Major Events of the

Second World War(1939-1941)

Global Theaters of the Second World War

Atlantic Ocean

North Africa

Europe

Pacific Ocean

Asia

The Second World War lasted for six long years from 1939 to 1945. Battles

were fought in Europe, Africa, and Asia, and in the Atlantic and Pacific

Oceans. This gigantic struggle cost the lives of about 50 million people.

p

THE WAR YEARS

1939: Blitzkrieg

Nonaggression Pact Between Germany and U.S.S.R. (August 23, 1939)

Germany and Russia agreed not to attack each other, which allowed Hitler to open

up a second front in the West without worrying about defending against Russia.

Granted Western Poland to Germany, but allowed Russia to occupy Finland,

Estonia, Latvia, and Eastern Poland. Hitler intended to break the pact.

As early as 1924, Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf, that

conquering the Soviet Union was his ultimate goal. He

was greatly disappointed when France and England

declared war on Sept. 3, 1939 (see the next unit’s notes)

which had delayed his military timetable. Hitler

secretly desired an alliance with England to join him in

his crusade against the Soviet Union. That dream ended

with the death of Neville Chamberlain and the

appointment of Winston Churchill as England’s new

Prime Minister.

Gleiwitz: Trigger That Started WWII

The incident, which triggered World War II, was the fake, simulated attack by the

Germans on their own radio station near Gleiwitz on the Polish border. To make it

appear that the attacking force consisted of Poles, condemned German criminals

from a nearby concentration camp were dressed in Polish uniforms then shot and

their bodies placed in strategic positions around the radio station. A Polish-

speaking German then did a broadcast from the station to make it appear that

Poland had attacked first. This was all the excuse Hitler needed to invade Poland

on September 1, 1939.

“On the 1st of Sept. 1939, at dawn, the Germans crossed into our territory.”

Radio Warsaw reports the German invasion of Poland September 1, 1939

Hitler Used the staged incident at Hitler used the pre-dawn staged incident at Gleiwitz to announce the Germany’s declaration of

war against Poland on Sept. 1, 1939

MP3- Hitler Declares War on Poland

Blitzkrieg “Lightning War”Germany’s blitzkrieg tactics were designed to avoid the stalemate and trench

warfare which occurred during WWI. The objective was to break through the

enemy lines at the weakest points and then rush forward to spread fear and

confusion behind the lines. Pockets of enemy resistance could then be isolated and

destroyed. Recording

BLITZKRIEG

Hitler Invades Poland [Sept 01, 1939]

September 1, 1939: Germany launched the blitzkrieg on Poland. Poland's two

million man army was easily defeated, many of whom were on horseback against

German tanks. The Soviet Union attacked from the west on Sept. 17,

1939according to the Nazi-Soviet non-Aggression pact signed a month earlier.

Great Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on Sept 3,

1939.

Hitler Invades Poland [Sept 01, 1939]

The fast moving and brave Polish cavalry was no match for the German

panzers. The age of mechanized warfare had begun.

Recording RecordingRecordingRecording

Polish Cavalry Video

England & France Declare War on Germany

On September 3, 1939 England and France declared war against Germany. The

war in Europe had begun.

On Sept. 3, 1939, Neville Chamberlain, the Prime

Minister of England announced that the British

ambassador to Berlin had handed a final note to the

German government stating that unless Germany

had announced plans to withdraw from Poland, a

state of war would exist between the two countries.

Chamberlain continued, "I have to tell you now that

no such undertaking has been received and

consequently this country is at war with Germany."

Similarly the French issued an ultimatum, which was

presented in Berlin at 1230, saying France would be at war

unless a 1700 deadline for the German withdrawal was

followed.

Recording

German Reaction to England’s Ultimatum

On the morning of September 3, 1939 Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain went on the radio and

announced to the British people that they were at war with Germany.

When I entered the next room Hitler was sitting at his desk and Ribbentrop stood by the window.

Both looked up expectantly as I came in. I stopped at some distance from Hitler's desk, and then

slowly translated the British Government's ultimatum. When I finished, Hitler sat immobile and

completely silent and unmoving. Then after an interval which seemed an age, he turned to

Ribbentrop, who had remained standing by the window. 'What now,?' asked Hitler with a savage

look, as though implying that his Foreign Minister had misled him about England's probable

reaction. Ribbentrop answered quietly: 'I assume that the French will hand in a similar ultimatum

within the hour.'

Goering turned to me and said: 'If we lose this war, then God have mercy on us!' Everywhere in the

room I saw looks of grave concern, even amongst the lesser Party people."

“Hitler sat immobile and completely

silent and unmoving. Then after an

interval which seemed an age, he turned

to Ribbentrop and inquired, 'What now,?'

almost as if astonished that the Western

Allies had finally stood up to him.

As part of the Nazi-Soviet Pact in August 1939, Stalin ordered Soviet troops to

advance into eastern Poland on Sept. 17, 1939. Without military support from

England or France the Polish army was soon overwhelmed.

Soviet Union Invades Poland from the East

MP3 Recording- Soviet 1

Soviets & Germans Meet

Polish Officials Surrender

Polish Prisoners

German and U.S.S.R. Division of Poland

I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a

riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, but

there is a key. That key is Russian self-interest.

Winston Churchill, Oct. 1, 1939 Commenting on

the Soviet pact with Nazi Germany.

German Atrocities Against the Polish People Although the regular German army, the Wehrmacht, defeated the Polish military

within days of the initial invasion, a more sinister set of squadrons followed, the

Totenkopf, or “Death’s Head.” These squadrons immediately began rounding up

and killing Polish civilians. All intellectuals were to be exterminated. It was Hitler's

intention to obliterate all traces of Polish history and culture. Even towns and

villages were renamed in German. The Poles were to become a 'leaderless nation of

common labor and were not to be taught anything more than simple arithmetic

and how to write their own name.

Katyn Forest MassacreKatyn Forest is a wooded area near Smolensk where Stalin ordered the NKVD to

shoot and bury over 4,000 Polish officers in 1940 that had been taken prisoner

after the Soviet Union invaded Poland in September 1939.

In 1943 the Nazis exhumed the Polish dead and exposed Stalin’s little secret.

However, in 1944 after the Soviets had retaken the Katyn area, Stalin ordered the

bodies to be burned and then accused the Nazis. Because the Soviet Union was an

important partner to the Western allies, the United States and England supported

the Soviet version of the story. During the Cold War the truth was uncovered.

Recording

American Neutrality

During the late 1930s, Many Americans were alarmed by the international conflicts

of the mid-1930s and were divided about becoming involved in “Europe's quarrels.”

Isolationists were people who believed the United States should stay completely

out of other nations’ affairs except in the defense of the United States, strictly

opposed intervening.

Non-Isolationists were people who felt that the United States should be more

involved in the economic and political problems occurring across the Atlantic.

Survey on December 16, 1940: Do you think it was a mistake for

the U.S. to enter the first World War?

Yes: 39%

No: 42%

No opinion: 19%

Recording

When FDR expressed a desire for American intervention in WWII, he was faced

with stiff resistance by the America First Committee in 1940. The committee was

compromised of many pro-isolationist who thought that the allied powers could

do nothing to stop the war.

“I ask you to look at the map of Europe today and see

if you can suggest any way in which we could win this

war if we entered it.”

Charles A. Lindbergh,

speech in New York, 1941

“If any one of these groups; the British, the Jews, or the

administration, stops agitating for war, I believe there will be

little danger of our involvement.”

Charles Lindburgh, Jr.

Urges U.S. neutrality in World War II

Des Moines, Iowa, September 11, 1941

America First Committee

Charles Lindbergh was a big

supporter of this policy, and even

joined the America First

Committee to demonstrate his

antiwar sentiment.

