1. WORLD WAR II START OF THE WAR

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

9. 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

10. 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

12. 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

14. 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

15. 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

17. 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

18. 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