2. World War II The War in Europe

3. Poland ► German-Soviet Pact ► Invaded on Sep. 1, 1939, surrender on Sep. 28, 1939 ► Britain & France declare war on Germany

5. Fall of France (June 22, 1940) ► Blitzkrieg Tactics combined infantry armor and air power to encircle the French ► Surrendered in the same railway car as the Germans in 1918…sending a message?

6. Dunkirk (May 26-June 3, 1940) ► British Army surrounded with back to the sea ► The British used every boat available from troop transports to private yachts ► Total of 558,000 saved but lost all the equipment

7. The Blitz (August-October 1940) ► Germans bombed London day and night ► Children evacuated from the city (sent to English countryside, often to live with strangers) ► 30,000 killed ► 50,000 injured

9. Battle of the Atlantic ► Longest Military campaign of the war from 1939-1945 ► German U-boats attacked allied shipping ► Germany wanted to strangle Britain (an island nation)

11. Operation Barbarossa (June- December, 1941) ► Germany attacked on a wide front ► The attack caught Stalin by surprise ► Soviets followed a scorched earth policy ► Drew Germans deep into USSR by winter.

12. U.S. Enters War ► U.S. Enters the War after the attack on Pearl Harbor ► FDR agrees to a Germany First policy (not a popular move at home)

13. The Big Three ► Joseph Stalin-USSR ► Winston Churchill- Great Britain ► Franklin Roosevelt-USA ► Met throughout the war ► Agreed to the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill (from left to right.

14. El Alamein (October 23- November 4, 1942) ► Turning point for the British ► Pushed Germans out of Egypt ► Protected the vital link with Asia the Suez Canal

16. Battle of Stalingrad (September 1942-February 2, 1943) ► Turning point for the Soviets in the War ► The city was devastated by the battle ► Entire German 6 th Army captured

17. Allied invasion of Africa and Italy (Summer 1943-June 1944) ► First time US troops saw battle ► North Africa to Sicily then to Italy ► Knocked Italy out of the War

18. Operation Overlord ► D-Day June 6, 1944 ► Landing beaches: Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah ► Largest amphibious assault in history ► See “Saving Private Ryan” early scenes.

19. Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944- January 25, 1945) ► Last German offensive of the war ► Planned to split the allies and drive to Antwerp in Belgium ► Attacked in the middle of winter and with inexperienced troops ► Germans pushed out by the US 3 rd Army

20. Victory in Europe ► Red Army takes Berlin ► Hitler committed suicide- April 30, 1945 ► The German Government & Army surrendered on May 8, 1945, also known as V- E Day.