Recording

Neutrality Acts

1935: prohibited arms shipment

to all belligerent countries.

1936: forbid loans to all belligerents

1937: “Cash & Carry” principle:

all nations must pay for nonmilitary

purchases and ship the goods in

their own vessels.

1939: prohibited Americans from

traveling on ships of belligerent

nations.

1940: Lend Lease program offered

to Great Britain…. U.S. becomes the

“arsenal of democracy”

[See Battle of Atlantic]

A PERSONAL VOICE FRANKLIN DELANO

ROOSEVELT

“ This nation will remain a neutral nation, but I cannot

ask that every American remain neutral in thought as well.

. . . Even a neutral cannot be asked to close his mind or

his con-science. . . . I have said not once, but many times,

that I have seen war and I hate war. . . . As long as it is my

power to prevent, there will be no blackout of peace in the

U.S.”

Radio speech, September 3, 1939

Recording

Cash and Carry Revision of Neutrality

A precautionary move by the U.S. to make sure they stayed an isolationist

country. Any nation that wanted to trade or purchase materials from the U.S.

would have to pay cash and carry the goods away in their own ships. Benefitted

the Allies, since German ships could not reach the U.S. due to the Allied

blockades.

“The people of Europe who are defending

themselves do not ask us to do their

fighting, they ask us for the implements of

war.... We must be the great arsenal of

democracy.”

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt,

radio address, December 1940

U.S. Conscription

In September 1940, the U.S. Congress passed the first draft law ever

enacted while the United States was at peace. Over 900,000 young men

between the ages of 21 and 36 were inducted into the armed forces. In

October of 1940, some 16,500,000 men were registered.

The first group was called upon for duty the following month.

Phony War (Sept. 1939 to April 1940)

Following the invasion of Poland in the fall of 1939, World War II lapsed into a

lull known as the "Phony War." During this seven-month interlude, both sides

sought to avoid a general confrontation on the Western Front and the possibility

of World War I-style trench warfare.

Although war had been declared, no

shots were fired across the French

Maginot Line during the winter of 1939-

40. Both sides tried to endure the

boredom while waiting for orders to

attack. The "Phony War" ended in

April 1940.

Strange… But True: A Gentlemen’s’ War

[One] decoy built during the Phony War was an artificial German "airfield," constructed with meticulous care, and was made

almost entirely of wood. There were wooden hangars, oil tanks, gun emplacements, trucks, and aircraft. The Germans took so

long in building their wooden decoy that allied photo experts had more than enough time to observe and report it. The day

finally came when the decoy was finished, down to the last wooden plank. Early the following morning, a lone RAF plane

crossed the Channel, came in low, circled the field once, and dropped a large fake wooden bomb.

Recording

Russo-Finland War (Winter 1939-1940)

Nonaggression Pact between Germany and U.S.S.R. allowed Stalin to invade and

occupy the Baltic States: Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Russia wanted to display

its military prowess and invaded Finland. Hitler became upset with Stalin because

Finland was a source of Hitler’s iron ore. (Made into steel) Eventually, Soviet

superior numbers (Steamroller) overwhelmed the Finns and Finland negotiated a

peace settlement which gave the Soviet Union 22,000 square miles of land.

Finnish ski troops defended against the

Soviet invasion.The invincible Russian Steamroller

Recording

Bear Roar

Russo-Finland War (Winter 1939-1940)

The Soviet invasion of Finland exposed weaknesses with the Soviet Army:

•Stalin’s purges of the 30’s severely weakened the military.

•All battlefield decisions were supervised and made by a communist political

officer.

•Soviet equipment broke down in the cold and snow.

•Finnish ski troops made the Soviet Army look weak.

Hitler decided to invade the Soviet Union in 1941 based on the knowledge that Stalin’s

purges of his military in the 1930’s and Russia’s poor performance during the invasion

of Finland in the winter of 1939-1940 proved the Soviet Army was vulnerable. Hitler

believed that the Soviet Union was rotten to the core and would collapse within a

matter of weeks after he launched his invasion of the Soviet Union.

Hmmm… Those

Russians will be

no match for my

Aryan race

vs.

THE WAR YEARS

1940 “Blitzkrieg in the West”

France’s Maginot LineThe French depended on the Maginot Line to protect France from a German invasion.

Named for Andre Maginot, the French Minister of War. By 1939, the Maginot Line was

a militarized zone ten to fifty miles deep and considered the strongest fixed fortification

system in the world.The French military strategy was to

remain defensive based on the high

losses it had sustained as a

consequence of their offensive

posture during the First World War.

Named after Andre Maginot, the

Minister of War from 1928-32, the

Maginot system was a line of forts

that cost over $200 million.

Most of the Maginot Line was

underground where it was connected by

tunnels. Today, the French government

rents out its dark and damp caverns to

farmers for growing mushrooms.

The French made no plans to extend it

past its border with Germany, because

they did not consider neutral Belgium an

enemy, or a threat. The Maginot Line is

considered one of the greatest military

failures of all-time.

Winston Churchill

On May 9, 1940, Churchill's predecessor, Neville Chamberlain faced heavy

criticism in Parliament and made the decision to resign as Prime Minister.

Winston Churchill who was experienced in warfare, from both the civilian's and

soldier's point of view eagerly accepted the position. Even though he promised

nothing more than 'blood, toil, tears, and sweat', Churchill’s greatest talent was his

ability to motivate and inspire the English population against the determination of

Germany and Italy's warmongering.

Chamberlain: The Great Appeaser Churchill: The Bulldog

Recording

Churchill Becomes Prime Minister [World Wars]

Hitler Invades Denmark & Norway (April 1940)Hitler used the excuse that he had to protect Denmark and Norway. In spite of a

treaty Hitler had with Denmark, he rolled his tanks across its borders on April 9,

1940. Norway's government was headed by Vidkun Quisling, whose name would

later become equated with "traitor."

Strange… But True

In Norway there were around 10,000 children born of parents who were members of Vidkum Quisling's pro-Nazi party and of

love affairs between Norwegian girls and German soldiers. After the war, these children were rejected as so-called 'German

kids', maltreated and despised, treated with contempt, in fact refugees in their own country. Considered social misfits, few have

received a proper education. To relieve Norway of this embarrassing problem, Sweden adopted a few hundred of these children

and around 250 were sent to homes in Germany. Since the war, many have tried to get their Norwegian citizenship back but in

each case their application has been refused.

Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician who the Germans

had installed as the prime minister of Norway in 1942.

Throughout the war he continued to collaborate with the

Nazis. Today, his last name in Norway has become synonymous

with traitor. Quisling was tried and executed after the war.

Hitler Invades the Low Countries (May 10, 1940)

Hitler moved 136 divisions against Holland and Belgium on May 10, 1940. The Dutch

were helpless against the blitzkrieg. On May 14, the Dutch port city of Rotterdam was

bombed into submission with no provocation. Queen Wilhelmina escaped to England

where a government-in-exile was established. The Dutch suffered 100,000 casualties

before surrendering. Hitler placed the Dutch under the rule of Artur von Seyss-Inquart,

an Austrian who had helped in the Nazi coup there.

Recording

British and French anticipated the main German attack would Come through

Belgium. The Allies planned to respond to the anticipated German advance by

sending troops into Belgium. A fortress at Eben Emael fell within 36 hours of the

blitz on Belgium. King Leopold refused to escape, and many saw this as a form of

collaboration with the Germans. He was forced to step down from his throne

after the war in 1951.

The Germans had the exact blueprints to the fortress Eben

Emael and practiced their assault for months.

Hitler posing with German paratroopers who captured

Eben Emael by landing on the fortress’ roof with gliders.

