1. Chapter 16 Section 2 War In Europe
Main Idea:
Using the sudden mass attack called blitzkrieg, Germany invaded and quickly conquered many European countries.

2. Austria and Czechoslovakia Fall
Nov 5, 1937 Hitler met w/ military advisors
Declared that to grow and prosper Germany needed the land of the neighbors
Hitler’s 1st target =Austria
March 12, 1938 German troops marched into Austria unopposed
Hitler’s 2nd target Czechoslovakia

3. Bargaining for the Sudetenland
Hitler said the Czechs were abusing the Sudeten Germans
Great Britain and France promised to protect Czechoslovakia
Hitler met with French premier Edouard Daladier and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
He stated that this would be his “last territorial demand”
To avoid war they believed him and signed the Munich Agreement

4. Munich Agreement
To avoid war France and Britain believed Hitler and signed the Munich Agreement
This turned the Sudetenland over to Germany
Winston Churchill said that Britain and France adopted the policy of:
Appeasement-giving up principles to pacify an aggressor

5. The German Offensive Begins
After Hitler conquered Czechoslovakia he turned to Germany’s eastern neighbor POLAND
An attack on Poland would
Bring Germany in conflict w/ the Soviet Union
Provoke declaration of war from Britain and France (promised military aid to Poland)
Result would be fighting a 2 front war

6. Nonaggression Pact
Stalin surprised everyone by signing a nonaggression pact with Hitler
Fascist Germany and Communist Russia committed to never attack each other
Also signed a secret pact to split up Poland

7. BLITZKRIEG IN POLAND
Blitzkrieg (lightning war)- Germany’s new military strategy
Air force rained bombs over military bases, airfields, railroads and cities
Made use of tanks and powerful aircraft
September 3 (2 days after invasion) Britain and France declared war on Germany
WWII had officially begun!

8. THE PHONY WAR
After the fall of Poland French and British troops held the Maginot Line (along France’s eastern border)
Hitler sent Generals through the Ardennes (region of wooded area) in northwest France
Italy entered the war on the side of the Germany and defeated France

9. The Battle of Britain Summer of 1940
Germany could not compete with Britain’s navy
Germany launched an air war over Britain
On a single day (August 15th) about 2,000 German planes attacked Britain
Every night for 2 months bombers pounded London

11. RAF (Britain’s Royal Air Force)
RAF fought back against Germans
Used radar to detect and plot the flight paths of German planes
RAF shot down over 185 German planes
Hitler called off the attack indefinitely