World War II

1. World War II The War to End All Wars (Round 2)

2. There are 2 main sites where fighting is happening in WWII • Europe • Called the European Theater • Asia • Called the Pacific Theater

3. There are 2 main sides fighting in the war: • Axis Powers • Germany, Italy, and Japan • Allied Powers • France, Britain, Soviet Union, US

4. Vocab Blitzkrieg: “Lightning War” tactic used by the Germans in WWII (fast and surprise air attacks). Luftwaffe: German Air force Vichy: city in Central France where a puppet government governed unoccupied France (the area not controlled by Germany). Puppet Government: a government in which a local leader is placed in charge, yet directed by an outside government.

5. Nazis and Soviets at Peace???? • In August of 1939, Hitler and Stalin sign a public nonaggression pact promising not to attack one another. Secretly: • Poland is divided between the two. • Soviets get: • Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland • Germany gives USSR plans for naval vessels, subs, airplane engines • USSR will supply Germany with many raw goods

6. Poland • September 1st 1939- • Germany lead a surprise attack on Poland • They used Blitzkrieg (lightning war). • Using concentrated tanks and dive-bombers to break a hole in the enemy line and followed quickly mobile infantry. • Hitler used over 1.5 million men • Luftwaffe (German Air Force) bombed major cities, rail lines and communication lines

7. September 3 • France and Great Britain declare war on Germany • Great Britain drops “Confetti” • millions of leaflets of propaganda over Germany • September 17th • Stalin orders Soviet troops to occupy the eastern half of Poland. • Poland fell in three weeks

8. The Phony War • Seven months after France and Great Britain had declared war on Germany the two sides had not fought each other. • In WWI the defender had the advantage and many believed it would be the same in WWII. • The Allies had mobilized their armies. • The French waited for Germans behind the Maginot Line (a 87-mile long line of forts, concrete walls and underground barracks).

11. End of the Phony War • April 1940 • Germany attacks neutral Denmark and Norway • Denmark falls in hours, Norway will last months

12. Why did Hitler invade these areas? • To gain naval bases/airfields to attack UK in the future • May 1940 • Germans invade Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg

13. Surprise, Surprise… • Germans attack through Central France through the thick Ardennes Forest. • Experts believed that it was impossible to drive tanks through it. • British and French Armies are divided. • British are encircled at port of Dunkirk

14. Dunkirk • Allied soldiers escaped aboard anything that could float (yachts, lifeboats, motorboats, fishing ships). • 338,000 were rescued • All large equipment was left behind • France is alone against Germany

16. France Falls • On June 10, Mussolini declares war on France fearing that Hitler would take the entire nation for himself. • June 14, Paris is captured by Germany • On June 22, France surrenders • Germany takes direct control of the northern two-thirds of France

17. Three Results of the Fall of France • Hitler creates a puppet gov. in France: -The Vichy French who controlled southern France. -“Free French” based in Britain. • Britain is the only nation still fighting Germany. • The Axis powers are masters of the European mainland

18. The Battle of Britain • After fall of France, Britain stands alone. • Germany must control air in order to successfully invade England. • Hitler launched air campaign in July 1940 • Lasts until October • Despite 3000 to 1200 advantage in aircraft, the Luftwaffe is unable to defeat the RAF.

20. Why did Germany lose? • Radar provides early warning/eliminate surprise. • Allows British to focus their fighter effort where the Germans pose the greatest threat.

22. Vocab Rosie the Riveter – symbol of women who built ships, planes, and produced ammunitions (weapons) on the home front. Stalingrad – “turning point” in European Theater of WWII. USSR defeated the Nazis.

23. Early US Involvement in Europe • The US is supposed to be neutral • Lend-Lease Act: The US “Lends” UK (and eventually the Soviet Union) ships, planes, and other war material for “Leasing” British bases in the Caribbean.

24. Lend-Lease Why is this a good deal for the UK? Why is this a good deal for the US?

25. Side Effects of the Lend-Lease Act Hitler orders his U-Boats to target US ships By Sept. 4th Roosevelt orders US Navy to shoot German submarines on sight US is now in an undeclared war with Germany

26. Germany and the Soviet Union • Hitler signs Non-Aggression Pact • violates it when he launches Operation “Barbarossa” in June 22nd 1941.

27. If Russia is so much bigger, why is Germany a threat? Germany had a strong army Stalin had killed many military leaders in the Great Purge

30. Soviets Advance

31. Soviet Union in secured… • What about North Africa? • While Germany and the Soviets are at war, North Africa and Italy are at war • Mussolini is still trying to re-create the old Roman Empire

32. For the Glory of Rome! Italy’s Goal: to cut off Britain’s life line to India (Suez Canal) and take the oil rich Middle East. Plan: Italian Army will strike east from Italian Libya and capture Egypt.

33. For the Glory of Rome: North Africa

34. British Offensive • First Italy wins but the British counter-attack and push the Italians back. • December 1940-February 1941 • British victories • Italians retreat • 130, 000 Italians captured • Germany is worried about British invasion from the south.

35. Vocab General Erwin Rommel – “Desert Fox” German commander who conquered most of North Africa. Dwight Eisenhower – commander of British and American forces in North Africa who defeated General Erwin Rommel

36. Operation Torch in North Africa

37. The score… • North Africa once again controlled by the Allies • USSR once again controlled by the Allies • Italy once again controlled by the Allies • Britain STILL controlled by the Allies • Let’s keep going!

38. Vocab D-Day – June 6, 1944, Allied invasion of France at Normandy V-E Day – May 8, 1945, Germany surrenders

39. D-Day

40. Normandy…D-Day Invasion • May 1944 the long awaited invasion of France was ready • Led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower (supreme commander of the all Allied Forces in Europe)

41. Normandy…D-Day Invasion • Thousands of planes, ships, tanks and landing crafts • 3.5 million troops • June 6th 1944 • five beaches • 150,000 US, Canadian and UK troops. • 23,000 parachuted

42. Normandy…D-Day Invasion • Losses…Allies 12,000. Germans 9,000. • By late summer 1944, Paris is liberated. • All the Allies move towards Germany.

43. Battle of the Bulge • Begins on December 16, 1944 in the Ardennes Forest (N. France/Belgium) • Germany attacks with the hopes of dividing the Allies to force a peace treaty favorable to the Axis • Remember: the Germans used this strategy once before • Germany concentrated its fighting in the center of the Allied line due to its apparent weakness…causing a “bulge” effect which gave the battle its name

44. Battle of the Bulge • The first three days saw the most causalities for the US • Eventually the attack fails due to lack of troops and supplies. • January 1945, Hitler removes his troops from the Ardennes

45. Hitler’s Downfall • Allies move to Berlin • Hitler refuses to surrender • Hitler relocates to the bunker under the Chancellery in Berlin on winter of 1945. • As the Soviets enter Berlin in April 1945 • Hitler marries Eva Braun • two days later commits suicide • his body is burned afterwards • The German army surrenders May 7th, 1945. War in Europe is over!

46. Vocab Concentration Camps – detention centers, prisons, for civilians considered enemies of the state. Holocaust – Nazi massacre of approx. 6 million Jews, Gypsies, Poles, Homosexuals, and political dissenters. Genocide – the murder of a group of people based on their race. Nuremburg Trials – European trials for Nazis who committed “crimes against humanity”