Hitler Invades the Low Countries (May 10, 1940)

The Master Plan

As the Germans had hoped, the British and French forces took the bait and sent their entire

armies into Belgium and assumed defensive positions. Then three German Panzer corps smashed

through the Ardennes behind the Allied lines and cut off the Allied armies in Belgium.

The Manstein Plan

The Germans lured the British & French into Belgium with a diversionary attack. The main German attack

then struck from behind and completely encircled the unsuspecting French and British troops.

Manstein

Hitler Invades France (May 1940)

Led by Guderian and Erwin Rommel, the German forces smashed through the

Ardennes behind Allied lines, raced across northern France and cut off the Allied

armies in Belgium.

On June 10, 1940,

Italy entered the war

on Germany's side

and attacked an

already weakened

France.

Hitler Invades France (May 1940)

Fleeing civilians congested the roads and made allied troop

movements to the front difficult. Nevertheless, German

airplanes targeted them and strafed them with bullets.

Strange… But True

Hitler ordered the Stuka equipped with a

screaming siren that made the sound of its dive

far more frightening, giving it a greatly enhanced

psychological effect which terrorized enemy

civilians and soldiers alike. The Stuka had one

main disadvantage; it was quite slow and became

easy prey for enemy fighters. As a result of that,

the Stuka suffered very heavy losses whenever it

operated without air superiority provided by

German fighters.

Recording

Miracle at DunkirkOnce Belgium fell, the British forces were trapped. The only means of escape back to

England was the port of Dunkirk on the French coast. The British called upon its

civil population to donate any small ships that were available to move men and

equipment from the European mainland. From May 26 to June 4, 1940, 887 ships of

all sizes crossed the English Channel to rescue 338,226 men by bringing them to

England.

Highlights of the Dunkirk Evacuation (May 1940)

Newspaper and newsreels

were full of pictures such

as this one, which shows

troops wading out to a

troop ship close to the

shore.

Did Hitler allow the British to escape? Some historians debate whether Hitler wanted to let the British escape

in order to placate the British government. Others claim that the Luftwaffe failed to do the job.

France Surrenders (June 22, 1940)

France surrendered to Germany outside of Paris at Compiegne on June 22, 1940.

New French government called Vichy France was established as a German

puppet government. (Did as Hitler directed)

With the fall of France, Hitler became the Master of Europe. Only England

stood in his way.

Strange… But True

As a token of revenge, Hitler had the same train car in

which the surrender document was signed ending WWI

placed on the same spot and destroyed after the French

surrendered to him in 1940.

Nazis Occupy Paris (June 1940)

“France has lost a battle. But France

has not lost the war!”

Charles DeGualle Proclamation June 18, 1940

Recording

Hitler Visits Paris [1940]

Strange… But True

Hitler visited Paris only

once, and only after

France surrendered in

1940. While there he

visited the Eifel Tower

and the tomb of

Napoleon, one of his

idols.

Strange… But True

The French Resistance cut the elevator cables to the Eiffel Tower to keep

Hitler from visiting it during his visit when Paris fell. When faced with the

prospect of climbing over 1500 stairs, he opted out.

The Division of France: Vichy France

Vichy France was the

name of the French State,

headed by Marshal

Philippe Pétain from 1940

to 1944. During this

period, Paris remained the

de jure capital of France.

From 1940 to 1942, the

Vichy regime was the

nominal government of

France while, Germany

militarily occupied

northern France.

Following the Allied

landings in French North

Africa in November 1942,

southern France was also

militarily occupied by

Germany and Italy. The

Vichy government

remained in existence, but

was very aware that it had

to please Germany. It

vanished in late 1944 when

the Allies occupied all of

France.

England Stands Alone

White Cliffs of Dover

(England) 40 km away.

German officers used binoculars to peer at the White Cliffs of Dover

in England only 40 miles across the English Channel. For the next

year, England will face the brunt of Hitler’s forces in western

Europe. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941)

will bring the United States, England it’s biggest ally, into the war.

Recording- White Cliffs of Dover

Operation Sea LionAfter the fall of France, England stood alone against the might of the German war

machine, Italy, and Japan. Hitler was surprised that Britain did not surrender like

France. He ordered his generals to invade Britain. Their invasion plan was code

named (Operation Sea Lion). Hitler began planning for an invasion of England, but

before he could launch an invasion he needed to neutralize the British air force.

English Home GuardWhat was the Home Guard?

On the evening of Tuesday 14 May 1940, the Government made an urgent appeal on

the radio to all men aged between 17 and 65. The wanted all men not already serving

in the armed forces to become part-time soldiers. Many of the men who joined the

Home Guard were those who could not join the regular army because their day time

jobs were necessary to keep the country running. They included farm workers,

bakers, teachers, grocers, bank staff and railway workers. Other men who joined

were either to young or too old to join the regular army.

English Home GuardWhat was the job of the Home Guard?

The Home Guard defended key targets like factories, explosive stores, beaches

and sea fronts. At night they patrolled fields in which the enemy gliders or

paratroops might land. No one expected them to beat well-trained German

soldiers. Their job was to slow them down until the army arrived.

The expected invasion by Germany never came. Instead the main role of the

Home Guard was capturing German airmen whose planes had been shot down

over Britain. They also guarded munitions factories, airfields, and checked

people's identity cards.

Strange… But True

The Home Guard was given

little military training and the

public was asked to give their

shotguns and pistols to the

Home Guard.

Clever camouflage… Can

you spot the hidden Home

Guard?

Britain Prepares for Invasion:

Evacuation of Children

As soon as England declared war on Germany, it started to prepare itself for air

raids and possible invasion. Britons also believed that because the Germans would

bomb major towns and cities all children should be evacuated to the countryside.

This meant leaving their homes and families to live with people that they did not

know in the countryside.

Recording

Who was evacuated?

• Schoolchildren (827,000) and

their teachers

• Mothers with children under

five (524,000)

• Pregnant women (12,000)

• Some disabled people

England Evacuating Children [Horrible Histories]

Britain Prepares for Invasion: Gas Masks

Gas had been used a great deal in the First World War and many soldiers had died

or been injured in gas attacks. There was a fear that it would be used against

ordinary people at home in Britain (civilians). By September 1939, some 38 million

gas masks had been given out, house to house, to families. They were never to be

needed.

Strange… But True

Adults masks were simply

colored black; babies had

a large mask which

covered their whole body

and air had to be pumped

into the mask with a hand

pump.

Strange… But True

A total of 38 million gas

masks were also distributed.

Also stacked in warehouses

were millions of cardboard

coffins in expectations of

many dead from air raids.

Britain Prepares for Invasion: Rationing

Providing food for everybody during wartime was very difficult. When war was

declared the British government started rationing food to make sure that there

would not be a shortage once fighting started. Food had to be rationed because

Britain could not get food from Europe or its colonies very easily when it was at

war. Everybody was issued with a ration book, which told shopkeepers how much

food that person could have.

Britain’s Defenses: Radar

One advantage that the RAF had over the Luftwaffe was radar technology. Radar

(radio detection and ranging) located an object by bombarding it with radio waves

and measuring the time taken for the waves to go out and bounce back to the

transmitter. This early warning system helped to detect German planes crossing the

English Channel and the North Sea and gave the British R.A.F. time to send up and

concentrate its outnumbered fighters in areas to more effectively intercept German

bombers.

Thanks to radar, the R.A.F. shot down four

German bombers to each British fighter lost.

Britain’s Defenses: Barrage BalloonsBarrage balloons were put up to force the German planes to fly higher, so their

bombing would be less accurate. The Barrage balloons were tethered by steel

cables strong enough to destroy any aircraft, which flew into them.

