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World War II. 1939-1945. Hitler’s Lightning War. Germany used “Blitzkrieg” – or lightening war Planes bombed airfields, factories, towns, etc. Then tanks and troops roared into the country Motorized high speed “keep enemy off balance. Poland was conquered within a month
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World War II 1939-1945
Hitler’s Lightning War • Germany used “Blitzkrieg” – or lightening war • Planes bombed airfields, factories, towns, etc. • Then tanks and troops roared into the country • Motorized high speed “keep enemy off balance
Poland was conquered within a month • Soviet forces took control of • Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and part of Finland
Invasion of Poland • Two days later Britain & France declared war • So begins the phase of the war called the “phony war” • Coalition Forces wait at the “impenetrable defensive barrier”Maginot Line where all was quiet • Why did the Allied forces not go on the offensive?
Maginot Line http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/interactives/inside-wwii-interactive
European Nations Continue to Fall Miracle of Dunkirk • Germans pushed all French/British troops to the coastline • British sent an improvised armada to rescue trapped soldiers in France • April 1940, launched blitzkrieg against: • Norway • Denmark • Netherlands • Belgium http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FddKPGE19wA&feature=relmfu
France Falls to Axis Powers • Germany heads toward Paris! • Benito Mussolini of Italy put his Pact of Steel with Hitler into action • Italy declared war against France and Britain on June 10 • June 22, 1940 – French surrender • a new government formed by Marshal Philippe Petain (France's hero of World War I) requested an armistice • France was divided into two zones, one under German military occupation and the other under Petain's government (south) • Petain’s government was Hitler’s “puppet”
France (cont.) • Charles de Gaulle – French general, set up a government in exile in London. • Committed to re-conquering France. • Organized Free French military who battled the Nazis until France was liberated in 1944.
WWII Technology • Air power takes prominent role • Luftwaffe- German air force • Parachute troops role increases • Tanks were much improved from WWI • Deadlier bombs • Radar – to detect planes • Sonar – to detect submarines http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi7mcJCOWp4
Operation Sea Lion • Hitler now turned his attention to Britain, • invasion (Operation Sea Lion) German planes bombed Britain throughout the summer of 1940 • including night raids on London and other industrial centers
The Battle of Britain • Known as the “London Blitz” • 8/12/1940 – air attacks on southern England • Germans bombed London for 57 nights • Considered a failure because British did not quit • Continued until May 10,1941 • The Royal Air Force (RAF) eventually defeated the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) • Hitler turns his attention out of Britain onto the Eastern Front
Winston Churchill What is Churchill’s prediction if they lose to the Nazi army? -End of the free world Prime Minister who rallied Britain to fight against Nazi aggression “voice of calm” Britain began receiving crucial aid from the U.S. under the Lend-Lease Act, passed by Congress in early 1941. Churchill rallies the British http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/interactives/inside-wwii-interactive
The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front • Hitler’s goal: continue expanding German property…. • East of the Balkans • Mediterranean Sea • SOVIET UNION
North Africa • Mussolini takes North Africa in September of 1940 while the Battle of Britain was going on. • Attacked British controlled Egypt. • Egypt’s Suez Canal = key to reaching oil fields of the Middle East • Britain strikes back in December and by February 1941 • Italy needs help…
Hitler lends help to Mussolini • Germans come in with the AfrikaKorps • German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia • its first commander Erwin Rommel “Desert Fox” • Seize Tobruk= loss for the Allies
The Nazi Empire Continues to Grows • These nations mostly devote resources and political alliance to the Nazis • They deport Jews to Poland • The employ secret police forces • They become puppet governments The Axis power grows.. • Bulgaria • Hungary • Romania • Greece and Yugoslavia had pro-British governments • Resist Hitler • Hitler invades them
Operation Barbarossa! • 1941 go get the USSR!!! • The Soviet Union was their allies…Why invade? • Plentiful Soviet resources! • Stalin had the largest army in the world but it wasn’t prepared! • 3 million Germans caught Stalin’s 5 million unprepared • Soviets retreated • Used “torch-earth policy”
German’s surrounded Leningrad • Starved them • USSR lost 2.5 million troops • Next moved towards Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union! • Germans were halted by Russia’s cold weather October 1941 • Germany fails to take Moscow!
America Gets Involved • End of Neutrality Acts • Lend-Lease Act (1941) • Selling or lending of war materials to countries “Vital to US defense” • United States of America supplied Britain, Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations • Atlantic Charter (Aug. 1941) • FDR and Churchill agree on: • Free trade and the right of people to CHOOSE their government • “Final destruction of Nazi tyranny”
Japan Attacks; Pearl Harbor (Day of Infamy) • America controlled Philippine Islands and Guam • Japan had successfully grabbed Manchuria, China and beyond…plans to take Southeast Asia • http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/interactives/inside-wwii-interactive Japan invades • America sends aid to China • 1940 FDR bans the sale of iron, steel and airplanes to Japan
Japan felt that the US was interfering in their plans to expand • 12/7/1941 – Japan surprise attacks American fleet @ Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) 2,400 deaths • US declares war on Japan (12/8/1941) • Germany, Italy declare war on US four days later!
Total War • Factories stopped making cars & refrigerators & made planes & tanks • Shoes and sugar were rationed • Use of propaganda • War ended unemployment of the depression • Japanese people in US and Canada • Lost their jobs and property • Forced into camps • Seen as a security risk
