Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffW1
Hi,
It is generally agreed the first shot was fired by the old dreadnought SMS Schleswig-Holstein at Danzig, Sept 1 1939, against a Polish barracks. This ship then took no further part in the war until sunk in 1945.
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Well I would say that the invasion of Poland was the start of the war in the European Theatre. However, I think that the first shots in WWII were actually shot on the night of the 7 July 1937 by Chinese soldiers as Japan made maneuvers without informing Chinese authorities. The 'Marco Polo Bridge Incident' is the incident that most historians see as the start of the 'Second Sino-Japanese War' which didn't end until the surrender of Japan in 1945.