World War II

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The Polish Campaign –9/1/39: WWII began with the German attack on Poland. –Blitzkrieg technique. –Poland crushed in less than a month. –Stalin invaded Poland from the east on 9/17. –Poland partitioned at the end of the month.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The Soviet Sphere of Influence –While standing apart from the main conflict, the Soviets moved to establish a sphere of influence in E. Europe. –11/39 to 3/40: Winter War vs Finland. Finns forced to cede 16,000 miles of territory near Leningrad to Soviet Union. –Spring 1940: Soviets annexed Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The Phony War –Description of the war in the west, –Hitler did not carry out his anticipated offensive against France. –Anglo-French allies didn’t move against Germany. –The Maginot Line.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, Hitler’s Scandinavian Campaign –4/9/40: Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. GOAL = shipping route for iron ore from neutral Sweden thru Norway’s coastal waters to Germany. Germans occupied Denmark. –British failure to relieve Scandinavia forced Chamberlain to step down. 5/10/40: Churchill became prime minister.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The War in the West, 1940 –5/10/40: German assault on W. Europe began with an attack on the Low Countries. Outflanked the Maginot Line.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The War in the West, 1940 –Surrender of the Netherlands and Belgium. Netherlands fell in 5 days. Belgian surrender at the end of May led to the British evacuation from Dunkirk.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The War in the West, 1940 –The Fall of France 6/5/40: Battle of France began. 6/10/40: Italy entered the war. –Mussolini jealous of Hitler’s gains and wanted to share in the spoils of victory. 6/14/40: Germans took Paris. French government of Reynaud fell.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The War in the West, 1940 New French government, headed by Marshal Petain, signed an armistice on 6/22. Germany occupied northern and western France. Petain’s collaborationist government ruled unoccupied France from Vichy in central France.

Hitler’s March of Conquest, The War in the West, 1940 –The Free French General Charles de Gaulle fled to London on the eve of French surrender. Established the Free French movement, a government-in-exile committed to continuing the war.

The Battles of Britain and the Atlantic The Battle of Britain –With the fall of France, only GB stood against Germany. –The RAF against the Luftwaffe. –Operation Sea Lion. –Newly invented radar warning system. –Bombing of British Cities. Effort to destroy industry and weaken morale.

Operation Sea Lion.

The Battles of Britain and the Atlantic The Battle of Britain –Hitler’s Diversion to Russia. –Planning for Operation Barbarossa. –British would have to surrender once the Soviets were defeated.

The Battles of Britain and the Atlantic The Battle of the Atlantic –German U-boats sinking British shipping in the Atlantic. –American aid to Great Britain. Cash and carry. Lend-Lease Act. –Allied Victory in the Atlantic. Nov., 1942: last month in which allied losses exceeded new construction. May, 1943: first month in which German sub losses were greater than new subs in service. Unimpeded supply of manpower and supplies.