World War II Europe

Job 1: Nations Label the following nations on your map: France United Kingdom Poland GermanyBelgiumSoviet Union NetherlandsLuxembourg

Job 2: Symbols We will place arrows and symbols on our map. All arrows and symbols will be time stamped. Arrows represent offensives. We will need 3 colors: German offensives Russian offensives Allied offensives You will to make a symbol for battles, and draw airplanes for the Battle of Britain.

Job 3: Complete the notes outline There is a notes outline to complete with the PowerPoint.

Blitzkrieg Lightning war Overcome defensive positions First Wave: Dive Bombers Second Wave: Tanks Third Wave: Infantry No stalemates like WWI

Invasion of Poland September 1939 Germany attacks Poland to take back land lost after WWI. Even though Germany and the Soviet Union looked at each other as enemies, they agreed to not attack one another and divide Poland between themselves. This non-aggression pact was temporary. France and United Kingdom declare war on Germany. Germans from the West Soviet Union from the East

Draw Arrows Draw arrows on your map that represent these 2 offensives: Germany to Poland Soviet Union to Poland Label these offensives September 1939

Invasion of France and Low Countries May 1940 No stalemate this time! May 10, 1940 Germany attacks west! Six weeks later, Belgium, Netherland, and France were all occupied.

The Battle of Dunkirk May to June 1940 One BIG German screw up! The British were able to evacuate 340,000 soldiers while the Germans hesitated. Those soldiers would fight again.

Draw arrows and battle symbol Draw arrows from Germany through the low countries and northern France. Label these arrows May Draw your symbol for Dunkirk and label it May-June 1940.

The Battle of Britain Summer and Fall of 1940 Scrambling to get to their planes! Invasion of Britain? The Germans could not invade Britain with out air superiority. The Battle of Britain was a titanic struggle between the air forces. The British won which represented Hitler’s first setback. MORE WILL COME!

Airplanes Draw two airplanes (German and British) over the United Kingdom. Label these planes the Battle of Britain and date them Summer and Fall 1940.

Invasion of the Soviet Union June Objectives: Living space or lebensraum. Resources particularly oil. Defeat Communism. 3 Offensives in 1

Draw arrows and battle symbol A large arrow headed east from Poland into the Soviet Union should be labeled June Place the cities of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad on the map. Divide your arrow into three prongs each headed to a city. Put symbols for these three battles: Moscow October 1941 to January 1942; Leningrad September 1941 to January 1944; Stalingrad July 1942 to February 1943.

Turning Points in the East 1943 Kursk July 1943 Stalingrad February 1943

The tide is turning! In February, the Germans lost the most significant battle on the eastern front at Stalingrad. In July, they lost at the Battle of Kursk. This battle was seen as Germany’s last offensive, and put the Germans in full retreat mode.

Draw arrow and battle symbol Draw an arrow from the Soviet Union west to the Western boundary of Poland Label this offensive July 1943 Label the end of the line along the German Polish border December Soviets on the march

Allied invasion of France June 1944 Open a second front against the Germans The United States, United Kingdom, and Canada invaded France and pushed toward Germany. This put tremendous pressure on an already strained Germany. Germany’s last stand came in December with their desperate offensive called the Battle of the Bulge.

Draw arrows and battle symbol December 15, 1944 Allies are on the border Germany’s last desperate offensive

Draw arrows and battle symbol Draw an arrow from the United Kingdom to France then across to the border with Germany. Label this June Make a battle symbol where Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium meet. Label this the Battle of the Bulge December 1944.

The Fall of Germany Spring 1945 Germany was smashed between two armies Soviet capture of Berlin

Draw arrows and battle symbol Place the Elbe River on the map. Draw an arrow from Poland west to the Elbe. Label it January Draw an arrow from Belgium east to the Elbe. Label it January Put a symbol on Battle symbol on Berlin and label it April 1945.

The Meeting at the Elbe April 1945 This meeting of the two armies became the boundary between the future East and West Germany.

Victory!