Ch. 16 – World War II I. Hitler’s Lightning War A. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe Non-Aggression Pact: - Nazis & Soviets agreed to split Poland - Agreed USSR could also take Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, & Estonia Blitzkrieg – “Lightning War” – Germans attacked Poland on 9/1/39 Soviet aggression – 9/17/39 – USSR attacked Lit., Lat., Est., Finland – Finns fiercely resisted, were eventually defeated

West Front, East Front, Africa/Mediterranean Theaters

The Pacific Theater

Finnish Resistance -Mobility and winter preparedness of the Finnish army led to massive Soviet losses -Soviets eventually overwhelmed Finnish defenders

B. The Fall of France -Maginot Line – French line of defense along the German Border – Germans went around through Belgium - AGAIN Rescue at Dunkirk – British vessels rescue 330,000+ from annihilation by the Nazi army French resistance crumbled after Dunkirk – French leaders Surrendered 6/22/40

Vichy France – Germany annexed northern France, Created a puppet gov’t in southern France, w/ the capital In the town of Vichy Charles de Gaulle – French military general who fled to Britain, set up Free French Army, fought Nazis until France Was liberated in 1944

C. The Battle of Britain Winston Churchill – British Prime Minister – declared that GB would never surrender to Nazis Battle of Britain - 3-mo. Nazi air attack on Britain Royal Air Force (RAF) – outnumbered by Nazi air force (Luftwaffe) but had Tech advantages: Radar – new device to detect incoming planes, allowed RAF to intercept Enigma – GB captured a German code machine allowing GB to intercept Nazi battle commands

-British civilians hid in subway tunnels during the bombing raids British cities were bombed day and night -Failure to break British Resistance forced Hitler call off the invasion of Britain, turn to E. Europe

Hitler Invades the Soviet Union: Operation Barbarossa – The Nazi invasion of USSR - Stalin trusted Hitler in the Non-aggression Pact – USSR was unprepared and suffered massive losses - Scorched Earth – Soviets destroyed their own goods as They retreated, deprived Nazis of captured supplies

Siege of Leningrad – Hitler ordered the Nazi army to surround and annihilate the entire population of 3 million - 1million died during a siege that lasted 872 days – it ranks as the most costly siege in human history - Nazis also besieged Stalingrad and Moscow

US Aids Its Allies: President FDR -Most Americans wanted to stay out of the war -FDR knew US would be drawn in if Allies fell -Lend-Lease Act - allowed FDR to send $ and equipment -Atlantic Charter – called for free trade & the right for people to choose their own gov’t

Russia’s harsh winter helped defeat Nazi invaders – Nazis Lost 500,000 troops, Russians went on the counter-offensive

NORTH AFRICA - used as a base to invade Italy

THE PACIFIC THEATER Japan invaded Korea Japan invaded Manchura, China all-out invasion of China Hitler ’ s Euro invasion forced Br., Fr., Neth. to recall Asian colonial troops - gave Japan opportunity to invade

PEARL HARBOR US - only power strong enough to challenge Japan in Asia EMBARGO - US banned the sale of war materials to Japan - oil, steel, etc Panay incident - Japan bombed US battleship in China - apologized for “ mistake ” Dec. 7, “ A date that will live in infamy.. ” : Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - destroyed most of the US Pacific Fleet

Japanese Propaganda - “ Asia for Asians ” Japan actually treated conquered people harshly Conquered people resisted, aided US efforts in Philippines, elsewhere

Island-hopping - US strategy to reach Japan

US VICTORIES By Spring 1942, US was ready to fight back MIDWAY - Major US naval victory - turned the tide of the war in favor of the US