1. 16.1 Hitler’s Lightning War
Alex Anderson
Justin Abarquez
Eric Bonfadini

2. Germany Sparks A New War in Europe
Hitler takes Rhineland, Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Hitler Demands Polish Corridor
Germany’s Lightning Attack on Poland
Great Britain and France resist
Previously, U.S.S.R. had signed non-aggression pact with Germany. Publicly, they agreed not to attack each other, but privately they agreed that the U.S.S.R. could take over Finland and the Baltic Countries.
Hitler launches surprise attack on Poland on September 1st, 1939
Hitler overwhelms Poland with troops
Used “Blitzkrieg” or lightning war. Used fast planes and tanks, followed by massive infantry forces to take the foe by surprise.
On September 3, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany, beginning WWII
The Soviets Make Their Move
September 17, Stalin sends troops to occupy eastern half of Poland and begins annexing the regions in second part of agreement
All fall without struggle except Finland
Stalin sends one-million troops, but does not consider winter. Finnish put up good fight though greatly outnumbered. They lose eventually
The Phony War
All is calm for seven months after Poland Falls.
April 9, 1940 Hitler Launches Surprise attack on Denmark and Norway
Denmark Falls after four hours. Norway follows two months later.

3. The Battle for France and Great Britain
May 1940, Hitler sweeps though Holland, Belgium, nad Luxembourg
Strategy to strike at France
While Allies are distracted, Hitler sends and even larger force through the Ardennes towards France.
France Battles Back
Nazi Troops sweep up French coast and meet up with more troops at Belgium Border.
Belgium Surrenders
Allies retreat to Dunkirk, a French Port City where they are trapped
Great Britain rescues over 338,000 soldiers with 850 ships
France Falls
June 10 Mussolini Joins Hitler
June 14 Paris Falls
June 22 France Surrenders
Charles De Gaule Flees to London and forms the Free French military forces to fight Germany
Germany Attacks Great Britain
Winston Churchill says his nation will never back down
Hitler initiates Operation Sea Lion. This plan involved first taking out the Royal Airforce (RAF) and then landing 250,000 troops on England’s shores
Summer 1940, Hitler begins bombing Great Britain
RAF is badly outnumbered with 2,900 planes to the Luftwaffe’s (German Airforce) 4,500
Germans first attack airfields and Factories, Then begin to focus on cities, especially London, to break morale.
With pressure of airfields, the RAF strike back, two things help turn the tide in their favor
Radar
German code machine called Enigma
Germans give up daylight raids
Battle of Britain continues until May 10, 1941 when Hitler calls of attacks and turns focus to Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean
Allies learn that Hitler is not unstoppable

4. The Eastern Front and the Mediterranean
Germany and Italy Attack North Africa
During Battle of Britain, Mussolini attacks British-controlled Egypt.
Great Britain Strikes Back
British attack and crush Italy taking over 130,000 troops as prisoners
Hitler steps in to save Italy
Sends General Erwin Rommel, later known as the “Desert Fox” to Libya. He is to command a new tank corps called the Afrika Korps. Rommel atacks the British at Agheila on March 24.
British Retreat 500 miles east to Tobruk
Mid-January 1942 British forces Rommel back again to where he started,
June, tide turns AGAIN and Rommel pushes Britain back across the desert and takes Tobruk
Shattering loss because Tobruk was a symbol of British resistance.
The War in the Balkans
Hitler eventually plans to take the Soviet Union
Balkans are part of his plan
Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary join Axis
Yugoslavia and Greece resist
Yugoslavia falls in 11 days, Greece in 17
Hitler Invades the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa – Hitler invades Soviet Union using Blitzkrieg
The Red Army is the largest in the World at the time, containing over 5 million men, though they are neither well equipped nor well-trained.
Germans push for weeks over 500 miles inside the Soviet Union. Russians burn everything as they retreat like they did against Napoleon
Leningrad is cut-off from the world, over 1 million people starve. Though Leningrad refuses to fall
Hitler turns to Moscow, but Soviets counter-attack, using new troops from Siberia and the harsh winter
Nazis have summer uniforms, so they retreat, their vehicles and fuel freeze, but the still dig in 125 miles west of the capital. Germans lose 500,000 lives.

5. The United States Aids Its Allies
Due to neutrality acts passed by congress, the U.S. does not go to war, though they do lend arms to their allies
President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet secretly on a battleship off Newfoundland on August
They issue joint declaration called the Atlantic Charter
Upheld free trade among nations and the right of people to choose their own government.
September 4, a German U-boat fires on a U.S. destroyer in the Atlantic.
Roosevelt orders all German subs to be shot on sight
Undeclared Naval war with Germany

6. Key Terms and Important Names
Nonaggression pact: an agreement in which nations agree to not attack one another
Blitzkrieg: Germany’s military strategy (“lightining war”)
Charles de Gaulle: French general whom after France fell fled to London to set up a government-in-exile which was comitted to reconquering France
Winston Churchill: British prime minister who declares that Great Britain will never give up
Battle of Britain: Hitler’s invasion on Great Britain; Hitler calls of attacks and turns focus to Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean
Atlantic Charter: joint declaration between Churchill of Great Britain and Roosevelt of the United States that upheld free trade among nations and the right f people to choose their own government
would later serve as the Allies’ peace plan at the end of WWII

7. Jeopardy
Vocab Battles Miscellaneous

8. Vocab-100 The nonaggression pact was signed by which two people?
Joseph Stalin and Hitler.

9. Vocab-200
What is “lightning war”?
blitzkrieg

10. Vocab-300 Who was the French General that fled to London?
Charles de Gaulle

11. Vocab-400
With the fall of France, the British stood alone against the Nazis, who was the British prime minister at this time?
Winston Churchill

12. Vocab-500
What was the joint declaration between Roosevelt and Churchill called?
The Atlantic Charter

13. Battles-100
After signing the nonaggression pact, on September 1, 1939 Hitler attacked which country?
Poland

14. Battles-200
Which half of Poland was Russia’s in the nonaggression pact?
Eastern

15. Battles-300
For seven months the allies waited and defended, while the Germans did the same. What was this period called?
The Phony War

16. Battles-400 On June 22, 1940, which country surrendered to the Nazis?
France

17. Battles-500
From this battle, the allies learned that Hitler’s advances could be blocked.
The Battle of Britain

18. Miscellaneous-100
What act allowed the United States to lend and lease weapons to allies at war?
The Lend-Lease Act

19. Miscellaneous-200
Which country rescued over 338,000 troops with 850 ships?
Great Britain

20. Miscellaneous-300
The United States were drawn into the war after which country fired on a U.S. destroyer?
Germany

21. Miscellaneous-400
The attack on the U.S. destroyer by a German U-Boat was actually from which country?
Japan

22. Miscellaneous-500
Which Country broke the nonaggression pact?
Germany