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Using the VINTERGATAN cosmological zoom simulation, we explore thecontributions of the in situ and accreted material, and the effect of galaxyinteractions and mergers in the assembly of a Milky Way-like galaxy. We findthat the initial growth phase of galaxy evolution, dominated by repeated majormergers, provides the necessary physical conditions for the assembly of athick, kinematically hot disk populated by high-[$\alpha$/Fe] stars, formedboth in situ and in accreted satellite galaxies. We find that the diversity ofevolutionary tracks followed by the simulated galaxy and its progenitors leadsto very little overlap of the in situ and accreted populations for any givenchemical composition. At a given age, the spread in [$\alpha$/Fe] abundanceratio results from the diversity of physical conditions in VINTERGATAN and itssatellites, with an enhancement in [$\alpha$/Fe] found in stars formed duringstarburst episodes. Later, the cessation of the merger activity promotes the insitu formation of stars in the low-[$\alpha$/Fe] regime, in a radiallyextended, thin and overall kinematically colder disk, thus establishingchemically bimodal thin and thick disks, in line with observations. We drawlinks between notable features in the [Fe/H] - [$\alpha$/Fe] plane with theirphysical causes, and propose a comprehensive formation scenario explainingself-consistently, in the cosmological context, the main observed properties ofthe Milky Way.

VINTERGATAN II: the history of the Milky Way told by its mergers