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The War in Europe

The War in Europe. The Phony War (October-April, 1939-1940). Stalin and Hitler divided up Poland Nazi death squads roamed Poland killing Jews Stalin’s buffer-zone Invasion of Finland 200,000 Soviet soldiers Hitler’s response to the invasion of Finland….

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The War in Europe

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  1. The War in Europe

  2. The Phony War (October-April, 1939-1940) • Stalin and Hitler divided up Poland • Nazi death squads roamed Poland killing Jews • Stalin’s buffer-zone • Invasion of Finland • 200,000 Soviet soldiers • Hitler’s response to the invasion of Finland…

  3. Invasion of France (May 10-June 25, 1940) • May 10, 1940 German forces invade Belgium & Netherlands. • tanks pushed through the Ardennes Forest. • The fall of Belgium gave Germany air bases close to England. • Hermann Goering began planning the air assault on Britain.

  4. The French Surrender • French forces unprepared for attack • Nearly 2 million French soldiers captured. • German forces seized Paris on June 14 • Full surrender on June 25 Nazi Occupied France & Vichy Regime • Nazi Occupied France: North • Vichy France: South • Vichy France claimed neutrality but… Philippe Petain: became the leader of Vichy France. Charles De Gaulle - led the French resistance from England

  5. The Battle of Britain July – November, 1940 • Battle is revolutionary • Why air bombardment? • WWI • Dunkirk • Luftwaffe initially bombed airfields, airplane factories and radar installations. • German pilots flew from France and Belgium to Britain • British response • 500 planes a month. • Dogfights to defend against the Luftwaffe

  6. Battle of Britain: London Blitz • September 1940: Tactic changes  civilians • “London Blitz”: sustained bombing of Britain September 1940 and May 1941 • London attacked for 57 consecutive nights. • By May 1941 over 43,000 civilians, half of them in London • Did not break the will • Operation Sea Lion –German invasion of Britain – was cancelled. • Hitler plans war against the Soviet Union

  7. Operation Barbarossa:German Invasion of Russia • Operation Barbarossa : Code name for Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union • Planning began in December 1940 • Why??? • Hitler, Russia, Great Britain… • GOAL: rapid conquest of the European USSR

  8. Barbarossa • Invasion began in June of 1941 • Problem? • 4.5 million Axis troops invade • Largest military offensive in history • By January 1942 – Barbarossa fails • Red Army halts the blitz • BUT USSR’s situation remained dire.

  9. Barbarossa’s Failure • Barbarossa’s failure led to • Hitler demands more fighting in USSR • All operations fail • Barbarossa turning point for Third Reich • opens the Eastern Front  • Some of largest battles • Highest casualties • Influences World War II & Cold War

  10. Battle of Stalingrad • July 1942-February 1943 • Vital battle on the Eastern Front. • Red Army held off the German assault • Turning point on the Eastern Front. • Casualties = approx 1.5 million. • Germans invaded & seize the city in July of ‘42 • Difficulties… • November Red Army counter attack • Brutal winter fighting • German leader surrenders despite Hitler’s orders.

  11. When Allies Attack: Africa and Italy • OPERATION TORCH-The North Africa Campaign November 1942-May 1943 • USSR pressure for a second front in Europe • After North Africa …what to do? • Churchill  invasion of Italy (“the underbelly of Europe”) • Churchill saw victory in Italy as vital. • Opens the Mediterranean to supply USSR

  12. When Allies Attack: France 1943 • Air campaign against Germany • Successful in doing what…? • The American army battle hardened • Hitler losing ground on the Eastern Front • Anglo-American generals plan the invasion of France • Hitler realized the vulnerability of France • Rommel took command of the Atlantic Wall in December • Operation Overlord - code name for the invasion of Western Europe

  13. When Allies Attack France: D-Day - June 6, 1944 • The Normandy Landings had two phases: • Air Assault landing of 24,000 (American, British, Canadian, French) shortly after midnight • Amphibious landing: On the coast of France commencing at 6:30 AM. • Five Beaches: Utah (US), Omaha (US), Juno, Gold, Sword

  14. D DAY June 6th, 1944: D-Day • Americans suffered over 4,500 casualties on D-Day. • Advantage to the Allies • Quick supply for Allies, slow for Axis

  15. Disaster for the Germans:The East • June, 1944 • Red Army six weeks of relentless armored attack the Soviets drove 300 miles west towards the German frontier. • The Germans lost a further 350,000 men killed, wounded and captured.

  16. The Battle of the Bulge(December, 1944 – January, 1945) • By the end of ’44 • Allies had taken back Paris by August. • The Red Army reached the suburbs of Warsaw by August. __________ • Battle of the Bulge :Germany’s last major counter offensive • Initially successful • But…end of January Germans pushed out of Ardennes • The Allies suffered heavily • Heaviest losses for Americans of World War II. • Germans had lost 100,000

  17. Yalta, Yalta, Yalta • Yalta Conference: February 1945 • Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill • Discuss post-war plans for Germany. • Germany to be • demilitarizied, and de-Nazified. • divided into zones for control and reconstruction. • USSR agrees to enter war against Japan 90 days after the surrender of Germany.

  18. The End in Europe February 1945: • Western Allied forces entered Germany • Soviets pushed furthern into Poland March, 1945 • Western Allies crossed the Rhine. • Soviets advanced to Vienna April, 1945 • Western Allies pushed up through Italy and through Germany • Soviet forces stromed Berlin. • Elbe River - April 25th

  19. The End in Europe • Roosevelt dies on April 12 • Replaced by Harry Truman • Mussolini killed on April 28 • April 30th Hitler committed suicide. MAY 8th, 1945 - VE Day – Germany officially surrenders

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