1. European Theatre Major Battles of WWII

2. Important Battles
Invasion of Poland
The Fall of France
Stalingrad
D-Day
Battle of the Bulge

3. The Invasion of Poland 1939
Hitler demanded the Baltic Sea port (Danzig) which was under Polish control.
Poland would not give Hitler the territory, so Germany attacked.

4. The Invasion of Poland 1939
Germany turned to the USSR for support in invasion of Poland.
The Nazi’s and the Soviets signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact, agreeing to non-aggression with each other.
Germany attacked from the west and the USSR from the east.

5. The Invasion of Poland 1939
The warfare became known as blitzkrieg – “lightening war” using tanks, artillery & aircraft.
This is the first use of Combined Arms warfare.
Poland Fell to German forces on October 5th 1939

7. The Fall of France
The Maginot line was a series of bunkers built in along the Germany – France border to stop Germany attacking France ever again.

8. The Fall of France
Hitler simply went around the Maginot line and invaded through the Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg

9. The Fall of France
France was caught by surprise - the French & British forces were trapped in Belgium
At Dunkirk the German forces halted, giving time for evacuation & saved the men of the armies of France and England from capture by Nazi forces.
France surrendered in June 1940.

11. Invasion of Russia - 1941 Nazis invade the Soviet Union in 1941.
They have early success, as the Soviet Army was untrained and short on weapons.

12. Stalingrad 1942
With confidence in his army, Hitler wanted to cut off supplies to Stalingrad which would cause a Soviet surrender.
Joseph Stalin ordered all troops to hold at ALL COSTS, forcing the German forces to fight to the death….no surrender.

13. 2,500,000 men 13,451 artillery pieces 4,000 tanks 1,115 aircraft
Stalingrad 1942
The Forces Involved:
2,500,000 men 13,451 artillery pieces 4,000 tanks 1,115 aircraft
1,040,000 men: 10,250 artillery pieces 500 tanks 732 aircraft

14. Stalingrad 1942
The Red Army would never lose to Germany
Germany is on the retreat for now on!

15. Battle ended February 1943 with massive losses on both sides
Stalingrad 1942
Battle ended February 1943 with massive losses on both sides
850,000 killed, missing or wounded including 107,000 captured (only 6000 survived the captivity and returned home to 1955) 900 aircraft 1,500 tanks 6,000 artillery pieces
1,150,000 killed, missing or wounded 650,878 wounded and sick 40,000 civilians dead 4,341 tanks 15,728 artillery pieces 2,769 combat aircraft

16. D-Day 1944
President Roosevelt and Churchill planned the invasion of France which was lead by General Eisenhower
The Allies wanted to open the second front to get rid of the Nazis

18. D-Day 1944 Casualties and losses
At least ~12,000 overall casualties.
Estimated between 4,000 and 9,000 casualties.

19. Battle of the Bulge 1944
Hitler wanted to make one last attack in hope of getting the Allies to sue for peace.
He wanted to take Antwerp, the allied supply port.

20. Battle of the Bulge 1944
One last desperate attempt by Hitler involved blocking supplies coming through Belgium.
There was no air power due to a snow storm, so the allies had no idea the Nazis were coming.
Germany caught Americans and British by surprise, overrunning them at first.

21. Battle of the Bulge 1944
General Patton’s Third Army saved the Americans by attacking German forces in the flank, surprising the Germans!.
Germany lost the battle with over 100,000 casualties .

22. Victory in Europe V-E Day 1945
Soviet troops began a massive attack on Nazi Armies, fighting the Nazis all the way back to Berlin.
The Soviets had the Nazis in the East, and Allied Armies attacked Nazi forces in the West.
Hitler realized all was lost, and killed himself in Berlin bunker on April 30th, 1945.
The Surrender of Germany was on May 8th 1945

23. The End