Weakness of the League of Nations (no way to defend its threats) U. S Weakness of the League of Nations (no way to defend its threats) U.S. & USSR not members. Appeasement - making concessions to the Nazis & Fascists in hopes of keeping peace. (ex. Japan in Manchuria, Mussolini in Ethiopia, Hitler in Rhineland) Munich Pact - agreement between Britain, France & Germany - Hitler keep Sudentenland if agree to leave rest of Czech. alone. March 1939, 6 months later breaks pact takes rest of Czechoslovakia. The Causes of WWII

Germany & USSR August 1939 Hitler & Stalin sign a ten year Nonagression Pact. Public: Hitler & Stalin vowed to never attack each other Private: plan to divide eastern Europe

Sept. 1, 1939 – Germany invades Poland They used a sudden, massive attack: Blitzkrieg or “lightning war” For next several months nothing happens - Phony War or “Sitzkreig”

Polish Jews being rounded up by Nazi’s - 1939

France Surrenders Germany attacks northern France June 1940, drives forces to Dunkirk British evacuate over 250,000 men from Dunkirk. June 16, 1940 France falls.

The Maginot Line

The Battle of Britain Operation Sea Lion- planned attack by Germany on Britain Britain held out by using radar & cracking German codes (The Ultra Secret) Battle of Britain: August 8, 1940 day & night attacks Britain withstands attacks Hitler turns to USSR

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Sir Winston Churchill

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa Hitler breaks non-aggression pact & makes his fatal mistake by attacking the USSR. June 22, 1941 Germany invaded killing millions. Germans control large areas of Russia. Brutal cold winter set in.

Battle of Stalingrad Turning point of European War Russian army defeats Germans and begin the long drive to Berlin.

Boris Yefimov, The History Lesson (1941)

The US enters the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The British and the Americans (The Allies) invade North Africa in 1942 and Italy in 1943. The Russians, who are doing most of the fighting, demand the Allies invade France immediately. The date for this attack is June 6, 1944

The Allies Invade France Eisenhower is commander. Includes Americans, British and Canadians After 6 tough weeks of fighting, the Allies liberate all of France. In December 1944, the Germans launch an attack. The Battle of the Bulge is the largest of the war.

USSR came from the East, U.S. & Britain from the West. The soldiers met in Berlin leading to V-E Day May 8, 1945. The meeting at Torgau on the Elbe River