2. Attack on France May 10, 1940 Maginot Line Belgium, Netherlands Ardennes Forest Cut British and French forces in half Allied forces pushed back to coast and S. France Erwin Rommel

6. Battle of Dunkirk May 26 – June 4, 1940 British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) pushed back to coast Operation Dynamo Plan to rescue troops Leave behind or destroy equipment Save troops to fight another day

7. German Occupation Germans take control of Northern France Coastline Paris Remaining French forces retreat south of Vichy

9. Battle for Britain Germany drew up plans for invasion Operation Sea Lion Not enough ships Landing craft Naval support “Suicidal”

10. Battle for Britain Any invasion plans required air supremacy Goering thought Luftwaffe could bomb Britain into submission Goal was to bomb RAF and military installations

11. Battle for Britain Problems: No long-range bombers No heavy bombers Fighter escorts limited range Bombing at night inaccurate

12. Battle for Britain British Defenses: Keep fighter planes in reserve Increase aircraft production RADAR - advance warning Observer Corps

13. Battle for Britain Fighting Begins - 1940 Heavy losses on both sides British pilots parachute on British soil - back in fight British focus on bombers Bombers defenseless

14. Battle for Britain Changing Tactics Germans mistakenly bomb London??? British bomb Berlin Germans retaliate and focus on British cities Night bombings - terrorize civilians

15. Battle for Britain German failure: Bombings did not cripple British military No invasion possible British morale still high Raids not effective (lesson British and US would not learn)

16. Bombing Campaigns Strategic Bombing Campaign US bombers -day British bombers - night Purpose: break civilian morale Firebombing P-51 Mustang - fighter escort

17. D-Day June 6, 1944 Operation Overlord Normandy, France 5,000 ships 330,000 troops 12,000 Aircraft

18. D-Day (cont’d) Paratroopers/Gliders Land behind enemy lines Epic disaster! Landing Craft Goals: Establish beachhead Mulberries Capture port at Cherbourg

22. The Drive to Berlin Liberation of Paris - 25 August Rhine River Battle of the Bulge Bastogne 101 st Airborne Div “Nuts!” Patton - 4 th Armor Div

24. Unconditional Surrender V-E Day - May 8, 1945 Hitler? (Killed Himself) Allied troops move in from east and west Berlin falls German military commanders surrender