Hitler’s Lightning
War
Using the sudden, mass attack called the blitzkrieg, Germany
overruns much of Europe and North Africa
Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
• Secret Agreement
• Nonaggression pact—Germans and
Soviets agree not to fight each other.
This was known as the “MolotovRibbentrop Pact” signed in 1939.
• Agreement includes secret deal to split
Poland
Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
• Germany’s Lightning Attack
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September 1, 1939—Hitler launches invasion of Poland
Britain, France declare war on Germany, but Poland falls quickly
Blitzkrieg—lightning war—Germany’s new military strategy
Planes, tanks, infantry used to surprise enemy and quickly
conquer
Blitzkrieg
Germany’s Lightning Attack
• The Soviets Make Their Move
• Soviets capture Lithuania, Latvia, Poland w/o a fight
• Finland is invaded by the Soviet Union in what is called
the “Winter War.”
• Finnish soldiers swiftly
attack on skis
• Finland surrenders
in March, 1940
Germany’s Lightning Attack
• The Phony War
• French, British mobilize
along French border, wait
for German attack
• Many months of no
action—the “phony war”
• In April 1940 Hitler
attacks and quickly
captures Denmark and
Norway
British Ministry of Home
Security poster of a type
that was common during
the Phony War
King Haakon of Norway
(brother of Christian X of
Denmark) refused to
surrender to the Nazis,
and was a symbol of
Norwegian resistance.
He escaped to London
and moved the
Norwegian government
in exile there.
The Fall of France
• Further Gains
• May 1940—Germany conquers Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg
• Soon after, German army reaches French coast
• Traps Allies in city of Lille
The Fall of France
• Rescue at Dunkirk
• German forces trap
British, French on
coast of Dunkirk
• British Navy and
civilians take ships
across the English
Channel to rescue
soldiers 338,000
British troops evacuating Dunkirk's
beaches. Many stood shoulder deep in
water for hours, waiting to board the
warships.
The Fall of France
• France Falls
• 6/14 Paris Falls
• 6/22 France surrenders
to Germany
• Charles de Gaulle,
French general,
organizes opposition to
Germany in London
• Petain, French WWI
Hero heads Nazi Puppet
Government
The Battle of Britain
• Winston Churchill—Becomes
British prime minister and vows
no surrender
• Operation Sea Lion
• Nazi Germany Plan to invade
England by:
• Destroying RAF &
• Land 250,00 soldiers on England
The Battle of Britain
• Germany plans invasion of Britain; begins with air attacks in
Summer of 1940
• At first target airfields & aircraft factories
• 9/7/1940 target cities (London)
• British use technology:
• Radar could tell speed, number & direction of aircrafts
• Enigma (code breaking machine) allowed Britain to decifer
coded messages
• Forced Germans to strike at night
• People would use subways as shelters,
• Stunned by British resistance, Hitler calls off attacks
• Allies learned Hitler’s attacks could be blocked
Warm-Up
• What was the impact of the German defeat at the Battle of
Britain?
Axis Forces Attack North Africa
• Italy declares war on France & Britain
after German conquest of France
- During Battle of Britain Italy invades Egypt
- Within a week forced British back 60 miles
Britain Strikes Back
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December 1940—British attack and drive Italians back
Take 130,000 Italians prisoner
Hitler sends Afrika Corps to bail out Italy
Erwin Rommel “Desert Fox” Commanding German Officer
March 1941 Britain retreats towards Libya
Mid-Jan. 1942 Britain drives Germany back
By June 1942 Germany pushed
Britain all the way back captured Tobruk
The War in the Balkins
• The War in the Balkans
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Hitler plans to invade Soviet Union summer of ’40
Moves to take Balkan countries
Hitler invades Yugoslavia (fell in 11 days and
Greece (fell in 17 days) April 1941
Through threats, forces Bulgeria, Romaina, & Hungary to join Axis
Hitler Invades the Soviet Union
Germany invades an unprepared
Soviet Union in June 1941
USSR had largest Army in world, not
well equipped or trained
Soviet troops use scorched Earth
policy vs. Nazi troops
Germans stopped at Leningrad,
forced to undertake long siege
Winter of 41-42 1 million citizens die
Germans almost capture Moscow
Fail 500,000 German troops die
The United States Aids Its
Allies
• American Policy
Most Americans want to avoid war
Roosevelt fears that if allies fall, U.S. would have to fight
He hopes to strengthen allies so they can resist Germany
Lend-Lease Act—U.S. loans weapons to countries fighting
Germany
• FDR & Churchill agree on Atlantic Charter
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The United States Aids Its Allies
• Roosevelt and Churchill meet, issue
statement of principles
• Atlantic Charter—supports free
trade, right to form own
government