Huge barrage balloons were floated over any major industrial area to prevent

German planes from bombing army bases or important factories. There were two

barrage balloons tied to Upper School during World War Two. These balloons

were raised and lowered by local ARP wardens.

Britain’s Defenses: Blackout

During the war, everyone had to cover their windows and doors at night (before sunset)with heavy blackout curtains, cardboard or paint. They needed to prevent any glimmer oflight from escaping and aiding enemy aircraft during the bombing raids. Streetlightswere switched off or dimmed and shielded to deflect the light downward. Traffic lightsand vehicle headlights were fitted with slotted covers to deflect the beam down to thefloor. To help prevent the Germans from seeing where the towns were, a blackout wasrigorously enforced after darkness. This meant that all sources of light had to be blackedout.

Britain’s Defenses: Air Raid SirensPeople were warned of a likely air raid by loud sirens, positioned in different parts

of towns and cities. During the blitz, they became an almost daily part of life. The

sirens made a very loud and long signal or warning sound. For an alert, the siren

sound pitch rose and fell alternately. The All Clear was a continuous sound from

the siren. Not every alert brought a raid, and sometimes raids happened when no

alert had sounded.Recording

Britain’s Defenses: ARP Wardens Their main purpose of ARP Wardens was to patrol the streets during blackout

and to ensure that no light was visible. If a light was spotted, the warden would

alert the person/people responsible by shouting something like "Put that light out!"

or "Cover that window!” The ARP Wardens also reported the extent of bomb

damage and assess the local need for help from the emergency and rescue.

services.

ARP Wardens They wore helmets with a big W on the

front.

Britain’s Defenses: Air Raid Shelters

British citizens needed to protect themselves from the bombs being dropped by

German aircraft. Anderson Shelters were half buried in the ground with earth

heaped on top to protect them from bomb blasts. Inside they were dark and damp

and people found sleeping difficult because they did not keep out the sound of the

bombings. As the night raids became so frequent, many people who were tired of

repeatedly interrupting their sleep to go back and forth to the shelters virtually

took up residence in a shelter.

What would you take with you into an air raid

shelter?

The Battle of Britain (July-Oct 1940)

Hitler decided to launch an all-out air assault against England, which is commonly

referred to as the “Blitz.” Every day between June and October 1940, the RAF

and the Luftwaffe clashed over Britain. Both sides were equipped with the latest

aircraft technology. However, the RAF had the edge over the Luftwaffe with its

new faster fighters the Spitfire and Hurricane. The Luftwaffe was equipped with

Stuka dive-bombers, Messerschmitt ME109 fighters, and the Heinkel bombers.

“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty, and so bear

ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for

a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”

Winston Churchill inaugurates the Battle of Britain June 18, 1940

By September after the Germans suffered tremendous losses, Hitler ordered

nighttime terror raids rather than daytime precision bombing to break the will of

the British to fight. The Germans' nighttime terror bombing of London and other

British cities was known as the Blitz.

Strange… But True: The bombing became a regular feature of

British life in late 1940 and early 1941. London was bombed for

57 consecutive nights beginning in September 1940.

MP3 Recording-

flames

Highlights of the Battle of Britain

Strange… But True:

Reich marshal Herman Goering, commander of the Luftwaffe said, “ If one Allied bomb falls

on Germany, you can call me Meyer.” (Jewish name.)

Strange… But True:

The Battle of Britain’s outcome was altered in the fall of 1940

when a Luftwaffe bomber accidentally bombed London. This

prompted Churchill to order the bombing of Berlin the following

night. Under the direction of Hitler, the Luftwaffe began to bomb

London and other cities nightly instead of military targets. Strange… But True:

When the British bombed Berlin in retaliation for the

accidental German bombing of London, the very first

bomb dropped by the Allies on Berlin killed the only

elephant in the Berlin Zoo.

“He who controls the air,

controls the war.”

Herman Goring

Battle of Britain, Fall 1940

MP3 Recording-

planes

Churchill Speech- Heart of Courage [World Wars]

Highlights of the Battle of Britain

Churchill said of the RAF pilots, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Hitler

meanwhile grew impatient with England’s stubbornness and finally called off Operation Sea Lion in favor of a more

burdensome undertaking, a showdown with the Soviet Union

Churchill's inspirational leadership combined with the bravery of the British Royal

Air force allowed the British to be victorious and prevented Hitler from invading

England in 1940.

The Germans lost 1,882 aircraft and the RAF lost 1,265 in the Battle of Britain.

When Hitler launched his attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, the plan to bomb

Britain into submission was abandoned.

Battle of Britain: Aftermath

Strange… But True:

English cities and towns were

also heavily bombed, including

Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol,

Southampton, Plymouth,

Birmingham, Coventry and

Liverpool. One devastating raid

on Coventry in November 1940

was the biggest air-raid the world

had ever seen. 4,330 homes were

destroyed and 554 people killed.

At one point during the night 200

separate fires burned in the city.

Strange… But True:

One in every ten bombs that fell

was a 'dud,' which meant that it

did not explode on impact. But,

some bombs had a delayed action

fuse, which meant they could go off

at any time. This meant that it was

almost impossible to tell which

bombs were which. People had to

be evacuated until the bombs had

been made safe.

Lend-Lease ActPresident Roosevelt proposed the Lend-Lease Act in March 1941, which stated

that the United States could lend or lease arms to any country considered “vital to

the defense of the United States.” Congress passed the act by a wide margin.

“Give us the tools and we will finish the job.”

Winston Churchill, Feb. 9, 1941

The Lend-lease bill was approved by Congress in 1941, which originally authorized $7 billion. Thirty-five other nations besides

Great Britain, USSR, France, and China received loans from the lend lease. By August 1945, the amount totaled $48 billion, of

which the United States received $6 billion in repayment by these nations.

"If your neighbor's house is on

fire," Roosevelt reasoned, "you don't

sell him a hose, you give it to him.

Then, you take it back after the fire

is out. This helps your neighbor and

makes sure that the fire doesn't

spread to your own house."

Recording

Great Britain $31 billion

Soviet Union $11 billion

France $ 3 billion

China $1.5 billion

Other European $500 million

South America $400 million

The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000

U. S. Lend-Lease Act 1941

“US Becomes the Arsenal of Democracy”

Strange… But True:

The Lend-lease bill was approved by Congress

in 1941, which originally authorized $7 billion.

Thirty-five other nations besides Great Britain,

USSR, France, and China received loans from

the lend lease. By August 1945, the amount

totaled $48 billion, of which the United States

received $6 billion in repayment by these

nations.

Lord Beaverbrook was later to exclaim "The

Japanese are our relentless enemies, and the

Americans our un-relenting creditors."

The Battle of the Atlantic

German U-Boats patrolled the Atlantic against the British blockade of Europe and

in an effort to stop supplies from America from ever reaching Britain. The

German navy under the command of Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, carried out

total unrestricted submarine warfare to cut off Britain's imports and military

supplies. The Allies developed a convoy system where merchant ships were

guarded by destroyer escorts.

Allied leaders grouped their supply ships in large

numbers and surrounded them with anti-

submarine warships. (Safety in numbers as

opposed to crossing the Atlantic solo.

Without the convoy system, the Allies

lost one out of every 10 ships. With

the convoy, the number of ships lost

changed to 2 out of 100 ships.

The Wolf PackMethod used by the German u-boats (submarines) to track and sink enemy

ships. Received its name because this method was similar to how wolves stalk

and hunt their prey.

U-boats operated in

groups of 10 called

"wolf packs."

