1. The Phoney War & The Winter War
SB, DM,
SA, KS

2. Thesis
The Phoney War began when Germany annexed Poland, and in retaliation, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Since most of Western Europe was distracted at the Siegfried/Maginot lines, Russia was able to successfully and easily attack Finland in the Winter War, which resulted in the Moscow Peace Treaty and Russia’s subsequent expulsion from the League of Nations.

3. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940-
Treaty of Moscow was signed
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line

4. Sept 3rd, 1939- Britain and France Declare War
Why?
The Sinking of the Athenia
A British ocean liner, not a war ship
German U-boat “U-30” sunk it
Blamed Winston Churchill for it, claiming he put a bomb on the boat
Public Reason to start the war
What did they do?
Mail-bomb 6 million copies of the propaganda pamphlet “Note to the German People” overnight
Only had a few strict words
Main point proven was to show how easily Germany could be air-bombed DM

5. Winston Churchill... Rank held? Highest was Prime Minister of Britain
Appointed on May 10, 1940 (the day Germany invaded the Low Countries)
During the Phoney War, he was “appointed first lord of the Admiralty and a member of the war cabinet” when Britain declared war on Germany (which was when?)
What did he do?
“Churchill gradually became a leading advocate for British rearmament” in 1933
He gave compelling speeches and overall boosted morale during the war
He wasn’t a huge player in the Phoney War/Winter War DM

6. Sitzkrieg The phase in war in which there is no actual fighting.
The Phoney War in a nutshell
Fighting was lackluster, more about the occupation
The term was originally made by the British press as a play of words on blitzkrieg (Lightning Warfare)
Literally translates to “Sitting War” SB

7. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940-
Treaty of Moscow was signed
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line

8. Sept. 10, 1939- British forces get to France
Led by General Lord Gort, British forces take a week to get to France
Once there, France and Britain stay west on the French side of the Maginot line
Germany stayed East of the Siegfried line
Overall, the lines stretch 280 miles
With all eyes focused on this border, Russia was able to attack a completely different part of Europe... DM

9. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940-
Treaty of Moscow was signed

10. Nov. 30, 1939- Russia attempts to annex Finland
For months Russia was trying to negotiate with Finland to gain a warm water port in return for some Russian Land
After Finland refuses many times Russia gives them an ultimatum and attacks when they refuse but many did not know this or think this was right at the time SB

11. A Game of Numbers
The Finnish troops were way outnumbered by the Soviet troops
In this example, red bags are Russia, and blue bags are Finland...
D/K

12. Finland held up very well
Although being attacked by one of the largest armies in the world at the time, Finland held strong with a home field advantage
This made the Soviets look really bad
Talk about how the war was not very long but the Finnish troops did very well with their guerilla tactics
Kind of like Russia, not a good place to attack in the winter SA

13. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940-
Treaty of Moscow was signed

14. Dec. 14- Russia is excluded from League of Nations
The Russian attack on Finland in 1939 was recognized as an act of aggression
The League of Nations kicks the USSR out
Stalin plans on incorporating Finland into Russia KS

15. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940-
Treaty of Moscow was signed

16. Breach of the Mannerheim Line
Soviets send a majority of their men to the Mannerheim Line to get through the Finnish forces
Eventually get through and continue North when everyone finally agrees to be done and make the Moscow Treaty KS

17. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940 Treaty of Moscow was signed

18. Moscow Peace Treaty
When: Signed by Finland and Soviet Union on March , ratifications exchanged on March Signed because Finland technically lost
Ratifications: Finland had to cede border areas to the Soviet Union. DM

19. Timeline
May 10, 1940
Germany invades Low Countries (next presentation!)
Sept. 3, 1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Sinking of the Athenia
December 14, 1939
Soviet Union forced out of League of Nations
October 17, 1939
Stalin attacks Poland
March 10th, 1940 The Soviets breach the Mannerheim line
Sept. 10, 1939
British forces get to France
November 30, 1939
Russia attempts to annex Finland
March 12th, 1940 Treaty of Moscow was signed

20. Celebrate Your Learning
How long did the Phoney War go for?
Summarize the Phoney War.
Summarize the Winter War.
What happened at the end of the Winter War?
What is Sitzkrieg? SB

21. Phoney War
What: 8 months long France/Britain declare war on Nazi Germany on September
Sitzkrieg: No actual fighting
Sitting war, Germany occupied Poland
Why: Germany invaded Poland and they had an alliance with Poland on September but Sinking of Athenia is the public reason they used (propaganda)
Ending: Germany attacked France and Low Countries on May SB

22. Winter War
What:
Military conflict between Soviet Union and Finland during the Phoney War.
Soviets invaded Finland on November (3 months after WWII starts)
Moscow Peace Treaty on March
Results:
Soviet Union expelled from League of Nations on December because attack was deemed illegal.
Moscow Peace Treaty was signed on March 12, 1940
Finland had to cede border areas to the Soviet Union SB

23. Work Cited
“Destroyer Escorts in the Atlantic.” Battle of the Atlantic, Accessed 17 Apr.
2017.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “Russo-Finnish War.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Apr. 2016,
Accessed 17 Apr
Roberts, Andrew. “Britain at War: The Phoney War and the Fall of France.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 7 Oct. 2008,
Accessed 17 Apr
“Russia, The Third Aggressor of WWII Attacks.” WWII : Finland's Winter War with Soviet Union, the Third Aggressor of WWII,
uralica.com/finnliv.htm. Accessed 17 Apr
“Winston Churchill.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 8 Nov. 2016,
Accessed 17 Apr
“WWII War Theatre Maps: Russo-Finnish War.” Map of Russo-Finnish War ( ),
Accessed 17 Apr
“The Phoney War.” History Learning Site,
Cole, Robert. “The Other 'Phoney War': British Propaganda in Neutral Europe, September-December 1939.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol.
22, no. 3, 1987, pp. 455–479.,
Rentola, Kimmo. “The Finnish Communists and the Winter War.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 33, no. 4, 1998, pp. 591–607.,