World War II Begins

“Phoney” War?? Poland surrenders to Hitler in 26 days “Blitzkrieg”-lightning war France moves to Maginot Line Britain lands troops in northern France and blockade German ports Very little fighting going on- ”Sitzkrieg”:sit-down war, prolonged siege

Soviet Involvement Soviets invade Poland following agreement with Germany (9/17) Soviets take control of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania Soviets attack Finland, take control League of Nations expel USSR

Immediate Threats to West Germany invades Denmark (lasts 1 day) and Norway Gives Germany outlet to Atlantic, puts western shipping in danger (had been problem in WWI) Germany attacks Benelux, cuts off Allied troops-forces British evacuation at Dunkerque (Dunkirk) leaving French alone

Fall of France Major French fortification Maginot Line useless-Germans outflanked line Italy joins war declaring on France and Great Britain June 10, 1940 Attacks southern France

Fall of France-42 Days French government resigns, replaced by Vichy gov’t that signs peace agreement w/ Germany German troops occupy northern France; to be paid by France French navy disarmed and port-bound Southern France governed by Vichy gov’t collaborating with Germans

French Resistance Resistors set up Free French gov’t led by Charles de Gaulle-they escaped to Britain or Africa In German occupied territories, consisted of “underground”-called “Maquis” using sabotage

Battle of Britain Luftwaffe attacks Britain continuously Sept and Oct 1940 hoping to wear down the British RAF counter-attacks, use of RADAR allows Britain to control English Channel preventing invasion Germans have blockaded Britain hoping to starve them into defeat

US Comes to Aid Neutrality Acts passed ‘35 and ‘37 1939 revised Neutrality Act allowed sale of arms-Britain American sympathy grows after fall of France September 1940 passed nat’l draft law Lend-Lease Act: authorizes supply of war material to Britain on credit

Further US Involvement Atlantic Charter-August 1941 The eight principal points of the Charter were: no territorial gains were to be sought by the US or the UK territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned all people had a right to self-determination trade barriers were to be lowered there was to be global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare the participants would work for a world free of want and fear the participants would work for freedom of the seas there was to be disarmament of aggressor nations, and a post-war common disarmament Their vision of a post-war world US does not agree to enter war

Vocabulary Blitzkrieg “phoney war” Collaborators “French Resistance” Maquis Sitzkrieg RAF Neutrality Acts Isolationists Lend-Lease Act Atlantic Charter Luftwaffe