World War Two

The Years of Axis Triumph

Nazi Europe, 1939-1940:

Poland and the Fall of France

Blitzkrieg• Germans discover how to use new technologies

of tanks and planes effectively.

• Means: ‘Lightning war’

• Luftwaffe bomb rear, trains stop the mobilization of enemy.

• Panzer columns punch through defense & don’t stop for anything, infantry mops up.

The Invasion Of Poland

• Germany invades Poland Sept 1, 1939 with forces over 1 million.

• USSR invades Poland from east Sept. 17, retakes territory lost in 1920.

• Both countries execute Polish leaders & elites.

• Nazi goal is to destroy the Polish people.

• Beginning of atrocities –evict farmers, gather Jews to ghettos, encourage murder

The Fall of France

• May 10, 1940 Germany strikes west.

• France unprepared for Blitzkrieg.

• France falls by June 22, world shocked.

• British evacuate at Dunkirk.

• Northern France occupied, puppet government “Vichy France” in South.

• Nazis force millions of Europeans into war industry as slaves

The Battle of BritainJuly 1940 - May 1941

The Battle of Britain

• Hitler tried to win control of the air before attempting full-scale invasion.

• Begins an air assault in the summer of 1940.

• Incorrect belief held by both sides that bombing cities will break morale.

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• Atrocities committed on civilians by Germany and later by Britain & U.S.

• 43,000 die in “Blitz”, 1 million homes gone.

The Battle of Britain

• RAF fights off bombers with more success.

• Radar new; detects enemy approach.

• Hitler abandons invasion in winter 1940-41.• Britain gradually gains control of skies and begins

bombing Germany.

• U.S. “great arsenal of democracy” supports with food, weapons, raw materials, convoys.

Nazi Invasion of Russia:

The Russian Front, 1941-1942

The Russian Front• Hitler wants conquest of eastern Europe

– slaves for industrial Germany– Ukraine wheat, Caucasus oil– most violent, bloody, racist-driven battles here

• Allies warn Stalin of German invasion.

• Stalin preoccupied with own plan of conquest and Soviet expansion.

• Germany invades with 3 million troops along 2000 mile front on June 22, 1941.

The Russian Front

• By autumn within 25 miles of Moscow.

• Russians practice ‘scorched-earth’ policy:– Destroy own agriculture & industry in retreat

• Vastness of USSR works in its favour:– Shift industrial production to Siberia & Urals– Soviet economy & government still functioning

• USSR launches counter-offensive in winter.

• Germany unprepared for war in bitter winter.

The Russian Front

• Siege of Leningrad (pop. 3.5 million): 1 million die of starvation, coldness, drought.

• 20 million Soviet troops mobilized.

• In Russia, WWII is called the ‘Great Patriotic War’.

Dieppe: August 19, 1942

• USSR desperate, begs Allies for 2nd front.

• Americans eager to attack Germany.

• British insist Allies not ready.• Prepare invasion of French coast, Dieppe.

• Invasion force mostly Canadians.

• Invasion a disaster: 4384 casualties out of 6086.

Dieppe's pebble beach and cliff immediately following the raid on August 19, 1942. A scout car has been abandoned.

Stalingrad: Soviet Victory

• Hitler shifts main attack to southern Russia.• Strategic & symbolic city.

• Germans take most of city, then:– Soviets attack flanks & surround Germans– Hitler refuses to allow surrender to Slavs– Loses entire 6th army, 1st great disaster

• Turning point of European war & perhaps WWII.

• Germans in retreat from this point on.

• Soviets lose more troops at Stalingrad than U.S. does in entire war.