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World War Two – 1st Part
3rd YR
Invading Poland• Poland was next after Czechoslovakia• Newly created after WW1• Many Germans lived in the Polish Corridor• Threatened to invade – why? Lebensraum• Britain and France supported Poland• Would declare war on Germany if Hitler invaded Poland
Non-aggression Pact (1)• Soviet Union – the only country Hitler feared could
stop him• Hitler’s ultimate lebensraum aim – conquer Russia• Joseph Stalin – Leader of The Soviet Union• Stalin despised Hitler and Fascism
Non-Aggression Pact (2)• But Stalin didn’t trust Britain
and France either – why?• Because they were also anti-
communist (like Hitler)• Hitler and Stalin signed a pact
promising not to attack each other for 10 yrs
• Secret part of the pact – agreed to divide Poland between them
Non-Aggression Pact (3)• Stalin avoided war• Stalin got east Poland and some other eastern European
countries• Hitler invaded Poland – got West Poland• Hitler was free to concentrate on fighting France and
Britain• Hitler didn’t have to worry about fighting Russia on the east
Poland invaded• Sep 1939 – Hitler’s troops invade Poland• Britain and France demand a withdrawal • Hitler ignored them• 3rd Sep – Britain and France declare war on Germany • WW2 has begun• This lasts 6 yrs – from 1939-1945
Blitzkrieg• ‘Lightning War’ – German military tactic• First drop many bombs from the air...• ...Followed by a land invasion of troops and tanks• Poland defeated in weeks• Poland divided in two between Germany and Soviet Union
Phoney War• Nothing happens for several months – why?• Both sides building up the strength of the army getting
ready for war• According to the Germans, ‘Sitzkrieg’ (the Sitting war)• Ends in April 1940• Germany launches a blitzkrieg attack on Denmark and
Norway• They quickly surrender
Blitzkrieg in action• Hitler invades Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg in 1940• Within days, they have surrendered• Hitler looks unstoppable• France is next
Maginot Line• The French built a line of forts along their border
with Germany• Why? To protect them from German invasion• Gap in the line in a huge forest• Germans poured in through here• Germans also entered across from Belgium
Maginot line
Dunkirk • British troops had been
stationed in France to help them• Now they retreated towards the
English channel• Trapped at the port of Dunkirk • Surrounded by the German army• About to be captured
Operation Dynamo• An emergency rescue attempt – Operation Dynamo• Any available British ships crossed the channel and
rescued the troops• Even yachts and fishing boats manned by normal helped• Loads of English soldiers rescued• Why is it so important?• 1. Allowed Britain to keep fighting the war• 2. Gave the British a huge morale boost –great
propaganda
France Surrenders• German troops enter Paris • France surrenders• The Germans split France in two• They take over the Northern Part – it is ruled by Germany• The rest of France was ruled by a French Government who
promised to obey Hitler• Govt based in a town called Vichy• This half of France is known as ‘Vichy France’
Vichy France• Why did the Germans want to control the Northern Half of
France?• 1. To be able to keep an eye on Britain• 2. To plan an attack on Britain from there• Look how close Northern France is to Britain• Now Britain was the only ally left in Europe against
Germany • Ireland was neutral
Vichy France
Italy joins• Mussolini had remained neutral at
the start of the war• Remem, Italy was fascist• Had signed Pact of Steel with Hitler in
1936• June 1940 – after the Fall of France• When it looked inevitable Hitler
would win,• Italy joins
Winston Churchill• New British Prime Minister• He had always criticised appeasement• Famous for giving great speeches• He inspired the British to keep fighting even though
defeat seemed inevitable
Operation Sealion• The Germans planned to invade Britain• Last country fighting against Germany• But wouldn’t surrender to them• Hitler called it Operation Sealion• The Luftwaffe needed to control the skies over Britain• RAF = The Royal Air Force (British)
Battle of Britain• A huge battle between the airforces • Britain had radar – crucial• Why? It gave early warning of German attacks – where they
were headed• German planes start bombing English airbases• British Hurricane and Spitfires fight back• Dogfights
German Bombings• 1st German mistake – started to bomb London• Why? Hitler thought people would be terrified and demand
peace (surrender to Germany)• The Blitz – the bombing of British cities• Lasted from Sep 1940 – May 1941
The Blitz• But the decision to bomb
London allowed the RAF and their bases to recover
• They fought back• The RAF won• Hitler called off Sealion
Operation Barbarossa (1)• June 1941 – Hitler invades Russia• He wanted lebensraum (living space) for Germany• 3 major cities in Russia – Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev• The invasion split into 3 groups• Each group to advance and capture one city• Over 3 million German troops enter Russia
Plan for Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (2)• The Russian (Red) army begin to retreat• Germans capture millions of soldiers• But Russia is huge – the invasion would take so long • The unbearable Russian winter would defeat them
Battle for Stalingrad (1)• Stalingrad – v important to Hitler • Germany desperately need oil to fight the war• Many oil-fields behind Stalingrad• Aug 1942 Germans attack Stalingrad• Germany led by General Paulus• Marshal Zhukov defended the city
Battle of Stalingrad (2)• Germany invaded the city• Started to fight the Red Army • But Zhukov secretly got 1 million troops to surround
Stalingrad• The German force was trapped in Stalingrad• Cut off from the rest of the army • Not allowed to surrender • Luftwaffe tried to drop food in
Battle of Stalingrad (3)• Germans dying from starvation cold• Forced to eat their horses• Eventually surrendered• Hitler’s first major defeat• Turning pt in WW2• Red Army started to drive the Germans back out of Russia
America • Isolationism =After WW1 America decided to keep out of
European affairs• America remained neutral in 1939• But the president, F D Roosevelt, hated the Nazis• So did most Americans• So they helped Britain by sending weapons and food
Isolationism
Pearl Harbour (1) • Japan became an ally of Hitler in 1936• Japan had conquered some of China and wanted to invade
other countries• Wanted to set up a Japanese empire (like Hitler’s 3rd Reich)• America was attacked in Dec 1941 at Pearl Harbour in
Hawaii• Japan hoped to quickly destroy the American navy• ...and that this would allow them to invade
Pearl Harbour (2)• It was a surprise attack• Japanese planes sank warships and killed over 3000• American reaction – similar to 9-11• Declared war on Japan
America enters European War• Germany declared war on America• Why? Because of the 1936 Pact • Big mistake• He could never defeat America, as well as Br and Russia• America had a distinct advantage over all the other
countries – what?• Sheer size and numbers of population
The Allies Advance, 1943• The Americans had
joined the war on the Allied Side
• They now help the British in Africa
• From Africa the Allies invade Italy
• The Allies capture Italy• Mussolini is captured and
executed
The Allies Advance-1944• Battle of Kursk – largest tank battle• Germans defeated• Russian army now started forcing German soldiers back
from Russia• Kept forcing them back into Germany• Russian army invades Germany in 1944
Operation Overlord• The Allies plan an invasion of Europe• Their aim is to destroy Germany• Codenamed Operation Overlord• The commander of this allied force is General
Eisenhower• They plan to land in France• Start by freeing (liberating) France from the Nazis
Operation Overlord (2)• The invading troops would be a mixture of US, Canadian
and British soldiers• From here they would move towards Germany• Surround the Germans in their own country• This was going to be the ‘second front’• What was the 1st front against Hitler?