Recording

Deconstructing History U-Boats

The phase in the Battle of the Atlantic between January 1942 to August 1942, was

known among German submarine commanders as the “Happy Time or Golden

Time,” along the east coast of North America. During this time, German U-boats

were able to inflict massive damage to merchant shipping and U.S. naval vessels

with little risk to themselves because American defense measures were weak and

disorganized. During this period, German u-boats sank 609 ships totaling 3.1 million

tons and the loss of thousands of lives.

“Happy Time” of the German Wolf Packs

Strange… But True:

Lights from homes and businesses on land would create silhouettes of the

Allies’ supply ships, making them easy targets for German U-boats. To

discourage attacks, streetlights were covered to allow only a small light cast

straight downward. Automobile headlights were dimmed and covered with

tape, which was also used in homes to hold curtains closed.

New York City as viewed through the

periscope of a German U-boat in 1942.

Allied technology to Combat German U-boats

Depth Charges A canister-shaped weapon

dropped from the back of surface ships to

attack submerged submarines. Very deadly

against German submarines.

Sonar A surface ship sent out a pulse of

sound. When the sound hit an object, it

echoed back to a receiver on the ship.

Sonar

Recording

U-571 Depth Charges 2

Italy’s Failed Invasion of Egypt

Mussolini had important ambitions and wanted to re-establish the Roman Empire

by making the Mediterranean Sea an Italian lake. On June 10, 1940, Italy declared

war on France and Britain. Perceiving British weaknesses, Mussolini set out to

conquer Egypt and seize the Suez Canal.

Strange… But True: Despite the Italian army

outnumbering the British 3-to-1 in North Africa, the

British army easily defeated the Italian army and forced it

into a frantic retreat.

By the time WWII began, the student had become the

master! Despite Mussolini being an Axis partner with

Hitler, Mussolini was extremely jealous of Hitler’s

successes and set out on his own plans to re-establish

the Roman Empire. He constantly set out on disastrous

campaigns only to have Hitler bail him out time and

time again… much to Hitler’s dismay.

Adolph… I’m in a

little trouble. Can

you help me out?

What again? I told you

next time consult me

before you do something

on your own again.

Rommel and the Afrika Korps

Mussolini's disastrous Egyptian campaign prompted Hitler's intervention and

the creation of the infamous Afrika Korps under the command of Erwin

Rommel. For the next year and a half, the British fought a seesaw battle across

North Africa against Rommel's Afrika Korps.

Erwin Rommel (German)

“The Desert Fox”

Strange… But True:

The climate of North Africa was very hostile.

There was nothing green and the landscape was

rocky and sandy. Temperatures reached 130 F in

daylight and freezing at night. The Fighting see-

sawed as each side chased the other across the

desert for the several months.

Strange… But True:

When Rommel arrived in Tripoli (Libya) he had his tank crews drive around the city several times to

deceive British spies into believing he had more tanks than he had. The rouse worked while he awaited the

arrival of his German reinforcements.

Recording

Italy’s Failed Invasion of Greece (Oct. 1940)

Greece was a country of difficult, mountainous terrain. Once again… Mussolini

did not coordinate his actions with Hitler… Hitler was irate! By November

1940, Greek forces gradually pushed the Italians back to the Albanian border.

Italy’s disastrous invasion and retreat from

Greece caused Hitler to fear a British foothold

in the Balkans.

THE WAR YEARS

1941“Blitzkrieg in the East”

Hitler’s Balkan Intervention (Spring 1941)

Hitler had intended to invade the Soviet Union before June 1941, but Hitler was

forced to postpone the attack and invade the Balkans in April 1941 to restore order there following Mussolini’s ill-advised and disastrous invasion of Greece in October 1940.

Mussolini constantly set out on disastrous campaigns only to have Hitler bail him

out time and time again… much to Hitler’s dismay. This time the consequences

were disastrous… It forced Hitler to postpone the invasion of Russia by six weeks

and perhaps cost Hitler the war. Even after Yugoslavia was divided up among the

victorious Axis powers, the Yugoslav resistance was fierce.

Crete (May 1941)

Greece was quickly overrun by the German army and forced the British to retreat

to Crete. May 20, 1941 German paratroopers landed on Crete and captured it after

heavy losses.

Strange… But True:

The airborne assault on

Crete was so costly that

Hitler never launched

another airborne strike

for the rest of the war.

Planning BarbarossaThe planning for Operation Barbarossa [Invasion of the Soviet Union] began in the

summer of 1940. The invasion was planned for spring 1941. Three army groups

were assembled:

Army Group North would advance toward Leningrad through the Baltic States.

Army Group Center would advance toward Moscow.

Army Group South would invade the Ukraine.

“We have only to kick the door in and the whole rotten

structure will come crashing down.” Adolf Hitler

Strange… But True:

Hitler codenamed the German invasion of Russia after one of his

idols, Frederick Barbarossa.

The German army’s plans

were to push toward

Leningrad in the north,

Moscow in the center, and

in the south as far as the

Volga River.

Why Did Hitler Invade the Soviet Union?

Hitler had always believed that war with the Soviet Union was inevitable. Nazi

ideology held the Soviet Union to be the center of a global Judeo-Bolshevist

conspiracy. Thus, war against the Soviet Union would have not only geopolitical

objectives, providing the German nation with living space (Lebensraum) in the

east, but a major ideological goal as well: the destruction of Judeo-Bolshevism.

Commissar Order: War of Annihilation

Hitler warned his generals that this was to be an Ideological war to the finish andGerman soldiers could not be expected to fight according to the usual rules of war.Troops were issued the infamous "Commissar Order," instructing them toeliminate all "political commissars [of the Bolshevik party], guerrillas, partisans,and Jews."

Russian commissars were rounded up and

immediately executed by the Germans.

Soviet

Commissar

Barbarossa (June 22, 1941)

“When the fighting in Russia begins, the world will stand and hold its

breath.” Adolf Hitler, 1941

On June 22, 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa along a 1,500 mile front

with 3 million men, the largest military undertaking in human history. Stalin

discounted intelligence reports of the German invasion plans but chose to ignore

them. He suspected Churchill of trying to provoke trouble between the Germans

and Soviets.

Recording

Barbarossa: The First Weeks

The Soviet Army was concentrated at the Western Soviet border as the sudden

German surprise attack caught the Soviet forces ill prepared. In the first week

German infantry and tanks stormed 300 miles. Germany's initial success in the first

weeks inflicted tens of thousands of casualties, took almost 2.4 million prisoners,

and virtually destroyed the entire Soviet air force in just two days.

Soviet Order “Order No. 270”

After seeing millions of Soviet troops captured in the early days of the Germanblitzkrieg, Joseph Stalin issued August 1941’s “Order No. 270,” which proclaimedthat any troops who surrendered or allowed themselves to be captured were traitorsin the eyes of the law and would be executed if they ever returned to Russia.

Soviet 588th Night Bomber Regiment

‘Night Witches”In 1941, during the early months of Operation Barbarossa a Soviet pilot named Marina

Raskova (hailed as the “Soviet Amelia Earhart”) was called upon by Joseph Stalin to

organize a regiment of young female pilots to fight the German invaders, making the

Soviet Union the first nation to allow women to fly combat missions. Though the planes

were slow and obsolete, the resourceful female pilots would idle their engines as they

approached the target, then glide the rest of the way, leaving only the “whoosh” of their

aircrafts in the wind to give them away. The sound reminded German soldiers of a

witch’s broomstick, thus dubbing the bombers “Nachthexen,” or “night witches.” The

women of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment flew roughly 30,000 missions, dropping a

total of 23,000 tons of bombs on the invading Nazi armies.

Strange… But True: The Germans attributed the witches’ incredible stealth to special injections and pills taken

to give them “feline-like” night vision. So feared were the mysterious bombers that, supposedly, any German

who shot one down was automatically awarded an Iron Cross.

