1. Start of World War II
Chapter 24, section 2

3. German Aggression
Hitler set out to acquire “living space” for his growing Aryan nation
“Nature is cruel. We may be cruel too…We have the right to remove millions of an inferior race that breeds like vermin.”

4. German Aggression
Hitler’s first demands concerned Austria and Czechoslovakia

5. German Aggression 1938—Hitler sends troops into Austria
Annexes Austria
GB and France do nothing, hoped Hitler was satisfied and not demand more

6. German Aggression
Hitler announces German claims to the Sudetenland---an area in Czechoslovakia with a large German speaking population
Czechs resist claims—France and GB back them up

7. Munich Conference Munich Conference held in 1938 over the matter
Hitler promised he had no other plans for expansion
G.B. and France give Hitler the Sudetenland

8. Munich Conference
Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of GB, proclaimed “peace for our time”

9. German Aggression
6 months later, Hitler breaks agreement and invades/conquers rest of Czech.

10. German Aggression Hitler then demands a port in Poland
GB/France finally convinced appeasement did not work
Offers protection to Poland if Germany invades

11. Germany Aggression Hitler fears a two front war
Looks to make peace with the Soviet Union
Shocks the world with the announcement of the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact

12. German Aggression Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
1. Not to fight each other
2. Divide up Poland

14. German Aggression
Sept. 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland from the West, the Soviet Union from the East
Sept. 3rd, GB and France declare war on Germany

15. World War II (1939-1945) AXIS POWERS:Germany, Italy, and Japan
ALLIED POWERS:Great Britain, France, Soviet Union (1941), and the USA (1941)

16. Poland Germany invades Sept.1, 1939 Russia attacks from East
Within a month, Poland ceased to exist

17. Blitzkrieg German method of warfare “lightning war”
Depended on fast moving vehicles

18. Blitzkrieg Important part of German military was the Luftwaffe
Science played role in development of new weapons

19. French and British soldiers crowd behind Maginot Line
French and British soldiers crowd behind Maginot Line. Norway and Denmark fall to Germany.

20. Maginot Line
Massive defensive line built after WWI along the French/German border to prevent a future German invasion

24. Invasion of France May 1940, German forces invade France
Bypass Maginot Line and attack through forest in Belgium

26. Invasion of France France completely overwhelmed
330,000 French and British troops saved in the “Miracle of Dunkirk”

28. Invasion of France
June 22, 1940 France surrenders to Germany

29. Invasion of France
Charles de Gaulle will lead the “Free French” in fight against Axis

30. Battle of Britain GB now stood alone
Hitler thought GB would want peace
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill would not have it

31. Battle of Britain “Operation Sea Lion”
Goal: Launch massive air strikes to break will of citizens
Begins August 1940

32. Battle of Britain Lasted a month Germans bombed civilian targets
15,000 civilians killed
**Did not break will

33. Battle of Britain RAF played large role in defense for GB
“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”—Churchill