German Offensive
Poland fell after just 3 weeks German Offensive Blitzkrieg (lighting war) surprise and overwhelming force…Luftwaffe airstrikes and then tanks and soldiers Poland fell after just 3 weeks
Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium The Fall of France May 1940 Germany had invaded Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium
The Battle of Britain Battle of Britain Nightly bombings of cities The German forces were driven off by the RAF - Royal Air Force -
The U.S. Provides Limited Aid In 1940, FDR announced that the US should become “The Great Arsenal of democracy” http://www.schooltube.com/video/bfb6358e949745c9aed5/SNL%20Seinfeld%20History%20Lesson
“the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Germany invaded the USSR - 1941 US began to aid Stalin and Communist Soviet Union “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Japan Attacks the U.S. PEARL HARBOR December 7, 1941 “A date which will live in infamy”
The Eastern Front - 1942 Germany attacks the Soviet Union Battle of Stalingrad won by the Soviets Brutal winter Massive Soviet counterattack Hitler refused to retreat Soviets lost over 1 million soldiers Soviet army began moving toward Germany
Allies were able to start their push towards Germany http://www.history.com/videos/atomic-bomb-ends-wwII#dday-invasion Operation Overlord D-Day June 6, 1944 70,000 troops land at Normandy, France Allies were able to start their push towards Germany
Adolf Hitler commits suicide Liberating Europe The Big Three - FDR, Churchill, Stalin Yalta Conference Roosevelt wanted Soviet support against Japan and Soviet participation in the United Nations Churchill pressed for free democratic elections in Eastern and Central Europe (Poland) Stalin demanded a Soviet sphere of political influence in Eastern and Central Europe, an essential aspect of the USSR's national security strategy. Adolf Hitler commits suicide Germany surrendered VE Day (May 8 1945)
Racial Purity Germany tried to prove their “superior” race The German government tried to identify persons of “inferior” race
The Ghettos Jews were forced to live in ghettos, overcrowded segregated areas within cities
Ghetto to Concentration Camps Jews were later relocated from ghettos to concentration camps where they were forced to work to support the Nazi war effort
Genocide the deliberate extermination of a specific group of people The Final Solution Genocide the deliberate extermination of a specific group of people Death Camps to carry out the extermination of all Jews
Holocaust Nazi racism led to the systematic murder of 11 million people in Europe The Jews suffered the most with 6 million deaths 90% of Jewish Population in Poland was murdered
The Nuremberg War Trials Death camps were discovered by Allied forces Nazi leaders were put on trial Charged with war crimes 12 of 24 were sentenced to death Goering, Hess, von Ribbentrop, Keitel