Global Conflict: Axis Advances How did new technologies affect the fighting in WWII? What goals did the Axis powers pursue in Europe and Asia? Why did Japan attack the US?
The First Onslaught 1939- Blitzkrieg- “lightning war” German bombers and tanks smash Poland Stalin attacks from the East One month later, Poland exists no more
Early Axis Victories France waits behind the Maginot Line April 1940- Germany Conquers Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands
Miracle At Dunkirk May 1940- Allied forces are trapped between the Nazis and the English Channel Naval ships and pleasure boats rescued troops 300,000 troops saved Raised British morale
Fall of France Germany attacks from the North and Italy from the South June 1940- France signs the surrender in the same railroad car that Germany had signed the WWI surrender Vichy- puppet government set up in France by Germany Charles de Gaulle leads the “free French” forces
Modern Warfare Use of sonar and radar New technologies improve weapons Faster tanks Submarines Paratroopers Scientists helped improve weapons Use of sonar and radar
Battle of Britain Operation Sea Lion Hitler tries to weaken Britain’s air power and will to resist August 12, 1940- massive German air strikes RAF fights back
London Blitz Sept. 7, 1940- 57 nights straight German planes bomb the capital 15,000 die Air raid sirens every night People go to underground shelters People continued daily lives Germans finally leave
Axis Advances Sept. 1940- fighting in N. Africa Erwin Rommel- “Desert Fox”- successful Greece and Yugoslavia conquered 1941- Axis controls W. Europe
Operation Barbarossa Hitler’s plan to conquer Russia Wanted to gain the natural resources Forests Wheat Destroy Communism Defeat Stalin
Germans Advance To Russia 3 million Germans attack Russia lost 2-3 million soldiers By the fall, Germans set to take Moscow and Leningrad “General Winter”- 1000’s freeze and die
Siege of Leningrad Sept. 1941- 2 ½ yr. Siege on Leningrad Food rations- 2 pieces of bread a day Boiled wallpaper and leather to eat Over 1 million Russians die Stalin asks Britain to open a 2nd front
American Involvement 1941- Lend-Lease Act- US could sell or lend war materials to any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the US Atlantic Charter- FDR and Churchill meet secretly on a warship to discuss war goals
Tension Between US and Japan Japan invades SE Asia for oil US bans sale of oil, iron, and steel Japanese are furious Attack is imminent
Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 2,400 Americans die 19 ships destroyed FDR “a date that will live in infamy” US declares war