1. Aim: Summarize the Events that Led to World War II

2. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
Sept 1, 1939: Hitler moved ahead with plans to conquer Poland
Sept 3: France & Britain declared war on Germany
The German invasion of Poland was the first test of Germany’s newest military strategy- The Blitzkrieg
“Lightning War”
Involved using fast-moving airplanes & tanks, followed by massive infantry forces to take enemy defenders by surprise & overwhelm them
April 9, 1940: Hitler launched a surprise invasion of Denmark & Norway
Germans began to build bases along the Norwegian & Danish coast from where they could launch strikes on Britain 2

3. The Fall of France
May 1940: Hitler began a dramatic sweep through the Netherlands, Belgium, & Luxembourg
Strategy by Germany to strike at France
Hitler then sent a larger force to slice through the Ardennes
After reaching the French coast, the Germans trapped the Allied forces around the northern French city of Lille
June 14: German had taken Paris
June 22: French leaders surrendered
After France fell, Charles de Gaulle (French General) set up government in London
Committed all energies to reconquer France 3

4. The Battle of Britain Great Britain stood alone against the Nazis
Winston Churchill (New British Prime Minister) declared that his nation would never surrender
Hitler’s plan was to knock out the Royal Air Force (RAF) & land 250,000 soldiers on England’s shores
Summer 1940: Luftwaffe (Germany’s air force) began bombing Britain
2 technological devices helped turn tide in the RAF’s favor
1) Electronic tracking system (Radar)
2) German code-making machine (Enigma)
Battle of Britain taught Allies that Hitler’s attacks could be blocked 4