The German blitzkrieg, or “lightening war,” stunned Europe. Supported by airplanes and artillery, tanks would pierce enemy lines and encircle their opponents. Infantry would then occupy the territory.

Hitler conquered Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, and Belgium Hitler conquered Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, and Belgium. France relied on a string of defenses called the Maginot Line, but the Germans bypassed it by going through Belgium/Luxembourg. France falls by June 1940. Maginot Line

Hitler’s first loss; Churchill rallies the British Hitler wanted to invade Britain but he first had to fight the British Royal Air Force. German and British fighters fought throughout the summer of 1940, and Nazi bombers attacked London. Hitler’s first loss; Churchill rallies the British British Spitfire Throughout the Nazi blitz Prime Minister Winston Churchill rallied the British people and prevented Britain from falling to Hitler. This was Hitler’s first loss.

1941 Hitler hoped to cut off British supplies by taking the Suez Canal in Egypt. Erwin Rommel won victories against the British throughout 1941-42.

June 1941-Hitler launched a surprise attack upon the USSR to gain vital resources, living space, and to crush communism. Catching the USSR unprepared, the Nazis quickly captured vast amounts of land and charged toward the cities of Moscow, Leningrad, and Stalingrad Operation Barbarossa was the largest military operation in human history — more men, tanks, guns and aircraft were committed than had ever been deployed before in a single offensive

To halt Japanese aggression, US applied economic sanctions. December 7th, 1941- Japanese launched a sneak attack upon the American naval base at Pearl Harbor.

By the spring of 1942 Japan controlled much of Southeast Asia and the western Pacific. Japan expected the US to surrender, but instead the US joined the Allies in their fight against the Axis powers. Japanese Advance