1. US History Chapter 13 Section 2
WORLD WAR II BEGINS
US History
Chapter 13 Section 2

2. WORLD WAR II BEGINS PATH TO WAR Main Idea
European nations tried to prevent war by giving in to Adolf Hitler’s demands.

3. PATH TO WAR 1935 Hitler began to defy the Treaty of Versailles
Germany build new air force and begin military draft to expand army (against treaty)
Instead of enforcing, European leaders tried to negotiate with Hitler
Believed deal could be reached and war avoided
Wanted to avoid repeat of bloodshed of WWI
Some thought Hitler’s demands were reasonable
Assumed Nazis would be interested in peace once gained more territory

4. PATH TO WAR The Austrian Anschluss
1937 Hitler called for unification of all German speaking people (including Austria and Czechoslovakia)
Believed only expand territory through force
February 1938 threatened to invade Austria unless Austria Nazi’s were given gov’t positions
Leaders agree and then tried to put unification with Germany up to democratic vote
Hitler feared outcome so sent troops to Austria and declared “Anschluss” or unification of Austria and Germany

6. PATH TO WAR The Munich Crisis
After Austria, Hitler announced claims to Sudetenland
Area of Czechoslovakia with large German-speaking population
Czechs resisted Germany’s demands, France, Britain and USSR promised to help Czechs if Germany attacked
Italy, Germany, France and Britain agreed to meet in Munich to make decision on issue

8. PATH TO WAR
At the “Munich Conference” September , Britain and France agreed to Hitler’s demands
Position became known as “appeasement”
Aka, made concessions in favor of Peace
Thought if gave into Hitler’s demands would avoid war
Told Czechoslovakia if fought would not receive aid
British Prime Minister (Chamberlain) said it was peace, BUT speed up British rearmament incase peace failed
Germany did invade March 1939 and divided country, part was Germany and part was Slovakia (but a German Protectorate)

9. PATH TO WAR Hitler Demands Danzig
Month after Munich Conference, Hitler demanded City of Danzig be returned to Germany
City was 90% German but had been part of Poland since WWI
Also wanted railroad/highway for area that separated Germany from German state of Prussia
These new demands convinced Britain and France that war was coming
Announced on March , that if Poland went to war with Germany, Britain and France would help
That news encouraged Poland to refuse Germany
May 1939 Hitler ordered Army to prepare to invade Poland, and also started talks with USSR

10. PATH TO WAR The Nazi-Soviet Pact
German officials proposed nonaggression treaty with Soviets and Stalin agreed
Believed it was the best way to protect USSR (capitalist nations fighting against each other)
Nonaggression pact was signed on August
Shocked world because Nazism and Communism were supposed to be totally opposed to each other
Britain and France understood that Hitler did pact to make sure he could focus war efforts against them
Didn’t know treaty also had secret deal to divide Poland between USSR and Germany

13. WORLD WAR II BEGINS THE WAR BEGINS MAIN IDEA
After Poland and France fell to the Nazis, the British evacuated thousands of trapped troops from Dunkirk

14. THE WAR BEGINS Sept. 1 1939 Germany invaded Poland
2 days later Britain and France declared war on Germany, World War II had started
Poland resisted but army was outdated
Rode horses and carried lances against German tanks
Germans used type of warfare called “blitzkrieg”
“lightning war”
Used large number of tanks to break through and encircle enemy positions and aircraft bombers supported tanks and sent in paratroopers
September 27 Warsaw fell (Polish Capital)
October Germany defeated Polish Military

16. THE WAR BEGINS The Fall of France
Western side quiet, British troops in France in defensive position (waiting for Germany to attack)
After World War I, France built line of concrete bunkers/ fortifications called “Maginot Line”
French preferred to wait behind line for Germany to attack.
Big Mistake!
Allowed Germany to concentrate on Poland first before facing British and French
Hitler decided to go around Maginot line (protected German and France boarder but not France and Belgium)

19. THE WAR BEGINS
May 10 Hitler order another Blitzkrieg in Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg
British and France expected it so raced North to Belgium but it was another mistake!
Germany’s tanks didn’t go through open Belgium country side, but through Ardennes Mountains of Luxembourg
Germans smashed through France and then turned to English Channel
French and British troops were trapped in Belgium (didn’t move back fast enough)

20. THE WAR BEGINS The Miracle at Dunkirk
British and French troops trapped and Germany tried to force them to English Channel
had to evacuate surviving troops by sea BUT Germans captured all ports but Dunkirk in Northern France
German troops were closing in on Dunkirk but Hitler ordered them to stop (no one knows why)
Theory: Hitler didn’t want to risk tanks till more infantry arrived
This provided 3 day delay giving British time to strengthen lines and prepare evacuation

21. THE WAR BEGINS 850 ships of all sizes headed to Dunkirk
Included navy ships and small civilian volunteer boats
48 mile trip that many made multiple times to rescue troops
Called “Operation Dynamo”
Hoped to rescue 48,000 but at end of 3 days 338,000 were by end of operation on May 4
Operation had price
British Army equipment left at Dunkirk
90,000 rifles, 7,000 tons of ammunition and 120,000 vehicles.. British wouldn’t have equipment to defend if Germany invaded Britain

23. THE WAR BEGINS June 22 1940, Hitler accepted French surrender
Germany controlled North France and Atlantic coast line
To govern rest of France installed puppet gov’t in Vichy with Marsha Philippe Petain leader
Powerless gov’t and work with Germans to suppress French people
US recognized Vichy France as official French government
General Charles DeGaulle and Free French Resistance challenged that gov’t…said it was illegal and that they were traitors
DeGaulle cooperated with Allied political leaders to fight Germans in France from Algiers (French colony)

25. WORLD WAR II BEGINS BRITAIN REMAINS DEFIANT MAIN IDEA
Despite the bombing of London and other major cities, Britain’s Winston Churchill stood firm against the threat of Nazi invasion

26. BRITAIN REMAINS DEFIANT
Hitler did not anticipate bravery of “Winston Churchill” leader of Britain
Replaced Chamberlain as prime minister
Hitler expected him to negotiate peace after France’s surrender
BUT Churchill vowed to ‘never surrender’
Hitler then had troops prepare to invade Britain
Getting across English Channel big problem
Didn’t have enough ships to transport and British Royal Air Force destroy them before landed
Hitler decided had to defeat British Royal Air Force first

27. BRITAIN REMAINS DEFIANT
June 1940 German air force (called Luftwaffe) began attacking British shipping in English Channel
Then Mid-August expanded battle to defeat Royal Air Force
This lasted into Fall 1940 called “Battle of Britain”
August 23 Luftwaffe accidently bombarded London
Angered British and next night they bombed Berlin (first time bombs fell in Germany)
Hitler angry and ordered to stop bombing air force concentrate on bombing London
Hitler’s goal to Terrorize British people into Surrender

29. BRITAIN REMAINS DEFIANT
British didn’t give in to Hitler
Took refuge in cellars and subways
British Royal Air Force outnumbered but had new technology
Used radar along coast to detect incoming German aircraft and direct fighters to intercept them
British inflicted more losses on Germans than what they suffered
Germany lost 1,733 aircraft British lost 915 fighter planes
Skill of British, Poles, Canadians, Frenchmen and a few Americans fighting in Royal Air Force stopped Hitler’s plan to invade Britain
October 12th 1940 Hitler canceled invasion of Britain

30. REVIEW QUESTIONS
What regions did Hitler take or demand in the lead-up to war?
By what means did Hitler overtake both Poland and France?
How was Britain able to resist Hitler and the Nazis?
What is the Maginot Line?
Who was Winston Churchill?