A Dark Time for the Allies World War II Begins A Dark Time for the Allies
Winston Churchill Prime Minister of Britain during WWII
Nazi-Soviet Non Aggression Pact August 23, 1939 Germany and Russia promise not to attack each other. This allows Hitler to start WWII without worrying about fighting a two front war.
The world was stunned The biggest enemies of the Nazis (aside from the Jews) had been the Communists
They agree to divide up Poland
Allies vs. Axis Allies Britain France Soviet Union United States 45 other smaller nations
Allies vs. Axis Axis Germany Italy Japan
Allies – Label and color in the Allies Great Britain Soviet Union France
Axis – Label and color in the Axis powers Germany Italy
Hitler invades Poland September 1939 Hitler and the Soviet Union invade Find Poland on your map Draw a line from Germany to Poland. Label it 1939 Draw a line from Soviet Union to Poland. Label it 1939
Poland
Poland Soviet Union Germany Poland
How did Hitler win? Blitzkrieg “lightning war” Planes bomb airfields, factories, towns and cities Then fast moving tanks and troop transports roared into the country
Why did Hitler use Blitzkrieg Trench Warfare was useless, Blitzkrieg got you land! Planes changed things
How long did it take? Poland fell in a little over 2 weeks Hitler did not make another aggressive move until spring of 1940
Hitler attacks France Spring 1940 Goes in through the Netherlands and Belgium Allied troops escape defeat at Dunkirk by using military and civilian boats to get across English channel Germans head south toward Paris
Map work Label Netherlands and Belgium on your map At the boarder between France and Belgium next to the English Channel place a dot and label that Dunkirk
Netherlands and Belgium
Netherlands and Belgium Dunkirk
Map of Dunkirk 300,000 Allied troops flee to England by boat
But France is not saved Hitler moves on Paris from the north and Italy moves in from the south By June 22, 1940 Hitler controls France Set up Nazi government in Vichy, France
Hitler in Paris
Hitler in Paris
Hitler in Paris
Map Work Draw an arrow from Germany through the Netherlands and Belgium and then down into France. Label it 1940 Draw an arrow from Italy up to France and label it 1940
France Falls
Battle for Britain By June 1940 Britain stands alone against Axis powers Hitler starts Operation Sea Lion – to invade Britain
Battle for Britain But he will bomb them first to weaken them – August 12, 1940 British Royal Air Force vs. the Luftwaffe (German Air force) First it is just against military targets
London Blitz September 7 1940 Lasts 57 nights 15,000 civilians die Live your life by the Air Raid siren Hide in cellars, bomb shelters, cold subways Wait till the all clear
London Blitz A spotter searches the horizon for German aircraft.
London Blitz Bomber headed for London.
Air Raid Siren Hide in the Tube!!!
London Blitz St. Patrick’s Cathedral stands as a beacon of hope among the smoke and flames in London
London Blitz
London Blitz Firemen work on a blaze. A daily occurrence during the height of German bombing in London.
London Blitz Confused women stand among the ruins of a demolished building.
London Blitz Children survey the wreckage of another destroyed building.
Winston Churchill – Inspires his people
It Failed The city did not break under the attack Bombing failed to crush the British, instead it brought them together. By June 1941 Hitler gave up the London Blitz
Battle for the Soviet Union June 1941 He wants living space Lebensraum Attacked France for revenge He wants to expand Germany to the east
Battle for the Soviet Union 3 million Germans pour into Russia 2.5 million Russian soldiers die trying to fend off German By Autumn 1941 Germans were deep into the Soviet Union and poised to take Leningrad and Moscow
Map Work Draw an arrow from Germany deep into the Soviet Union label it 1941
Battle for the Soviet Union
Not good
Hitler is about to win! It is a dark time for Europe