Key Events and Sides of World War II in Europe: Allies vs. Axis Powers

1. World War II: Europe

2. The Sides • Allies • Britain • Includes commonwealths • France • United States (1941) • Russia • Yugoslavia • Czechoslovakia • Greece • Netherlands • Belgium • Axis • Germany • Italy • Japan • Hungary • Romania • Bulgaria • Thailand

3. 1939 • March 15/16 – Nazis take Czechoslovakia • March 28 – Spanish Civil War ends • August 23 – Nazis and Russians sign agreement to divide Poland • August 25 – British and Poland sign mutual defense treaty • September 1 – Nazis invade Poland • September 3 – Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany • September 17 – Russia invades Poland • September 27 – Poland surrenders • September 29 – Nazis and Russians divide Poland

4. Highlights: Nazis Appreciation • Hitler loved art and raided art from every area the Nazis took over • Such items that Nazis looted include: • Works by Monet, Picasso, and van Gogh • It’s estimated the Nazis plundered over 20% of all the art in Europe • A database today lists over 20,000 pieces of Nazi-stolen art that haven’t been returned • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKR3deMxmGo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

5. 1940 • April 9 – Nazis invade Denmark and Norway • May 10 – Nazis invade France • May 10 – Churchill becomes PM of England • June 3 – Nazis bomb Paris • June 22 – France surrenders, armistice signed • July 10 – Battle of Britain begins • July 23 – Soviets invade Baltic States • August 3-19 – Italy invades Africa • August 13 – Germans begin bombing England • September 13 – Italy invades Africa • September 27 – Tripartite Pact (Axis) signed (mutual defense agreement) • October 15 – Chaplin releases “The Great Dictator” • November 5 – FDR reelected for third term

6. Hitler Gets France • France and Germany were rivals in Europe • Hitler values the French as a culture • After surrendering, France becomes a puppet state known as Vichy France and works with the Axis powers • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=003iC7VZmYc&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

7. American Reaction • Americans wanted to remain neutral but could not ignore Hitler • Because of the anti-Semitic views, many celebrities began to speak out • Charlie Chaplin, America’s most famous actor, released a film to mock Hitler • “The Great Dictator” was Chaplin’s first true talking film and his speech at the end remains one of the iconic moments of cinema • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX25PDBb708&safe=active

8. 1941 • February 14 – AfrikaKorps arrive in Africa • March 11 – FDR signs Lend-Lease Act • June 14 – U.S. freezes Nazi and Italian assets • June 22 – Nazis invade Russia • July 3 – Stalin begins scorched earth policy • August 1 – U.S. begins oil embargo on Japan • December 7 – Attack on Pearl Harbor • December 8 – U.S. enters World War II

9. Attack on Pearl Harbor • Hitler turned his attention to Russia and the war entered its bloodiest phase • The U.S. tried to remain neutral but embargoed oil and scrap metal against Japan • Japan interpreted that as an aggressive action and responded with an attack of their own • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBzF15UQJ1Y&safe=active

10. 1942 • January 20 – “Final Solution” of Jews begins • January 26 – U.S. forces arrive in Europe • April – Japanese internment camps in western U.S. • June – Gassing begins in Auschwitz • August 12 – Stalin and Churchill meet, agree on division of Europe • August 17 – U.S. forces begin air attacks • September 13 – Battle of Stalingrad begins • November 18 – Operation Torch (reclaim Africa) begins

11. Internment Camps • Americans thought that Japanese living in the Western U.S. could be spies for Japan • Japanese-Americans were sent immediately to internment camps until the end of war • The U.S. caught heavy criticism for the comparison to concentration camps • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiOSUN4EgVQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

12. 1943 • January 27 – First U.S. bombings of Germany • February 2 – Nazis surrender at Stalingrad – over 1.3 million dead • July 9 – Allies attack Italy • July 25 – Mussolini arrested • September 8 – Italians surrender • October 13 – Italy declares war on Germany • December 24 – Russia begins westward attack

13. 1944 • January 27 – Siege of Leningrad lifted, Nazis retreat • June 6 – D-Day/Operation Overlord • June 13 – Nazis use V1 Rocket for first time • July 24 – Russians liberate first concentration camp • August 4 – Anne Frank and family arrested • August 25 – Paris liberated from Nazis • September 17 – Operation Market Garden, land-air raid behind German lines • December 16-27 – Battle of the Bulge

14. D-Day • Largest amphibious landing in history • Known as one of the roughest battles of the war • Unique because we invaded and won against some of the toughest Nazi fronts • Turning point of European theater – no more major Nazi victories • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPU4p7UQOtU&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

15. Battle of the Bulge • Last great German offensive against Allies • “All or nothing” • Germans lost over 120,000 troops, 600 tanks, 1,600 planes • Americans lost nearly 90,000 men • General George Patton becomes a hero because of his actions • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBeXRvdlmyY&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

16. 1945 • January 26 – Soviets liberate Auschwitz • February 4-11 – Yalta Conference, discuss post-war Europe • February 13-14 – Firebombing of Dresden • April – Nazi stolen art discovered in salt mine • April 12 – FDR dies • April 21 – Soviets reach Berlin • April 28 – Mussolini recaptured and hanged • April 30 – Hitler commits suicide • May 7 – Nazis surrender • May 8 – V-E Day • August 6 – First atomic bomb dropped • August 9 – Second atomic bomb dropped

17. Victory! • With the Nazi surrender, attention turned to the Pacific theater and the Japanese threat • Winston Churchill announces victory • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq-zjE1yfDM