2.  Treaty of Versailles  Fascism  Failure of the League of Nations  Japanese imperialism  Economic problems worldwide- depression

3.  Shortly after signing a nonaggression pact with Russia, Hitler was ready for all out war.  On September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland.  This attack on Poland marked the official beginning of World War II.

4.  German forces used a new tactic known as blitzkrieg.  German for “lightning war” it consisted of powerful fast moving planes and ground forces.  An air strike would begin attacks followed by fast moving columns of tanks and mobile artillery. Behind the tanks and artillery were foot soldiers looking for any remaining resistance.

5.  Although Poland was ill prepared to stop the German blitzkrieg, it did have the support of the French and British.  Shortly after Hitler invaded Poland, France and Britain declared war on Germany.  Following the win in Poland Hitler took Denmark and Norway, then looked to take France.

6.  French and Allied troops rushed to stop the Germans from breaking through France from the Netherlands and Belgium.  At the same time the Germans began a push through the dense forest of the Ardennes.  French leaders thought that the thick forest of the Ardennes would stop the Germans but German tanks emerged from the forest and overwhelmed the French.

7.  Germany easily defeated the resistance in France and controlled much of the country.  The Germans placed the remainder of France in the hands of French officials that cooperated with Hitler.  Many French leaders escaped to Britain and organized a resistance to help liberate their country.

8.  After the fall of France, the British stood alone in opposition against Germany.  Great Britain was under a new leader: Winston Churchill. Hitler knew it would be hard to take Britain.  Hitler's plan to take England, called Operation Sea Lion, began with an air attack over Britain.

9.  Known as the Battle of Britain, thousands of German airplanes ran bombing missions over England.  Although Hitler’s planes destroyed much of England, the British held on with the leadership of Winston Churchill.

10.  Once Hitler realized he could not take Britain he focused on an attack on Russia.  In 1941 Hitler broke his nonaggression pact with Stalin.  At first the Russians were no match for the German military. However, as the Germans pushed deeper into Russia they were halted by the Russian winter.  The Germans troops lacked equipment and worked poorly in the Russian weather.  Eventually the Russians began to fight back and started to push the Germans back.

11.  While war raged in Europe many Americans wanted to avoid getting involved in another conflict.  However, America was helping the Britain and the Allied Powers through the Lend-Lease Act.  a program under which the United States supplied Great Britain, the USSR, Republic of China, Free France, and other Allie nations with materiel and money between 1941 and August 1945.  Although America wanted to avoid conflict, in 1940 a draft was held to build up the military’s rank in the event of war.

12.  In Southeast Asia, the Japanese moved its forces into an oil and rubber rich Allied Controlled colonies. They resented the fact that these Asian resources were controlled by non-Asian countries.  In response America banned the sale of oil to Japan. This move was meant to slow down the Japanese war machine.

13.  Japan continued to talk peace with the United States while in secret they were planning for war.  On December 7, 1941 the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet harbored at Pearl Harbor.  The Japanese believed that it would take the U.S. at least 2 years to recover and they would have time to take other areas and then defeat the U.S.

14.  The attack on Pearl Harbor caused many Americans who had previously wanted peace to call for war.  On December 8, 1941 the U.S. Congress declared war on Japan. Arizona Memorial

15.  Soon the Allies began to focus on Italy.  The invasion of Italy was launched on the island of Sicily.  After some light resistance, the Italian government eventually removed Mussolini from power and the Allies made plans to take the Italian mainland.

16.  While the German advance into Russia was slowed down, the Germans were able to take key cities in Russia.  Stalingrad was on of Russia’s largest industrial cities. It was named in honor of Joseph Stalin.  The battle that took place there was one of the most brutal of the war.

17.  During the Battle of Stalingrad, the Germans bombed the city into rubble.  Although the Russians were pinned in the city they fought fiercely from the rubble of the city.  Stalin was determined to hold the city that was his namesake.

18.  On June 6, 1944 or D-Day the allies launched over 150,000 troops on the shores of Normandy in France. (the D doesn’t stand for anything)  Lead by American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, D-Day was launched in an effort to liberate Europe from Nazi control.  American and Allied forces met heavy resistance but were able to push back the German army.

19.  After D-Day, Allied troops pushed from both the west and east towards Germany.  Hitler order a last massive assault in December of 1944. While the Germans made some advances, they could not break through Allied lines.  The German advance created a “bulge” in Allied lines, thus it became known as the Battle of the Bulge.

20.  With the Soviets and Allied forces pushing on Germany from both sides, Hitler took his own life in a underground bunker in Berlin.  In April of 1945, Soviet and American troops met in Berlin.  Berlin and Germany surrendered that same day.  Finally in May of 1945 Germany officially surrender to the allies. May 8, 1945 was officially called V-E Day. (Victory in Europe Day)