3. 32.1 Hitler’s Lightning War
Using the sudden, mass attack called the blitzkrieg, Germany overruns much of Europe and North Africa

4. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
Secret Agreement
Nonaggression pact—Stalin and Hitler signed a 10-year agreement in 1939.
Agreement included secret deal to divide Poland, and USSR could take over Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
Ribbentrop and Stalin at the signing of the Pact

5. Text of the secret protocol (in German)

6. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
Germany’s Lightning Attack
September 1, 1939—Hitler launches a surprise invasion of Poland
Britain, France declare war on Germany, but Poland falls quickly
Blitzkrieg—lightning war—Germany’s new military strategy
Fast-moving airplanes, tanks, followed by massive infantry forces.
Used to surprise enemy and quickly conquer

8. The Soviets Make Their Move
September 17, 1939, Soviet troops occupied the eastern half of Poland,then moved to annex Lithuania.
Finland resisted
Soviets unprepared for winter fighting which was a critical mistake
Soviets suffered heavy losses, but finally won.

9. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
The Phony War
French, British mobilize along French border known as the Maginot Line, and waited for German attack
Many months of no action—the “Phony War”
British Ministry of Home Security poster of a type that was common during the Phony War

10. Germany’s Lightning Attack
The Phony War
In April, 1940, Hitler surprise attacks and quickly captures Denmark and Norway.
Once they fell, Germany built bases from which they could launch strikes on Great Britain

12. German infantry attacking through a burning Norwegian village.

13. German Neubaufahrzeug tanks in Oslo.

14. The Fall of France Further Gains
May 1940—Hitler began a sweep through Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg
In ten days, German army reached France’s northern coast.

15. The Fall of France Rescue at Dunkirk
End of May 1940, German forces trap Allied forces on coast of Dunkirk
British Navy and civilians take ships across the English Channel to rescue soldiers
Carried 338,000 soldiers to safety.
British troops evacuating Dunkirk's beaches. Many stood shoulder deep in water for hours, waiting to board the warships.

16. Rescue at Dunkirk

17. Evacuation of Dunkirk

18. The Fall of France France Falls
June 1940—Germany takes Paris and France surrenders.
Germany controlled the north and left the south to a puppet government in Vichy.
Charles de Gaulle, French general, set up a government in-exile in London. Organized the Free French Military.

20. The Battle of Britain Threat to Britain
When France fell, Great Britain stood alone against the Nazis.
Winston Churchill— Becomes British prime minister and vows no surrender.

21. Winston Churchill giving his famous 'V' sign
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets… we shall never surrender.”

22. The Battle of Britain
Germany planned invasion of Britain; began with air attacks in 1940
German air force first targeted airfields then the cities
British air force (RAF) although outnumbered hit back hard.
Radar and the Enigma (code-breaking) helped the British to resist Germany
Battle of Britain—Air war over Britain that lasted until May 1941
Stunned by British resistance, Hitler turns his focus to Mediterranean and Eastern Europe
Taught the Allies a crucial lesson - Hitler’s attacks could be blocked.

23. Aircraft spotter on the roof of a building in London. St
Aircraft spotter on the roof of a building in London. St. Paul's Cathedral is in the background. 306-NT-901B-3.

24. Standing up gloriously out of the flames and smoke of surrounding buildings, St. Paul's Cathedral is pictured during the great fire raid of Sunday December 29th." NT-3173V.

25. Over 500 firemen and members of the London Auxiliary Fire Fighting Services, including many women, combined in a war exercise over the ground covered by Greenwich (London) Fire Station." Ca. July NT

26. Children of an eastern suburb of London, who have been made homeless by the random bombs of the Nazi night raiders, waiting outside the wreckage of what was their home." September NT-3163V.

27. Two bewildered old ladies stand amid the leveled ruins of the almshouse which was Home; until Jerry dropped his bombs. Total war knows no bounds. Almshouse bombed Feb. 10, Newbury, Berks., England." Naccarata, February 11, SC

28. Life in London during the war
Life in London during the war. View of a V-1 rocket (flying bomb) in flight, ca NT-3157V.
The British nickname was a “Doodlebug”

29. A London bus is submerged in a bomb crater after a German air raid.

31. The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front
Axis Forces Attack North Africa
Mussolini and Italy at first neutral
Mussolini declares war on France and Britain after German victory
September 1940—Mussolini attacks British in North Africa.
Pushed into Egypt for the Suez Canal.

32. Italian L3/33 in North Africa

33. The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front
Britain Strikes Back
December 1940—British attack and drive Italians back
Took 130,000 Italian prisoners
To save his Axis partner, Hitler sent a German tank force commanded by General Erwin Rommel.
In 1942, Rommel (“Desert Fox”) first retreats then succeeds against British

34. Gen. Erwin Rommel with the 15th Panzer Division between Tobruk and Sidi Omar. Sdf. Zwilling, Libya, January or November 24, EAPC-6-M713a.

35. General Bernard L. Montgomery watches his tanks move up
General Bernard L. Montgomery watches his tanks move up." North Africa, November PU-138LL-3.

36. The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front
The War in the Balkans
Hitler plans to invade Soviet Union; the Balkans were key to Hitler’s invasion plan
Early 1941, Hitler persuaded Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to join the Axis Powers.
Yugoslavia and Greece resisted
Hitler invaded Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941; both fell quickly

37. An animation depicting the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia from the Why We Fight series of propaganda films.

39. The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front
Hitler Invades the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa - Hitler’s plan to invade the Soviet Union
Germany invades an unprepared Soviet Union in June 1941
As Soviets retreated, they used the scorched-earth strategy like they did with Napoleon
Germans stopped at Leningrad, forced to undertake long siege
1 million Russians died during the winter of
The city refused to fall

41. The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front
Hitler Invades the Soviet Union
Impatient, Hitler looked to Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union.
December, 1941, Soviets counter-attacked causing the Germans to retreat.
Hitler ordered “No Retreat!”
German soldiers in summer uniforms
Held line 125 miles west of Moscow until March of 1943
Gained nothing, but cost the German’s 500,000 lives

42. Russian soldiers prepare to attack German lines outside Leningrad.

43. A column of Red Army POWs captured near Minsk is marched west.

44. A group of Soviet POWs, taken to undefined Prison Camp

45. The United States Aids Its Allies
American Policy
Most Americans wanted to avoid war
Between 1935 and 1937, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts making it illegal to sell or lend money to nations at war.
To support the Allies, Roosevelt asked congress to allow Allies to buy American arms.
Lend-Lease Act— President could lend or lease arms to any country vital to the United States.

46. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease bill to give aid to Britain and China (1941)

47. The United States Aids Its Allies
Roosevelt and Churchill meet, issue statement of principles
Atlantic Charter— supports free trade, right to choose their own government