1. Hitler’s Lightning War
World War II
Hitler’s Lightning War

2. Setting The Stage
During the 1930s, Hitler played on the hopes and fears of the Western democracies. Each time the Nazi dictator grabbed new territory, he would declare an end to his demands. Peace seemed guaranteed– until Hitler moved again. After his moves into the Rhineland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, Hitler turned his eyes to Poland. After WWI, the Allies had cut out the Polish Corridor from German territory to give Poland access to the sea. In 1939, Hitler demanded that the Polish Corridor be returned to Germany…

3. Hitler’s Blitzkrieg Invasion of Poland: Hitler’s Blitzkrieg:
September 1, 1939 Hitler invades Poland and begins a merciless bombing of the capital of Warsaw
France and GB declare war on Germany on Sept 3
Poland will fall to Hitler’s army long before GB and France can mobilize
Hitler’s Blitzkrieg:
“Lightning war”- use fast moving tanks and airplanes followed by massive infantry forces
Catch enemies off guard and overwhelm them
Worked to perfection in Poland…

4. Soviets Make Move Stalin Attacks Poland Soviets Attack Finland
Stalin sends troops to occupy eastern half of Poland September 17, 1939
Stalin then annexes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania – all fall without a struggle
Attempt to regain land lost after WWI
Soviets Attack Finland
Expect Finland to fall quickly- soviets not prepared for winter war
Finns put up a strong fight- army on skies attack the slow soviet army
Stalin forced to use nearly 1 million troops
March 1940 Soviets make Finns sign surrender

5. War Comes to France German Offensive: Rescue at Dunkirk:
Germany sweeps the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg-
Keeping the Allies attention on those countries sent a larger force through Northern France
Troops head north- force French troops into a corner, with their backs against the sea….
Rescue at Dunkirk:
May 1940 German forces force French out of Lille, to the beaches of Dunkirk
French army is trapped
British send a make-shift fleet to rescue the French troops
850 ships consisting of navy, civilian ships, yachts, life boats, and fishing boats rescue nearly 340,000 troops

6. France Falls Resistance after Dunkirk: Charles De Gaulle
After Dunkirk French Resistance crumbled
Germans took Paris by June 14, 1940
June 22, 1940 French leaders surrendered
Germany only occupied the northern part of France
Charles De Gaulle
French General
Established a gov’t in exile in London
Continued to urge French people to resist the Germans
Organized the Free French military forces
Continued to battle the Nazis until France’s liberation in 1944

7. Hitler Turns to Great Britain
Winston Churchill:
British Prime Minister
Declared GB would never give in
“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets…we shall never surrender.”

8. The Battle of Britain
(Watch Video)