1. Hitler’s Lightning War WWII Begins

2. Hitler Grabs New Territories The Rhineland Austria Czechoslovakia Then he turned to Poland to reclaim the Polish Corridor

3. Rhineland & Corridor

4. Nonaggression Pact 10 year pact between Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) and Adolf Hitler (Germany). Hitler promised Stalin territory Secretly agreed to divide Poland between them USSR could take over Finland and the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Lativia, and Estonia

5. Hitler courting Stalin

6. Germany’s Lightning Attack Hitler attacked Poland at dawn on September 1, 1939 Known as Blitzkrieg First test of Germany’s newest military strategy Use fast-moving planes and tanks followed by massive infantry forces

7. Blitzkrieg

8. Allies are too late September 3 rd, 1939, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany However, Poland fell to Germany quite sometime before the allies could make a military response.

9. Poland Germany annexed the West The USSR sent troops to occupy Eastern Poland on September 17 th, 1939

10. Poland Divided Between Germany and Russia

11. Soviets make their move Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia fell without struggle Finland resisted November Stalin sent 1 million troops into Finland Expecting a quick victory they didn’t prepare for a winter battle #s again benefit the soviets March 1940 Finns surrender

12. The Phony War “Sitzkrieg” = sitting war French and British armies mobilized around the Maginot Line (F&G border) Allies waited on Germans to attack and nothing happened Germans decided to launch a surprise attack elsewhere

13. Denmark and Norway April 9, 1940 Hitler launched a surprise invasion Denmark fell in just 4 hours Norway surrendered 2 months later

15. Significance of Denmark and Norway This gave Germany bases along the Norwegian and Danish coasts from which they could launch strikes on Great Britain

16. Exit Slip Summarize the events that led to the second world war.