Barbarossa: Stalin’s Son Captured

Joseph Stalin’s son surrendered to the Germans at the Battle of Smolenskin July 1941. However, Stalin was known to have despised his first son,Yakov Dzhugashvili. In 1943, the Nazi regime offered to exchangeDzhugashvili for some of their own prisoners. But, Stalin refused toconsider the idea. “I will not negotiate with them.” Yakov is thought tohave committed suicide in 1943 by electrifying himself on a perimeterfence while being held prisoner in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Highlights of Barbarossa: Welcoming Ukrainians

Many Ukrainians (Russians) welcomed the

Nazis when they invaded Russia. Stalin would

not be forgiving and after the war he severely

punished them with imprisonment in Siberia,

starvation, or other violent means.

Hitler’s Willing Executioners

When the Germans moved into the Baltic States anti-Semitic Lithuanians were

happy to assist with the killings. Many even knew their Jewish friends and

neighbors for years but helped murder them for some extra food.

Einsatzgruppen: Mobile Death SquadsEinsatzgruppen were squads composed primarily of German SS and police

personnel. Under the command of the German Security Police and Security

Service (Sicherheitsdienst; SD) officers, the Einsatzgruppen had among their tasks

the murder of those perceived to be racial or political enemies found behind

German combat lines in the occupied Soviet Union. These victims included Jews,

Roma (Gypsies), and officials of the Soviet state and the Soviet Communist party.

At first, Jews were easy targets because they didn’t resist believing it was God’s calling. Over 100,000 Jews a month were

murdered in 1941.

Einsatzgruppen- Special Aktion Commandos

Babi Yar, U.S.S.R. (September 1941)

One of the largest Einsatzgruppen actions took place in a ravine outside Kiev called

Babi Yar, in Sept. 1941. Over 34,000 Jews were murdered in two days.

Victims were told they were

being relocated. However when

they reached Babi Yar they

were told the strip and await

execution.

Babi Yar Ravine before the shooting

began. A local asks a German if she

could watch.

Photographs were copied from the

film “War & Remembrance”

Einsatzgruppen video

Partisan Warfare

The many Russians who had welcomed the Nazis when they invaded Russia soon realized

their mistake. Because of the ruthlessness of the Einsatzgruppen and the German attitude

of the “inferiority” of the Russian people many individuals joined partisan groups and

fought against the Nazis from swamps and dense forest.

Partisans engaged in classic guerrilla activity, hit and run

tactics. Strategic targets were selected and attacked, with the

attackers drifting away into the night. For the Germans,

chasing them into forests or marshland was a demoralising

task, and invariably fruitless.

A German patrol ambushed

and massacred by Soviet

partisans

Partisan Retribution

The impact the partisans had on the Germans was huge. The damage done to

military property, communication and supply lines was a major factor in the

Germans inability to sustain its war effort in the east. The impact the partisans had

on morale is probably impossible to calculate. As a result of not being able to find

the partisans to punish, the general population of western Russia was targeted by

the Germans. Civilian blood was spilt in retaliation for partisan attacks. However,

the more civilians were targeted, the more people joined the partisans.

“The best way is to shoot anyone who

so much as looks like giving trouble.”

-Adolf Hitler, July 1941

Partisan Retribution

For captured partisans the punishment was

immediate execution by hanging or firing squad.

Siege of Leningrad [1941-1944]

After the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941, a German army began

their encirclement of the city of Leningrad (modern-day St. Petersburg). The siege of

Leningrad lasted almost 900 days and cost the lives of an estimated 1,000,000 city

residents. In subsequent months, the city sought to establish supply lines from the Soviet

interior and evacuate its citizens, often using a hazardous “ice and water road” across

Lake Ladoga. A successful land corridor was created in January 1943, and the Red Army

finally managed to drive off the Germans in 1944.

By November 1941, individual rations were lowered to 1/3 of the daily amount needed by an adult. The city's

population of dogs, cats, horses, rats and crows disappeared as they became the main course on many dinner

tables. Reports of cannibalism began to appear. Thousands died - an estimated 11,000 in November increasing to

53,000 in December. The frozen earth meant their bodies could not be buried. Corpses accumulated in the city's

streets, parks and other open areas.

General Mud (Autumn 1941)

Russian mud, fatigue, and lack of supplies began to take a gradual toll on the advancing Germans and their

momentum slowed to a crawl.

“Russia is a country which is very easy to invade, but

very difficult to conquer.”

Lloyd George, British Prime Minister. April 1919

“There is no crime greater than having too many

desires.”

Lao Tzu

Hitler originally planned for the campaign against the Soviet Union to take six weeks.

Although the Germans did initially make very fast progress, the farther into the USSR

they traveled, the more things slowed down. In the meantime, summer turned to autumn,

bringing a constant, miserable mix of rain and snow. During October, the roads turned to

mud, effectively halting the German advance.

The Russian Winter

By November, snow covered the ground, and temperatures were so cold that they

interfered with the operation of equipment. German soldiers, still in summer uniforms,

succumbed to frostbite and hypothermia in large numbers. Hitler nonetheless ordered

them to continue.

The winter gave the Soviet armies a new advantage, as they were far better prepared to

fight under such conditions. Moreover, reinforcements from the Russian Far East

arrived in large numbers, while the tanks and planes sent from Britain and the United

States were finally entering combat. German intelligence was unaware of these

reinforcements, leaving the German troops in for a nasty surprise.

Gates of Moscow (Dec 1941)

“Russia has two generals whom she can trust- Generals January and February.”

Tsar Nicholas I Mar. 10, 1853.

As the Germans approached Moscow, they encountered row after row after row of

trenches and ditches reinforced by barbed wire. Since late October, thousands of Russian

civilians had dug more than 5,000 miles of trenches by hand all the way around the city. On

November 27, 1941, these trenches finally brought the German advance on Moscow to a

halt, less than twenty miles from the Kremlin.

Overwhelmed by a strong Russian defense, frigid temperatures, and constant harassment

by Russian partisans behind the lines, the Germans became mired. In just three weeks, the

Germans lost 85,000 men, the same number that they had lost over the entire Barbarossa

campaign up to that point.

Ivan Strikes Back (Dec 1941)

On December 5-6, 1941 the Russians launched a major counteroffensive before

Moscow, almost breaking through German lines. The counteroffensive halted the

German advance, and the Blitzkrieg phase of the war was over, as were Hitler's

hopes for a short war.

On December 8, 1941, a directive issued from Hitler himself instructed all German troops in Russia to shift

from offensive operations to defensive.

Atlantic Treaty (August 14, 1941)

The defeat of Nazi Germany would take priority over the war

against Japan.

President Roosevelt met with Winston Churchill in secret (The United States had

not entered the war in Europe at this time) with an objective to map out a

strategy in the event that the U.S. was drawn into the conflict.

It was agreed that the war against Germany would take precedent over the war

against Japan.

Indochina was a French-administered colony in Southeast Asia comprising the present-

day nations Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. On July 20, 1941, Japanese troops entered

the region and quickly occupied the entire area. Japan justified the occupation as

necessary in order to deny resources to the Chinese resistance. However, Indochina also

provided Japan with a convenient base for launching attacks against other countries and

territories in the region, including Singapore and the Dutch East Indies. Both the United

States and Britain saw this move as a threat and a clear indication of Japan’s intention to

continue its expansion throughout the Pacific Rim. The two countries expressed their

disapproval by freezing Japanese bank accounts.

