Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Citation preview
1941-1945
Soviet-German Conflict
1941-1945
German-Soviet Conflict
German Plans…
• The invasion was expected and the non-aggression treaty was only for Hitler’s
convenience. • Through propaganda, Germans thought that
the Red Army was going to attack so they were supportive of the invasion into the Soviet Union.
...• The plans on the biggest military
operation in WWII and history began on December 18, 1940, codenamed Operation Barbarossa.
• Hitler expected a victory within a couple of months and the Soviet Union’s defence was not expected.
• They planned to take the eastern portion first with the Ukraine, Ostland, Kauasus, and other divisions. Eventually to take control of Leningrad, a symbolic capture.
• Hitler believed that once he captured the Soviet Union, he would have such a control that the allies would fall (Britain).
• Hitler and Germany did not prepare as well as they thought they did for Operation Barbarossa.
• Hitler was too overconfident based upon recent success in Western Russia and he did not anticipate the operation to carry
on into the winter as it did.
…• 3300 tanks crossed into Soviet
Border• 3 – 4 Million men were
assembled and sent into the USSR under German command • Material was stockpiled within
the East Soviet Border• German troops were slightly
outnumbered by Soviet troops on the frontier, as well as a number of the USSR’s allies.
…
• The further into the Soviet Union Germany advanced, the more difficult it became to supply troops with
supplies • His tanks were under-gunned and the gear that
soldiers had along did not protect them from the weather.
• This was especially due to weather and transportation was very limited.
• Hitler lost interest in the Battle of Britain, and focused on the desire to
attack Russia.
• When September hit, winter was fast approaching and German troops moved deeper into the Soviet Union. The supply lines became limited.
• The Red Army was to destroy anything that the enemies could use
(This was called the “Scorched Earth Policy”)
• This made it very difficult for Germany’s soldiers to become supplied with necessary food and ammunition
…
Moscow
• October 1941- German troops were approaching Moscow, and Stalin made orders for a mass evacuation of the city
• November 1941- German Army launched a new attack on Moscow, the Soviet army held out and the Germans were brought to a halt
• December 4- There was a counter-attack by the Red Army, and this led to the Germans retreating 200 miles.
Failure of Operation Barbarossa
• The Germans were originally on the upper hand, but once they had a bit of time to arm themselves, the Red Army became very strong
• Germans greatly underestimated the potential and power of the Russian army… and the Russian winter!
Fin
• They were overall ill equipped to fight in the Russian territory
• Hitler gave the ‘stand or die’ order to his soldiers
• Led to many more German defeats
This battle was the turning point in the war due to the extreme haste and
greed of Hitler.
1942 – 1943
How To Break into Hitler’s Europe?
The Atlantic Wall
• Heavily defended coastline• from northern Norway to Spain• 5300 km in length• thickest defences
were near Pas de Calais
On August 19, 1942 over 6000 Canadian and Newfoundland men infiltrated the German port
The (reported) objective was to take control of the German port and gather intelligence from prisoners
The (real) objective was to test Hitler to see if it was possible to land in Europe None of these objectives were successful Over half of the men were killed, wounded or captured
The Allied air forces lost 119 planes and the Royal Navy suffered 555 casualties
The catastrophe at Dieppe eventually helped the Allies because of many lessons learned
1943 - Invasion of Sicily
• July 9th – August 17th 1943
• Allied forces: US, Britain, Canada• Axis forces: Germany, Italy
• Goal: To remove Axis naval and air forces from Sicily, allowing free passage to Allied ships in the Mediterranean Sea and to put pressure on Mussolini’s regime
• Allies drove Axis air and naval forces from the island back to the mainland
• Sea lanes were opened and Mussolini’s government collapsed
• Approximately 29 000 Axis casualties and 140 000 captured
Events:
-Bombing raids during the weeks prior were intended to take out major cannons, bridges, and machine gun bunkers (not effective on all beaches)
-Parachuters dropped the night before
-The Normandy Campaign began with the storming of the beaches on June 6, 1944
-Throughout the summer, Allies were able to push back the Germans
-This was the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany
D-Day is a military term used to denote the day on which a combat will take place
The Greatest Armada
In the First Wave:• Over 5000 ships• 700 warships• 6 monstrous
battleships• 130 000 men
“The feeling for me was more intense during the approach to the beach than the beach itself. Would I being coming back, or would my life be snuffed out?”
Lance Corporal William Bleakley, 1st Can. Regiment
“You’re in the water now. In the breakers. You try to remember how to move. Smoke up ahead, and the noise... It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before. We were told to not stop and help any of our buddies as we too might be hit”
Wilfred Bennett, Royal Winnipeg Rifles
“I was the eleventh off the landing craft. The first eight were all killed, and two more were wounded. I was shot in the hand. A potato masher (German grenade) landed in front of me. I tossed it back over the wall.
Ralph Jackson, Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
“All day and all night, the guns blasting the way for fighting men. Millions of shells helping to win this close, bloddy and ferocious battle in Normandy...”
Matthew Halton, reporting for CBC Radio
“My Dear Mr. And Mrs Duncan: It is with my deepest regret that I have to write you this letter. Your son, my Platoon Commander, met with an accident which proved fatal... I can say with great pride, that he will always be remembered by his boys and myself. We buried him in a orchard. In a good a grave as is permitted under these conditions. I must close now with regret of the whole platoon on your sad bereavement.
Yours,Sergeant M. Brimble
JUNO BEACH
U-Boats-During the Battle of the Atlantic, the German U-boats fought against the allied convoys to take more power and defend his own land and power.
- The Allies won in 1943 when Hitler’s U-boats were destroyed.
-This was significant because it was one of the first times Hitler was opposed and defeated.
- The name “Battle of the Atlantic” was coined by Winston Churchill.
U-Boats
U-Boats… in Canada?
What’s Camp X?
• Top Secret Base in Canada– If Britain fell, it would be the Allies HQ– James Bond’s start?– The perfect site (munitions, airport, POW)– Dr. Death– Only revealed info in the 1980’s
Assassination Attempts• Resistance in Germany•Stauffenberg Bombing (Valkyrie)• The Great Cover - Up •42 different attempts made on Hitler’s life
-1943, Allies begin round-the-clock bombings on Nazi Germany.
- June 6, 1944, After D-day Allies start push Axis Powers back
- By March 1945, Allies had fought through Western Europe to Germany, from Italy to Czechoslovakia, and Russian had pushed through to Poland.
-April – Death of leaders: 12th Roosevelt, 28th Mussolini (assassinated by Italians), 30th (or May 1st) Hitler (suicide).
-May 7th, 1945– Germany Surrenders = VE Day
The End for Hitler
Is The War Over?
Not Yet!!!
