World War II Ch. 16

Main Idea: Using the sudden mass attack called the blitzkrieg, Germany overran much of Europe and North Africa. Why it Matters Now: Hitler’s actions set off WWII. The results of the war still affect the politics and economics of today’s world Hitler’s Lightening War Text pg

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Sept. 1, 1939: Hitler attacked Poland first test of Germany’s newest military strategy – The Blitzkrieg “Lightning War” used fast moving planes and tanks, followed by massive infantry forces, to take enemy by surprise swiftly crush opposition with overwhelming force would bring Lebensraum, or "living space," for the German people the "racially superior" Germans would colonize the territory and enslave the native Slavs German tanks cross into Poland

August 31: Just after noon: Hitler ordered hostilities against Poland to begin at 4:45 a.m. the next morning. 8 p.m.: Nazi S.S. troops staged a phony invasion of Germany wore Polish uniforms damaged several minor installations on the German side of the border left behind a handful of dead concentration camp prisoners in Polish uniforms Nazi propagandists publicized as an unforgivable act of aggression by Poland

German forces advanced into Poland German tanks & troop trucks crossed Polish border carried more than 1.5 million soldiers German aircraft and artillery began a merciless bombing of Poland’s capital, Warsaw German warships and U-boats attacked Polish naval forces in the Baltic Sea Polish army was able to mobilize one million men but was hopelessly outmatched troops rushed to the front to confront the Germans were systematically captured or annihilated September 8: German forces reached the outskirts of Warsaw, having advanced 140 miles in the 1 st week

Hitler claimed the invasion was a defensive action September 3: Britain and France declared war on Germany initiated World War II The Polish people are forced to salute the Germans after the takeover of Poland. ch?v=xrYC2hA9YkI

Sept. 17 th : Stalin sent Soviet troops to occupy the eastern half of Poland moved to annex countries north of Poland Lithuania, Latvia, & Estonia fell without a struggle Finland resisted The Soviets Make Their Move

Stalin sent 1million troops to Finland were not prepared for winter fighting Finns outnumbered & outgunned, but fiercely defended their country soldiers on skis attacked Soviet positions Soviets suffered heavy losses, but they finally won through sheer force of numbers March, 1940: Stalin forced the Finns to accept his surrender terms

Britain and France did little militarily to aid Poland Britain bombed German warships on September 4, but resisted bombing Germany itself France did not launch a full-scale attack even though it had mobilized over four times that numbers of Germany. French and British troops were stationed along the Maginot Line A system of fortifications along France’s border with Germany Waited for the Germans to attack for 7 months nothing happened Britain and France accused of waging a "phony war" with the exception of a few dramatic clashes at sea, no major military action was taken

April 9th, 1940: Hitler invaded Denmark & Norway 4 hours after the attack, Denmark fell 2 months later, Norway surrendered Germans began building bases along the Norwegian & Danish coasts to launch strikes on Britain Ardennes Forest

May, 1940: Hitler begin a dramatic sweep through the Netherlands, Belgium, & Luxembourg to get at France Allies focused on those countries Hitler sent larger force of tanks & troops through the Ardennes a heavily wooded area in northern France, Luxembourg, & Belgium Germans managed to squeeze between the Maginot Line Reached France’s northern coast in 10 days. Swung north again & joined with German troops in Belgium. The Fall of France

end of May, 1940: Germans had trapped Allied forces around the northern French city of Lille (Leel) Allies outnumbered, outgunned, and attacked from the air retreated to the beaches of Dunkirk French port city near the Belgian border were trapped with their backs to the sea Great Britain set out to rescue the army sent a fleet of 850 ships across the English channel Royal Navy ships & civilian craft (yachts, lifeboats, motorboats, paddle steamers & fishing boats) May 26 to June 4: sailed back and forth from Britain to Dunkirk under heavy fire from German bombers carried some 338,000 battle-weary soldiers to safety Rescue at Dunkirk

Fall of France Resistance in France began to crumble. June 14 th : Germans took Paris June 22, 1940: French leaders surrendered Germans took control of the northern part of the country. Left the southern part to a puppet gov. Headed by Marshal Philippe Petain French hero from WWI

Fall of France Charles de Gaulle French general set up a gov.-in-exile in London committed all his energy to reconquering France Called on the people of France to join him in resisting the Germans: “ It is the duty of all Frenchmen who still bear arms to continue the struggle. For them to lay down their arms, to evacuate any position of military importance, or agree to hand over any part of French territory, however small, to enemy control would be a crime against our country.”

Battle of Britain Great Britain now stood alone against the Nazis. Winston Churchill new British Prime Minister had already declared that his nation would never give in “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets…we shall never surrender.”

Battle of Britain

Summer 1940: Germany began bombing Great Britain Sept 7 th : Began bombing cities, especially London Purpose: to break British morale Royal Air Force counterattacked New technology Radar: electronic tracking Enigma: German code- making machine Smuggled into Britain enabled them to decode German messages watch?v=l44hY0Sf_3M Actual 1940’s cartoon

Mediterranean & Eastern Europe May 10, 1941: Hitler called off attacks to focus on Eastern Europe & the Mediterranean North Africa Mussolini attacks British-controlled Egypt Suez Canal key to reaching oil fields in Middle East British take 130,000 Italians prisoner Hitler sends in tank force to reinforce troops Britain forced to retreat Balkans Hitler persuaded Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to join Axis powers Yugoslavia & Greece resisted and were invaded in April 1941 Both quickly surrender

Mediterranean & Eastern Europe Operation Barbarossa Plan to invade Soviet Union June 22, 1941: Germany invaded USSR Soviets unprepared scorched-earth strategy burned and destroyed everything as they retreated Sept. 8 th : Put Leningrad under siege purpose: starve the 2.5 million inhabitants into surrender Winter : Nearly 1 million die But they refuse to surrender Hitler send troops to capital city of Moscow As winter sets in, Hitler orders no retreat Hold line against Soviets but do not capture the city Advance cost 500,000 lives and gained nothing

16.1 Assignment p. 496 #3-7