World War II Begins:

The Invasion of Poland

to the Fall of France

The Gathering Storm

• Failure of appeasement

• Repeated gambles by Hitler had paid off

• Nazi-Soviet Pact

• Germany still not fully prepared but opposition even less prepared

• Hitler confident in German blitzkrieg

Hitler’s Gamble

• Hitler believed that Britain wanted to (and would) avoid war

• Less likely that France would declare war if left alone to fight

• Hitler gambled that the invasion of Poland would produce many complaints but little action

Invasion of Poland

• 4:45am on September 1st, 1939• 62 German divisions pour into Poland• 1,300 aircraft in support• Polish forces all but defeated within 2-3 weeks• Soviet invasion in East made things worse• Poland completely occupied in just over a month• However…Britain and France refused to accept

Hitler’s offers for peace

The Phoney War

• War declared…but no major conflicts on the continent

• “Sitzkrieg”, “Bore War”, “drôle de guerre” • Maginot Line stand-off• Winter War (USSR vs Finland)• German occupation of Norway & Denmark• May 10/40 – Invasion of Benelux countries ends

Phoney War (Winston Churchill becomes British PM on same day)

Nazi Blitzkrieg• “lightning war”• Significant departure from WWI attrition• Weak spots identified and attacked by surprise• Required highly-mobile fighting force• Enemy communications, command centres,

supplies & defenses bombed/shelled• Slower enemy forces would normally huddle

together to defend• Emphasis on confusing & demoralizing the enemy• Infantry would then surround enemy forces

Blitzkrieg (continued)

• Ran the risk of over-extending supply lines

• Worked best against stationary defences

• Required multiple types of forces to work in unison

• “Get there the fastest with the mostest.”

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8gMBZCM--Q

Fall of France

• May 10/40 – Nazis begin sweep through Low Countries and into France

• French feared repeat of Schlieffen Plan• Best French forces amassed on Belgian

border• Germans fake invasion through Belgium• Surprise attack comes through the Ardennes

(splitting French forces in two)

Newsreel on the Fall of France

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=eJ74HakQZTo&feature=endscreen

• How did the Germans succeed in taking France?

• What mistake did the French and British forces make?

• Could they have done anything differently to save France?

• What do you think was the prevailing attitude among the Allies after the fall of France? Why?

Miracle at Dunkirk (May 22nd-June 3rd, 1940)

• Within a week of the German invasion, the French government was preparing to evacuate & capitulate

• French & British forces (BEF) surrounded at Dunkirk

• Hitler orders forces to stop (to let Luftwaffe finish Allies off)

• Allies only expected (and planned for) evacuation of 30,000-50,000

Dunkirk (continued)

• Halt of German forces permitted over 300,000 troops to escape (200,000 Brits, 140,000 French)

• Everything was used to evacuate troops – military and civilian vessels (“little ships”)

• RAF helped to protect vulnerable troops on the beaches

• Left behind 2,472 guns, 84,427 vehicles of all kinds and 657,000 tons of ammunition

Newsreel of Dunkirk

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSoDLfQKhGI

• What attitude does the announcer seem to have towards the escape from Dunkirk?

• Why would this event have been presented in this light?

• What do you think is not being said in this video?

Fall of France

• Following Dunkirk, Germany quickly conquered the rest of France

• Nazis occupy Paris by June 14th

• France officially surrenders on June 25th, 1940

Fall of France

• 3/5 of France occupied by Germany• Armistice signed in WWI railway car• Lower portion reorganized & administered by

collaborationist French (dubbed “Vichy France”) • Invasion cost Germany approximately 150,000

casualties• Allies suffered over 2,250,000 casualties (most as

prisoners of war)

Continental Europe, 1940

• Conquered nations: Poland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France

• Soviet expansion in East• Plans for Operation Sea Lion being

developed• Battle of Britain about to begin• British Commonwealth stands alone