1. The Germans dominated the first three years of the war. WORLD WAR 2: THE EARLY YEARS

2. The German blitzkrieg tactic was highly successful in the early years of the war Poland defeated in four weeks in the fall of 1939 Spring 1940 Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Belgium fell quickly to German forces British forces retreated to Dunkirk and soon after evacuated the continent France falls in May 1940 German forces by passed the French Maginot Line by going through Holland and Belgium Germans divided France into two parts, the north under German occupation directed from Paris and the south under a puppet regime in Vichy lead by Philippe Petain

3. Italy enter the war following the fall of France From May 1940 to June 1941, Britain was the only nation at war with Germany Britain was able to with the Battle of Britain, avoiding a German invasion Spring 1941 Germany invades the Balkans June 22, 1941 Germany invades the Soviet Union The Germans ruled from the Atlantic to deep inside of the Soviet Union by 1942