World War II: The War Begins Level 2
Non Aggression Pact- August 1939 Agreement between Germany and USSR (Russia) not to attack each other for 10 years Russia got time to build its Army Germany got to fight a one front war
September 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland in violation of the Munich Agreement http://quest.eb.com/images/300_2290305?subjectId=0&collectionId=0&keyword=German+invasion+of+Poland&localizeMetaData=false
Britain and France Declare war on Germany http://quest.eb.com/images/140_1659525?subjectId=0&collectionId=0&keyword=German+invasion+of+Poland&localizeMetaData=false
Hitler’s invasion of Poland is the immediate cause of WWII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y9NexpibEo video #6 http://quest.eb.com/images/140_1654452?subjectId=0&collectionId=0&keyword=German+invasion+of+Poland&localizeMetaData=false
In April 1940, Hitler conquered Denmark & Norway. Blitzkrieg had begun http://quest.eb.com/images/109_145719?subjectId=0&collectionId=0&keyword=German+invasion&localizeMetaData=false
Blitzkrieg *Quick strikes of air and land power using troops, tanks, planes *Because of its speed, this strategy was called lighting war http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA-mkaKEqf4 (Blitzkrieg video #7)
*France surrendered in June of 1940 and would be occupied by Germany for the remainder of the war
“We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be” -Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of Great Britain) The Battle of Britain
Rather than risk a costly land invasion, Hitler attempted to bomb Britain into submission *Radar was a new technology that gave British planes an advantage in defending the island *After three months of heavy bombing, Hitler began to give up
Battle of Britain: The “Blitz”- the bombing of British cities, Sept *Battle of Britain: The “Blitz”- the bombing of British cities, Sept. 1940-Mar. 1941
*The London “Tube”: Air Raid Shelters during the Blitz