The Phoney War & The Winter War SB, DM, SA, KS

Thesis The Phoney War began when Germany annexed Poland, and in retaliation, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Since most of Western Europe was distracted at the Siegfried/Maginot lines, Russia was able to successfully and easily attack Finland in the Winter War, which resulted in the Moscow Peace Treaty and Russia’s subsequent expulsion from the League of Nations.

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940- Treaty of Moscow was signed March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line

Sept 3rd, 1939- Britain and France Declare War Why? The Sinking of the Athenia A British ocean liner, not a war ship German U-boat “U-30” sunk it Blamed Winston Churchill for it, claiming he put a bomb on the boat Public Reason to start the war What did they do? Mail-bomb 6 million copies of the propaganda pamphlet “Note to the German People” overnight Only had a few strict words Main point proven was to show how easily Germany could be air-bombed DM

Winston Churchill... Rank held? Highest was Prime Minister of Britain Appointed on May 10, 1940 (the day Germany invaded the Low Countries) During the Phoney War, he was “appointed first lord of the Admiralty and a member of the war cabinet” when Britain declared war on Germany (which was when?) What did he do? “Churchill gradually became a leading advocate for British rearmament” in 1933 He gave compelling speeches and overall boosted morale during the war He wasn’t a huge player in the Phoney War/Winter War DM

Sitzkrieg The phase in war in which there is no actual fighting. The Phoney War in a nutshell Fighting was lackluster, more about the occupation The term was originally made by the British press as a play of words on blitzkrieg (Lightning Warfare) Literally translates to “Sitting War” SB

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940- Treaty of Moscow was signed March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line

Sept. 10, 1939- British forces get to France Led by General Lord Gort, British forces take a week to get to France Once there, France and Britain stay west on the French side of the Maginot line Germany stayed East of the Siegfried line Overall, the lines stretch 280 miles With all eyes focused on this border, Russia was able to attack a completely different part of Europe... DM

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940- Treaty of Moscow was signed

Nov. 30, 1939- Russia attempts to annex Finland For months Russia was trying to negotiate with Finland to gain a warm water port in return for some Russian Land After Finland refuses many times Russia gives them an ultimatum and attacks when they refuse but many did not know this or think this was right at the time SB

A Game of Numbers The Finnish troops were way outnumbered by the Soviet troops In this example, red bags are Russia, and blue bags are Finland... D/K

Finland held up very well Although being attacked by one of the largest armies in the world at the time, Finland held strong with a home field advantage This made the Soviets look really bad Talk about how the war was not very long but the Finnish troops did very well with their guerilla tactics Kind of like Russia, not a good place to attack in the winter SA

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940- Treaty of Moscow was signed

Dec. 14- Russia is excluded from League of Nations The Russian attack on Finland in 1939 was recognized as an act of aggression The League of Nations kicks the USSR out Stalin plans on incorporating Finland into Russia KS

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940- Treaty of Moscow was signed

Breach of the Mannerheim Line Soviets send a majority of their men to the Mannerheim Line to get through the Finnish forces Eventually get through and continue North when everyone finally agrees to be done and make the Moscow Treaty KS

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940 Treaty of Moscow was signed

Moscow Peace Treaty When: Signed by Finland and Soviet Union on March 12 1940, ratifications exchanged on March 21 1940. Signed because Finland technically lost Ratifications: Finland had to cede border areas to the Soviet Union. DM

Timeline May 10, 1940 Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!) Sept. 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany Sinking of the Athenia December 14, 1939 Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations October 17, 1939 Stalin attacks Poland March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line Sept. 10, 1939 British forces get to France November 30, 1939 Russia attempts to annex Finland March 12th, 1940 Treaty of Moscow was signed

Celebrate Your Learning How long did the Phoney War go for? Summarize the Phoney War. Summarize the Winter War. What happened at the end of the Winter War? What is Sitzkrieg? SB

Phoney War What: 8 months long France/Britain declare war on Nazi Germany on September 3 1939 Sitzkrieg: No actual fighting Sitting war, Germany occupied Poland Why: Germany invaded Poland and they had an alliance with Poland on September 1 1939 but Sinking of Athenia is the public reason they used (propaganda) Ending: Germany attacked France and Low Countries on May 10 1940 SB

Winter War What: Military conflict between Soviet Union and Finland during the Phoney War. Soviets invaded Finland on November 30 1939 (3 months after WWII starts) Moscow Peace Treaty on March 12 1940 Results: Soviet Union expelled from League of Nations on December 14 1939 because attack was deemed illegal. Moscow Peace Treaty was signed on March 12, 1940 Finland had to cede border areas to the Soviet Union SB

Work Cited “Destroyer Escorts in the Atlantic.” Battle of the Atlantic, www.ussslater.org/history/dehistory/history_atlanticbattle.html. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “Russo-Finnish War.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Apr. 2016, www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Finnish-War. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017. Roberts, Andrew. “Britain at War: The Phoney War and the Fall of France.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 7 Oct. 2008, www.telegraph.co.uk/history/britain-at-war/3153329/Britain-at-War-The-Phoney-War-and-the-Fall-of-France.html. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017. “Russia, The Third Aggressor of WWII Attacks.” WWII 1939 - 1940: Finland's Winter War with Soviet Union, the Third Aggressor of WWII, uralica.com/finnliv.htm. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017. “Winston Churchill.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 8 Nov. 2016, www.biography.com/people/winston-churchill-9248164. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017. “WWII War Theatre Maps: Russo-Finnish War.” Map of Russo-Finnish War (1939-1940), www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/map-of-russo-finnish-war-1939-1940. Accessed 17 Apr. 2017. “The Phoney War.” History Learning Site, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/world-war-two-in-western-europe/the-phoney-war/. Cole, Robert. “The Other 'Phoney War': British Propaganda in Neutral Europe, September-December 1939.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 22, no. 3, 1987, pp. 455–479., www.jstor.org/stable/260746 Rentola, Kimmo. “The Finnish Communists and the Winter War.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 33, no. 4, 1998, pp. 591–607., www.jstor.org/stable/260988.