Japan Occupied Indochina [July 1941]

“No nation and no region is secure”

Cordell Hull, U.S. Secretary of State Oct. 1940

U.S. Embargo on Japan

On October 5, 1937, Roosevelt gave a speech denouncing aggressors, calling for an

international "quarantine of the aggressor nations" as an alternative to the political

climate of American neutrality and isolationism that was prevalent at the time. The

speech intensified America's isolationist mood, causing protest by isolationists and foes

to intervention. No countries were directly mentioned in the speech, but it was

interpreted as referring to Japan, Italy, and Germany. Roosevelt suggested the use of

economic pressure, a forceful response, but less direct than outright aggression.

In response to Japan's invasion of southern Indochina, the U.S. froze all Japanese assets

in the United States and had imposed an embargo on the sale of certain key goods to

Japan such as oil and steel.

Since Japan was already poor in natural resources, the Japanese government became

angry and viewed the embargo imposed by the United States, especially on oil and scrap

metal, as a threat to its survival.

Why Pearl Harbor? Why Pearl Harbor?

The Japanese military, lacking oil and other resources, decided to attack and seize the

resource-rich British and Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia.

Before Japan could continue its expansion in the southeast Pacific it had to deal with one

major problem: The US naval fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and the American

army in the Philippines which posed a threat to Japan's plans for expansion.

Japanese Minister of War Hideki Tojo

Hideki Tojo assumed power in Japan as the Minister of War in October 1941. Tojo

faced many important decisions as Japan planned for war against the United States.

Tojo convinced other Japanese leaders to attack the United States Navy at Pearl

Harbor on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu.

Japan also planned to launch a series of attacks notably the American Philippine,

and the British and Dutch possessions throughout the Pacific.

Recording

Hideki Tojo was the Prime Minister of Japan and leading advocate of Japanese

military conquest during World War II.

Isoroku YamamotoAdmiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the commander of the Japanese Fleet. He created

a plan to destroy the U.S. Fleet with a surprise attack.

Japanese planners made a miniature scale model

of Pearl Harbor so that its pilots could become

familiar with its targets before the surprise attack.

Admiral Yamamoto argued that if Japan chose to

fight the United States, it must strike a crippling

blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor.

This attack would allow Japan to "run wild" for

six months and secure control of Southeast Asia

and the western Pacific.

Yamamoto's plan assumed that the United States

would negotiate peace terms following the loss of

its fleet. He did not believe that Japan would

prevail in a protracted conflict with the United

States.

The Japanese Attack Plan

In October 1941, Emperor Hirohito gave his general approval for action against the

United States. On November 8, 1941, Emperor Hirohito approved the specific Pearl

Harbor attack plan.

On November 25–26, the Japanese fleet set sail from Japan, unseen by U.S. spies. Even

then, however, some Japanese officials disapproved of the plan, and it continued to be

debated heatedly. By December 1, all discussion had ended, and Hirohito ordered the

plan to proceed. Japan’s goal was to make a permanent end to Western interference in its

affairs by obliterating the U.S. and British military capabilities in the Pacific.

Japanese Task Forces Heads

for Pearl HarborOn November 26, 1941, a large Japanese carrier force set sail in the northern Pacific.

Its objective was the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor.

The element of surprise was essential and the attack force maintained strict radio

silence and followed a northern course well away from the standard sea lanes.

On November 29, 1941, the program for the annual Army-Navy

football game carried a picture of the Battleship Arizona,

captioned: "It is significant that despite the claims of air

enthusiasts no battleship has yet been sunk by bombs." Today

you can visit the site, now a shrine where Japanese dive-

bombers sunk the Arizona at Pearl Harbor only nine days later.

U,S, Admiral Chester Nimitz

Overcoming Pearl Harbor’s Shallow Water

The U.S. ships at Pearl Harbor had no torpedo nets because it was assumed that the water

at Pearl Harbor was too shallow for the use of torpedoes. The Japanese cleverly placed

wooden fins on their torpedoes to give them more buoyancy.

Strange… But True: Wooden Fins for Torpedoes

The water depth at Pearl Harbor averaged 40’ making the use of torpedoes impracticable. To avoid the

possibility of having the torpedoes dropped from their planes striking Pearl Harbor’s shallow and muddy

bottom the Japanese devised wooded fins to give the torpedoes more buoyancy.

Missed Opportunity #1: The U.S.S. Ward

At 0342, the minesweeper USS Condor spotted a white wake and signaled the U.S.S.

Ward, which was patrolling nearby, “Sighted submerged submarine on westerly

course, speed nine knots” at 0348.

At about 0635, a lookout on the U.S.S. Ward noticed a wake following U.S.S.

Antares that was towing a target back to Pearl Harbor. The U.S.S. Ward

commended firing on the sub at 0645. The U.S.S. Ward’s number three gun scored a

hit at the base of the sub’s conning tower and the U.S.S. Ward dropped depth

charges which sank the sub.

“Attacked, fired upon, depth bombed, and sunk submarine

operating in defensive sea area.” U.S.S. Ward

Missed Opportunity #1: The U.S.S. WardAt 0651, the U.S.S. Ward notified Pearl Harbor, “Attacked, fired upon, depth

bombed, and sunk submarine operating in defensive sea area.” It was just over an

hour before the first Japanese planes would begin their bombing runs.

Unfortunately, the chain of command thinking it was another or many recent false

alarms did not respond quickly.

One may wonder what might have happened if the U.S.S. Ward’s report

had been acted on. Within two hours the Pacific Fleet was sunk or

crippled, all told 18 ships were sunk or damaged. 2402 Sailors, Marines

and Soldiers were killed and another 1247 wounded.

At a range of 230 miles north of Oahu, the Japanese launched their first wave of more

than 180 planes.

The Launch of the Strike Force

The first wave of the Japanese strike force

consisted of 40 Nakajima B5N2 "Kate"

torpedo bombers, 51 Aichi D3A1 "Val" dive

bombers, 50 high altitude bombers, and 43

Zero fighter escort planes.

The second strike, launched at 0715 hours,

consisted of an additional167 aircraft.

At a range of 230 miles north of Oahu, the Japanese launched their first wave of more

than 180 planes. At approximately 7:00 a.m. [nearly a full hour before the attack began]

on December 7, 1941, U.S. radar operators at an army radar station located on the

northern tip of Oahu spotted the massive formation of the approaching first wave of

Japanese planes. Lt. Taylor, the officer on duty that morning was notified, but replied,

"Don't worry about it."

The fast-approaching Japanese aircraft were mistaken for a group of U.S. bombers

expected to arrive from California around the same time. This mistake happened in spite

of the fact that the planes seen on the radar were coming from the wrong direction and

were much more numerous than the expected bomber fleet.

Missed Opportunity #1: Radar

"Don't worry

about it."

Sir… We have a

massive formation

of aircraft

approaching.

Strange… But True: The United States anticipated a Japanese

attack in Southeast Asia but not at Pearl Harbor. It was confident

that Hawaii was secure and all alert messages were not taken

seriously.

Air Raid Pearl Harbor… Tora! Tora! Tora!

The first wave arrived at the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m. and achieved

complete surprise; only nine Japanese planes were lost. The primary targets were the U.S.

Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor [These included eight of the nine battleships in the

U.S. Pacific Fleet, along with several dozen other warships. The Japanese also targeted

military airfields and military barracks.

Recording

Captain Mitsuo Fuchida who led the attack at Pearl Harbor announced, “Tora, Tora, Tora” (“Attack,

Attack, Attack”) to commence the attack.

Air Raid Pearl Harbor… This Is No DrillRecording

The roar of planes was heard in the quiet of a Sunday morning. Some thought it was American planes

coming in from an early morning drill.

Air Raid Pearl Harbor… The AirfieldsRecording

Air Raid Pearl Harbor… Damage ControlThe seven battleships on Battleship Row received direct hits. The U.S.S. Oklahoma and

the U.S.S. Arizona received extensive damage.

