In December 1940 Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an «arsenal of democracy» and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of aid to support the British war effort.[103] The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany.[110]
At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy and Germany as the Axis Powers. The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country, with the exception of the Soviet Union, which attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three.[111] The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary, Slovakia and Romania joined.[112] Romania and Hungary would make major contributions to the Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania’s case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union.[113]
Mediterranean (1940–41)
Main article: Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World Wa