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Germany Dominates Europe. Europe 1939-1941. 1.Germany Strikes Europe. Europe feared Hitler would attack Poland first 1937 - GB + Fr signed an alliance with Poland to protect them GB + Fr tried to ally themselves with Russia but failed Stalin wanted to make a deal with Hitler instead
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Germany Dominates Europe Europe 1939-1941
1.Germany Strikes Europe • Europe feared Hitler would attack Poland first • 1937 - GB + Fr signed an alliance with Poland to protect them • GB + Fr tried to ally themselves with Russia but failed • Stalin wanted to make a deal with Hitler instead • 1939 - Hitler and Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact • Promised not to fight each other • They would divide Poland in ½ • Sep. 1, 1939 - Germany attacked Poland • Without help from GB/Fr, Poland was quickly defeated • GB/Fr knew only a war would stop Germany • Appeasement had failed • WWII had officially begun
2.Germany Looks to the West • GB+Fr were the main goals for Germany in the West • Smaller countries were in the way • First = clear a path • Denmark - 1 day • Norway - 6 mo. • Nether. - 4 days • Belg. – few weeks • Luxembourg. - ? (fast) • France was also attacked Norway Denmark Netherlands Belgium
3.France is Next • Germany first used the “Blitzkrieg” on Poland (1939) • Blitzkrieg = Fast-paced war attacking with tanks + planes to quickly… • break through defenses and drive deep into enemy territory • May 1940 - France was attacked by Germany • Germany hit France with lightning speed (avoid the trenches of WWI) • Britain sent troops to help but were quickly pushed back • British forces retreated back to England (Dunkirk) • France - defeated in 6 weeks Poland
4. Hitler Enters Paris • Hitler wanted to punish France because of the Versailles Treaty • French Army reduced to 100K • Country was split in half • N. France controlled by Germany • S. France controlled by a pro-German French Gov’t = Vichy • Forced to Pay reparations • French soldiers enslaved in German military factories • Sep. 1940 – Ger, Italy, and Japan signed the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis or Axis Powers
5. Battle of Britain • Germany wanted to invade GB • Had to get across the English Channel 1st • 1st Knock out the Royal Air Force • Ger + British planes dueled in the skies • British fighters were winning • German planes switched to bombing British cities • Cities burned, thousands of people were killed • But Britain held out • Prime Minister Winston Churchill boosted morale throughout – kept spirits up • Hitler became frustrated and impatient • While continuing to bomb GB… • Germany attacked the Soviet Union
6. The Pact is Broken(1941) • The Pact prevented a 2-Front war (major problem in WWI) • Stalin believed Hitler would never attack him • But Hitler always wanted to control the Soviet Union • Before attacking, wiped out all of the Balkan countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary) • Took longer than expected • Attacked Russia 6 weeks later than planned – ran into winter • Blitzkrieg broke down (cold weather; long supply lines) • Russia survived; 2-Front war was established (GB+Rus)
