C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 1) Sept. 1939 – Poland invaded by first Hitler and then Stalin. Great Britain & France declare war on the Axis -- but NOT on the Soviet Union.
1) Fin. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR USSR D Li. G GB GB N Ger. Pol. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Fr. Ro. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 2) Sept-Apr. 1939-40 – The Phony War. A state of war exists, but without any fighting. “Sitzkrieg.”
2) Fin. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp. 2) Maginot Line
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 3) Nov. 1939 – Stalin begins an invasion of Finland, the Baltic States and Romania.
3) Fin. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 4) Apr. 1940 – Hitler invades Denmark and Norway. To prevent a blockade and protect coal shipments from Sweden.
Coal 4) Fi n. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro m. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 5) May 1940 – Hitler conquers Benelux countries and invades France. Bypassing Maginot Line.
5) Fi n. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro m. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.
France Falls June 10, 1940 – Mussolini joins the invasion. France surrenders to the Axis.
Dunkirk Vichy France
Winston Churchill
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 6) Summer 1940 – The Battle of Britain. Battle for control of the skies over English Channel. RAF v. Luftwaffe. Operation Sea Lion.
6) Fi n. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. English Channel Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro m. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 7) Fall-Spring 1940-41 – Hitler conquers the Balkans. 3 countries officially join the Axis: Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. Yugoslavia and Greece are invaded.
7) Fi n. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro m. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp. 7)
C. The War Begins – Events before U.S. Entry 8) June 1941 – Hitler invades the Soviet Union. Operation Barbarossa. Over 4 million soldiers on an 1800-mile-wide front.
8) Fi n. No. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Hitler’s Atlantic Wall. Sw. Es. La. USSR D Li. G GB N Ger. Po l. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Ro m. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.
Fin. No. Sw. Es. La. D US SR SR Li. G GB N Ger. Pol. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Hitler’s Atlantic Wall. Sw. Es. La. D US SR SR Li. G GB N USSR joins the Allies. Ger. Pol. B Cz. Au. Hu. Fr. Rom. It. Yug. Bu. A Gr. Sp.