WWII Begins (13.3)

2b: Investigate causes and effects of significant events in world history.

3e: Analyze ideas critical to the understanding of American history.

WWII Begins

Official Start of WWII: Germany invades Poland (9/1/39)

Poland defeated in less than 30 days

Sep 28th Nazis and Soviets divided Poland

V S

German Tactics

blitzkrieg: Lighting war

use large # of fast, mobile tanks (supported by aircraft) to break through enemy lines + rapidly encircle enemy positions

This was characterized by extensive bombing early on to destroy the enemy's air capacity, railroads, communication lines, and munitions dumps, followed by a massive land invasion with overwhelming numbers of troops, tanks, and artillery

Fall of Poland Reasons

Tried to fight Germans head to head vstaking a more defensive position

Germany had better weapons

Poland had large army but many had no combat experience

TPS

Summarize why Poland fell after 28 days of fighting.

The Fall of France

After a winter of waiting (called the “Phony War”) Hitler resumed attacking with another blitzkrieg against Denmark and Norway on April 9th, 1940

On May 10 Germany launched attack on Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

Six weeks later on June 22 1940 France signed an armistice with Germany

Fall of France: Reason #1

Maginot Line: Heavily fortified bunker system along German border

French assumed WWII would be like WWI (trench tactics)

Result: French forces not able to adapt to more mobile German forces

Maginot Line (cont.)

Fall of France: Reason #2

2) Superior German Tactics (Blitzkrieg)

German force invades Belgium (just like WWI)

So…

French + British forces move into Belgium to face “main” German army (just like WWI)

Fall of France: Reason #2 (cont.)

Unlike WWI, main German force (tanks) invade France through Ardennes Forest

French only left small force to defend Ardennes Forest (thought tanks could not move through mts.or forest)

result: Germans trapped + surrounded French & British forces in Belgium

TPS

What characteristic/element of a modern military (and thus war) did the German victories over Poland and France illustrate?

Miracle at Dunkirk

May 27th- June 4th 1940

Because French and British Army was split into two groups they were backed up to English Channel, approximately 400,000 Allied Troops were trapped at Dunkirk, Belgium

Hitler ordered his troops to stop advancing allowing 338,000 Allied (Mostly British) troops to be evacuated.

Dunkirk Evacuation

Dunkirk: Hitler’s Failure

Stopped attack before defeating British & French- why?

1) Didn’t want to risk tank being destroyed (wanted to

wait for more infantry to come up to the front)

2) Goering (Commander of Luftwaffe) convinced Hitler

that aircraft alone could destroy British + French

forces

3) Weather played a factor in not continuing advancing the Tanks

TPS

If you were an advisor to Hitler, would you have continue the attack into Dunkirk or would you have supported Hitler’s decision to stop the attack? Justify your opinion.

SUMMARY

Explain how Germany was able to conquer most of Europe by the middle of 1940.

Hitler vs. Britain

Hitler didn’t invade GB after Dunkirk- why?

Germany didn’t have enough transport ships to get Army across English Channel

If invasion launched, British air force (RAF) might sink the few transports it had

Invasion could only work if RAF destroyed

TPS

If you were Hitler, would you have invaded Britain (virtually guaranteeing Britain’s defeat) before eliminating the threat posed by the RAF? Justify your decision.

Air War: The Battle of Britain August 1940

Battle of Britain

Events/causes that led to Britain’s victory in Battle of Britain:

1) Luftwaffe accidentally bombed London, which enraged

British

2) British bombed Berlin (retaliation)

Result: Hitler orders halt on bombing British military targets and orders Luftwaffe to bomb only London (civilian)

Battle of Britain (cont.)

3) Britain had radar

allowed Britain advanced warning when Luftwaffe was coming

Result: larger Luftwaffe

losses than RAF

“Big Picture”

GB only Western European country left fighting Germany by 1941