1. World War II

2. Poland Blitzkrieg “Lightening War” Poland defeated within weeks
Soviet Union occupied eastern Poland and invaded Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, & Finland

3. The Western Front Phony War
Oct March 1940
April- May Germany conquered Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg

4. Conquest of France May 1940- Germans attacked through Ardennes
Trapped allies escaped at Dunkirk
Germany conquered Paris
Italy attacked from the South
France forced to sign an armistice
Germany controlled northern 2/3; Vichy government was led by Petain

6. Battle of Britain Great Britain stood alone against Germany
Winston Churchill had become Prime Minister
Germany launched an air attack
British used radar to defend
The Blitz- German air raids against London
Germany failed to defeat Britain

8. Africa Sept. 1940- The British defeated Italians in Libya
Feb Germans sent Gen. Rommel; British pushed back toward the Suez canal
Jan British forces helped to overthrow Italian rule in Ethiopia

9. Eastern Europe
Hungary, Bulgaria, & Romania joined the Tripartite Pact w/ Germany, Italy, & Japan
Italians were defeated in Greece
Yugoslavian government was overthrown for supporting the Axis
April Germany conquered Yugoslavia & Greece

10. Operation Barbarossa June 1941- Germany invaded Soviet Union
Soviets caught off guard
By Dec.1941, Germans had reached the outskirts of Moscow

12. US Entry US helped Britain with supplies March 1941- Lend-Lease Act
Aug The Atlantic Charter
July Japan conquered French Indo-China
US condemned Japan & cut off exports of oil & other resources
Dec. 7, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor
US entered WWII

13. The Pacific Japan established the Greater Asia Co-prosperity Sphere
The Coral Sea (May 1942)
Midway (June 1942)
US used “island hopping” strategy
Aircraft carriers were significant
Leyte Gulf (Oct. 1944)
US regained the Philippines

14. The Home Front Millions of civilian casualties Mass migrations
Created new opportunities for women
Persecution of ethnic minorities; some groups gained opportunities
European economies ruined
US economy booming
Renewed US interest in Latin America

15. Victory in Europe El Alamein (Oct. 1942) Stalingrad (Feb. 1943)
Leningrad (Jan. 1944)
Sicily (July 1943)
Mussolini was arrested; Italy joined the Allies
Mussolini killed (April 1944)

16. Victory in Europe (cont.)
June 6, D-Day, Allies invasion of Normandy
By August, Paris was liberated
Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944)

17. Defeat of Germany
Spring Allies entered Germany from East and West
Soviets entered Berlin
Hitler committed suicide
Germany surrendered, but Japan still fighting

18. Defeat of Japan Japan used Kamikaze attacks
Aug US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki
Japan surrendered; WWII was over
US occupied Japan