WORLD WAR II START OF THE WAR

World War II Begins The immediate cause of World War II was the German invasion of Poland – Sept. 1, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Sept. 3 The Soviet Union invades Poland from the other side Hitler and Stalin had agreed to divide Poland It takes only three weeks to crush Polish resistance The Germans use blitzkrieg against the Poles who are still using horses

The Germans use Blitzkrieg “lightning war” Emphasized speed – it is quick and devastating 1. The Luftwaffe (German air force) leads the way, bombing and damaging defenses 2. The planes are followed by fast-moving tanks and artillery, 3. then soldiers who finished off any resistance The two opposing sides Axis Powers = Italy, Japan, and Germany Allied Powers = France and Great Britain (will be joined later by other nations)

After a winter spent planning, Hitler was ready to begin his assault on western Europe On April 9, 1940, German forces invaded and conquered both Denmark and Norway Hitler’s next focus was to attack and conquer France France feels safe behind the Maginot Line, a concrete fortress built along the French-German border The best soldiers are stationed there, concentrating on defense Belgium refuses to allow British and French troops into the country to set up defenses Hitler’s assault on France begins on May 10, 1940 when he launches three separate attacks Invades and conquers the Netherlands and Belgium – two countries that lay in between France and Germany The Allies come too late to save Belgium, which surrenders on May 28

At the same time on May 10th, Nazi forces blitzkrieg at the Ardennes Woods, where the French least expect it It is a dense forest region along the border between France and Belgium The French believe it impossible for an army to get through The result is that the Germans get through the woods in a couple of days and face inexperienced French troops The Germans defeat the French troops and are now moving through France with no resistance In five days the road to Paris is open Paris declares itself an open city to avoid being bombed Captured on June 14th as Nazis make a victorious march through the Arc de Triumph Italy invades France on June 10th and declares war on Britain as well French lose 8 soldiers to Italy’s 5,000

The major problem for the British is that almost their entire army is in France Evacuation at Dunkirk German tanks and troops have trapped hundreds of thousands of Allied troops who retreated to the coastal city of Dunkirk Hitler halts the march into France because of losses, this gives the Allies time to get away Between May 26th and June 4th, 800 boats from Britain, ranging from warships to fishing boats, evacuate 340,000 soldiers from France, including over 100,000 French soldiers Soldiers run into the water and swim to ships while Allied airplanes hold off the Luftwaffe 235 ships sunk and 68,000 soldiers killed It is considered a miracle that the British were able to save their army Leave all weapons and tanks behind

Fall of France France surrenders on June 21, 1940 Harsh terms, Hitler wants to humiliate France, sign a third peace treaty at the Versailles palace North France given to Germany and southeastern France goes to Italy The rest of southern France gets to remain independent, but must be loyal to Germany and cooperate with Hitler, called Vichy France Army reduced to 100,000 men and no more navy French ships are to go to Germany The British steal whatever French boats they can or sink them from falling into Nazi hands Must pay for war and German occupation – way more money than Germany had to pay after WWI

Hitler demanded these terms because he wants to punish and get revenge on France for the Treaty of Versailles after World War I Some French leaders, including General Charles de Gaulle, escape to Britain They will organize French resistance and work with the Allied powers Britain is now all alone in the war after their only ally surrenders “The Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin.” - Winston Churchill

Battle of Britain Lasted from August 1940 – May 1941 “Where Napoleon failed, I shall succeed. I shall land on the shores of Britain.” - Hitler Lasted from August 1940 – May 1941 Between Great Britain and Germany The British were now being led by Winston Churchill Hitler’s goal was to destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF) to make it possible to invade Britain Needs to destroy the RAF before ships can safely land troops on British soil In WWII, planes sink ships The Battle of Britain would be mostly an air battle

The Luftwaffe attacks British ports and shipping The Luftwaffe also attacks RAF airfields and factories British inflict heavy losses on the Germans because they have something the Germans don’t: radar Bomb London in September British repay by bombing Berlin Lend-Lease Act The U.S. “leases” Britain the military aid it needs and under the program, the weapons would be returned at the end of the war Britain can no longer pay for the military equipment it needs due to the war

London Blitz More than 70 attacks against the city, ends in May 1941 At one point London is bombed for 57 consecutive nights The goal is to terrorize the British people and cause them to lose their will to fight 1300 Londoners killed in one week Thousands of civilians are killed and large parts of London and other cities are destroyed Hitler calls off the operation, even though Britain was weakening because he is suffering too many losses: Luftwaffe lost 1400 planes to RAF’s 800 The RAF shot down German planes faster than German factories could build them Britain survives: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” - Churchill

Invasion of the Soviet Union Operation Barbarossa – German invasion of the Soviet Union – June 22nd, 1941 Hitler hates communism and views the Russian people as just a step above Jews Has no respect for the Russian army Orders the execution of Russians wearing the Communist insignia

The goal of the German invasion is to conquer the Soviet Union before winter hits Germany attacks with 3 million soldiers and at first the German blitzkrieg is highly effective German troops and tanks race across the Soviet countryside The Soviet army has lots of soldiers, but they are poorly trained and equipped Within six weeks one German army group is 220 miles from Moscow Expect to win before winter arrives As winter sets in, German progress slows and then stops Were unprepared for the Russian winter The Germans commit horrible atrocities against the Russian people: murder, torture, cities starved or completely wiped out The Russians knew this would be a fight to the death and they fought with a sense of desperation