1. World War II: Europe

2. The Sides Allies Axis Britain France United States (1941) Soviet Union
Includes commonwealths
France
United States (1941)
Soviet Union
Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia
Greece
Netherlands
Belgium
Axis
Germany
Italy
Japan
Hungary
Romania
Bulgaria
Thailand

3. 1939 March 15/16 – Nazis take Czechoslovakia
March 28 – Spanish Civil War ends
August 23 – Nazis and Soviet Union sign agreement to divide Poland
August 25 – British and Poland sign mutual defense treaty
September 1 – Nazis invade Poland
September 3 – Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany
September 17 – Soviet Union invades Poland
September 27 – Poland surrenders
September 29 – Nazis and Soviet Union divide Poland

4. Highlights: Nazis Appreciation
Hitler loved art and raided art from every area the Nazis took over
Such items that Nazis looted include:
Works by Monet, Picasso, and van Gogh
It’s estimated the Nazis plundered over 20% of all the art in Europe
A database today lists over 20,000 pieces of Nazi-stolen art that haven’t been returned

5. 1940 April 9 – Nazis invade Denmark and Norway
May 10 – Nazis invade France
May 10 – Churchill becomes PM of England
June 3 – Nazis bomb Paris
June 22 – France surrenders, armistice signed
July 10 – Battle of Britain begins
July 23 – Soviets invade Baltic States
August 3-19 – Italy invades Africa
August 13 – Germans begin bombing England
September 13 – Italy invades Africa
September 27 – Tripartite Pact (Axis) signed (mutual defense agreement)
October 15 – Chaplin releases “The Great Dictator”
November 5 – FDR reelected for third term

6. Hitler Gets France France and Germany were rivals in Europe
Hitler values the French as a culture
After surrendering, France becomes a puppet state known as Vichy France and works with the Axis powers

7. American Reaction
Americans wanted to remain neutral but could not ignore Hitler
Because of the anti-Semitic views, many celebrities began to speak out
Charlie Chaplin, America’s most famous actor, released a film to mock Hitler
“The Great Dictator” was Chaplin’s first true talking film and his speech at the end remains one of the iconic moments of cinema

8. 1941 February 14 – Afrika Korps arrive in Africa
March 11 – FDR signs Lend-Lease Act
June 14 – U.S. freezes Nazi and Italian assets
June 22 – Nazis invade Soviet Union
July 3 – Stalin begins scorched earth policy
August 1 – U.S. begins oil embargo on Japan
December 7 – Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 8 – U.S. enters World War II

9. Attack on Pearl Harbor
Hitler turned his attention to Soviet Union and the war entered its bloodiest phase
The U.S. tried to remain neutral but embargoed oil and scrap metal against Japan
Japan interpreted that as an aggressive action and responded with an attack of their own

10. 1942 January 20 – “Final Solution” of Jews begins
January 26 – U.S. forces arrive in Europe
April – Japanese internment camps in western U.S.
June – Gassing begins in Auschwitz
August 12 – Stalin and Churchill meet, agree on division of Europe
August 17 – U.S. forces begin air attacks
September 13 – Battle of Stalingrad begins
November 18 – Operation Torch (reclaim Africa) begins

11. Internment Camps
Americans thought that Japanese living in the Western U.S. could be spies for Japan
Japanese-Americans were sent immediately to internment camps until the end of war
The U.S. caught heavy criticism for the comparison to concentration camps

12. 1943 January 27 – First U.S. bombings of Germany
February 2 – Nazis surrender at Stalingrad – over 1.3 million dead
July 9 – Allies attack Italy
July 25 – Mussolini arrested
September 8 – Italians surrender
October 13 – Italy declares war on Germany
December 24 – Soviet Union begins westward attack

13. 1944 January 27 – Siege of Leningrad lifted, Nazis retreat
June 6 – D-Day/Operation Overlord
June 13 – Nazis use V1 Rocket for first time
July 24 – Soviets liberate first concentration camp
August 4 – Anne Frank and family arrested
August 25 – Paris liberated from Nazis
September 17 – Operation Market Garden, land-air raid behind German lines
December – Battle of the Bulge

14. D-Day Largest amphibious landing in history
Known as one of the roughest battles of the war
Unique because we invaded and won against some of the toughest Nazi fronts
Turning point of European theater – no more major Nazi victories

15. Battle of the Bulge Last great German offensive against Allies
“All or nothing”
Germans lost over 120,000 troops, 600 tanks, 1,600 planes
Americans lost nearly 90,000 men
General George Patton becomes a hero because of his actions

16. 1945 January 26 – Soviets liberate Auschwitz
February 4-11 – Yalta Conference, discuss post-war Europe
February – Firebombing of Dresden
April – Nazi stolen art discovered in salt mine
April 12 – FDR dies
April 21 – Soviets reach Berlin
April 28 – Mussolini recaptured and hanged
April 30 – Hitler commits suicide
May 7 – Nazis surrender
May 8 – V-E Day
August 6 – First atomic bomb dropped
August 9 – Second atomic bomb dropped

17. Victory!
With the Nazi surrender, attention turned to the Pacific theater and the Japanese threat
Winston Churchill announces victory