1. World War II Begins

2. “Phoney” War??
Poland surrenders to Hitler in 26 days “Blitzkrieg”-lightning war
France moves to Maginot Line
Britain lands troops in northern France and blockade German ports
Very little fighting going on- ”Sitzkrieg”:sit-down war, prolonged siege

3. Soviet Involvement
Soviets invade Poland following agreement with Germany (9/17)
Soviets take control of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Soviets attack Finland, take control
League of Nations expel USSR

4. Immediate Threats to West
Germany invades Denmark (lasts 1 day) and Norway
Gives Germany outlet to Atlantic, puts western shipping in danger (had been problem in WWI)
Germany attacks Benelux, cuts off Allied troops-forces British evacuation at Dunkerque (Dunkirk) leaving French alone

5. Fall of France
Major French fortification Maginot Line useless-Germans outflanked line
Italy joins war declaring on France and Great Britain June 10, 1940
Attacks southern France

6. Fall of France-42 Days
French government resigns, replaced by Vichy gov’t that signs peace agreement w/ Germany
German troops occupy northern France; to be paid by France
French navy disarmed and port-bound
Southern France governed by Vichy gov’t collaborating with Germans

7. French Resistance
Resistors set up Free French gov’t led by Charles de Gaulle-they escaped to Britain or Africa
In German occupied territories, consisted of “underground”-called “Maquis” using sabotage

8. Battle of Britain
Luftwaffe attacks Britain continuously Sept and Oct 1940 hoping to wear down the British
RAF counter-attacks, use of RADAR allows Britain to control English Channel preventing invasion
Germans have blockaded Britain hoping to starve them into defeat

9. US Comes to Aid Neutrality Acts passed ‘35 and ‘37
1939 revised Neutrality Act allowed sale of arms-Britain
American sympathy grows after fall of France
September 1940 passed nat’l draft law
Lend-Lease Act: authorizes supply of war material to Britain on credit

10. Further US Involvement
Atlantic Charter-August 1941
The eight principal points of the Charter were:
no territorial gains were to be sought by the US or the UK
territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned
all people had a right to self-determination
trade barriers were to be lowered
there was to be global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare
the participants would work for a world free of want and fear
the participants would work for freedom of the seas
there was to be disarmament of aggressor nations, and a post-war common disarmament
Their vision of a post-war world
US does not agree to enter war

11. Vocabulary Blitzkrieg “phoney war” Collaborators “French Resistance”
Maquis
Sitzkrieg
RAF
Neutrality Acts
Isolationists
Lend-Lease Act
Atlantic Charter
Luftwaffe