The
Western Front of the
European theatre of
World War II encompassed
Denmark,
Norway,
Luxembourg,
Belgium, the
Netherlands, the
United Kingdom,
France,
Italy, and
Western Germany. World War II military engagements in Southern Europe and elsewhere are generally considered under separate headings. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale combat operations. The first phase saw the capitulation of the Netherlands, Belgium and France during May and June 1940 after their defeat in the
Low Countries and the northern half of France, and continued into an air war between Germany and Britain that climaxed with the
Battle of Britain. The second phase consisted of large-scale ground combat, which began in June 1944 with the
Allied landings in Normandy and continued until the
defeat of Germany in May 1945.