Recording

Strange… But True

At the time of Pearl Harbor the top US Navy command was called CINCUS (pronounced "sink us")

Air Raid Pearl Harbor… U.S.S. Arizona

A bomb struck the U.S.S. Arizona's

magazine [ammunition supply], and the

entire battleship blew up and sank with

four fifths of its crew (1300 men).

Pearl Harbor: Damage

Casualties

• USA: 218 KIA, 364 WIA.

• USN: 2,008 KIA, 710 WIA.

• USMC: 109 KIA, 69 WIA.

• Civilians: 68 KIA, 35 WIA.

• TOTAL: 2,403 KIA, 1,178 WIA.

When it was over, the U.S. losses were:

Pacific Fleet:

• 2 battleships sunk [USS Arizona

and USS Oklahoma]

• 3 battleships damaged and later

repaired

• 3 battleships received light damage.

• 6 cruisers damaged and later

repaired

• 3 destroyers heavily damaged or

sunk, 1 repaired.

Aircraft

188 Aircraft destroyed (92 USN and 92 U.S.

Army Air Corps.)

The Blame Game

Admiral Husband Kimmel failed to place the U.S. fleet on alert despite receiving warnings

from Washington D.C. of an imminent attack. Because of the large Japanese population in

Hawaii and the possibility of sabotage, U.S. Army commander, General Walter Short

ordered all of the American aircraft to be parked on the runway wingtip-to-wingtip and

guarded by the military police. When the Japanese attack commenced on the morning of

Dec. 7, 1941, hundreds of airplanes were destroyed parked in plain view.

On January 26, 1942, a Board of Inquiry found the Commander-in-Chief US Fleet,

Admiral Kimmel and the Commander-in-Chief Hawaiian Department, General Short,

guilty of dereliction of duty. Both were dismissed.

Admiral Kimmel

General Short

Pearl Harbor: Missed TargetsThe success of the Japanese attack was overwhelming, but it was not

complete. Although stunned by the attack at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese

failed to strike several targets including:

• The oil refineries

• Dry docks (ship repair centers)

• Aircraft carriers (At sea and not at Pearl at the time of the attack.)

• U.S. submarine base.

Dry docks (ship repair centers)

Pearl Harbor: Where Were the Carriers

The American aircraft carriers because they were absent from the harbor.

The U.S.S. Enterprise was returning from Wake Island, where it had just

delivered some aircraft. The U.S.S. Lexington was ferrying aircraft to

Midway, and the U.S.S. Saratoga and U.S.S. Colorado were undergoing

repairs in the United States)

?Congratulations… How

many American carriers

did we sink?

What American

carriers?

Pearl Harbor: A Terrible Resolve

Japanese Admiral Yamamoto: Before the war, Yamamoto attended school at Harvard

and eventually planned the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the attack he commented,

“I’m afraid we have only awaken a sleeping giant.”

“I fear we have only awakened a sleeping giant, and his reaction will be terrible.”

Isoroku Yamamoto,

Japanese Admiral 7 Dec. 1941

When British Prime Minister Winston Churchill heard that

Pearl Harbor had been bombed, he is reported to have said,

"We've won the war!"

“A Day That Will Live in Infamy.”

President Franklin Roosevelt declared December 7, 1941, as a "date

that will live in infamy." On December 8, 1941, the United States

Congress declared war on Japan.

The attack on Pearl Harbor had united a divided country as the nation

developed a wholehearted commitment to victory in World War II.

Strange… But True

There was only one “Nay” vote from

Congress when Roosevelt asked for a

declaration of war against Japan. That

vote came from Congresswoman

Jeanette Rankin. She also voted against

the U.S. entry into WWI in 1917. After

serving 25 years in Congress, she was

voted out of office by an angry

American public during the 1942

congressional election.

President Roosevelt:

An angry U.S. nation declared war on Japan, Dec. 8, 1941, the

day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Recording

FDR Declares War on Japan [World Wars]

Remembering Pearl HarborAfter Arizona sank, its superstructure and main armament were

salvaged and reused to support the war effort, leaving its hull, two

gun turrets and the remains of more than 1,000 crewmen

submerged in less than 40 feet of water. In 1949 the Pacific War

Memorial Commission was established to create a permanent

tribute to those who had lost their lives in the attack on Pearl

Harbor, but it wasn’t until 1958 that President Dwight D.

Eisenhower signed legislation to create a national memorial. The

funds to build it came from both the public sector and private

donors, including one unlikely source. In March 1961, entertainer

Elvis Presley, who had recently finished a two-year stint in the U.S.

Army, performed a benefit concert at Pearl Harbor’s Block Arena

that raised over $50,000, more than 10 percent of the USS Arizona

Memorial’s final cost. The monument was officially dedicated on

May 30, 1962, and attracts more than 1 million visitors each year.

Hitler Declares War on the United States

To the dismay of his generals, Hitler declared war on

the United States on Dec. 11, 1941 to support Japan.

Strange… But True:

•Hitler’s personal train was called, “Amerika.”

•The NY phone book had [22] listings for Hitler before WWII. After WWII, the NY phone book had [0] entries for the name

Hitler.

Germany declared war on the United States on Dec. 11, 1941. Hitler wanted to show

support for his military ally, Japan. The German army was beginning its third year of

fighting the Second World War when the United States joined the allies.

Recording

Allied Powers

The military alliance between the United States, Great Britain, and the

Soviet Union.

Stalin

Roosevelt

Churchill

Failure in the Philippines [Dec. 8, 1941]

Approximately three hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese planes

began a day-long attack on American facilities in the Philippines. (Because the

islands are located across the International Dateline, the local Philippine time was

just after 5 AM on December 8.)

News of Pearl Harbor reached U.S. forces in the Philippine Islands less than half an

hour after the attack (about 2:30 A.M., December 8, in the Philippines, corresponding to

8:00 A.M., December 7, in Hawaii). Nine hours later, unopposed Japanese attacks

caught General MacArthur’s bombers and fighters on the ground like sitting ducks.

Japanese Onslaught in the Pacific [December 1941]

With the destruction of the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese

steamrolled throughout the western Pacific and Southeast Asia. By the spring of

1942, Japan was dominant throughout Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.

• Thailand 12/08/41

• Guam 12/10/41

• Hong Kong 12/12/41

• Borneo 12/16/41

• Wake Island 12/23/41

Banzai!!!

Not to be out done by its partner Germany, Japan conducted its own blitzkrieg in December 1941, and became dominant throughout Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific with a series of major victories.

Japanese-American Internment Camps

After the attack at Pearl Harbor, national unity was strong and strong anti-

Japanese prejudice had seized the country. There was the belief that Japanese

Americans might aid the enemy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. State

representatives put pressure on President Roosevelt to take action against those of

Japanese descent living in the U.S. On February 19th 1942 Roosevelt signed

Executive Order 9066.

Under the terms of Executive Order 9066 some 120,000 people of Japanese descent

living in the US were forced to sell their homes, businesses, and placed in

internment camps. The US justified their action by claiming that there was a

danger of those of Japanese descent spying for the Japanese. None had ever shown

disloyalty to the nation.

Executive Order 9066 authorized the

War Department to designate “military

areas” that excluded people considered

to be a danger to the United States.

Specific target was the 120,000

Japanese Americans living along the

West Coast.

Japanese Internment Camps in the USA

Gila River, AZ

Opened July 20, 1942.

Closed Nov 10, 1945.

Peak Population 13,348.

Rohwer, AR

Opened Sept 18,1942.

Closed Nov 30, 1945.

Peak population 8,475

Poston AZ

Opened May 8, 1942.

Closed Nov 28, 1945.

Peak population17,814

Granada (Amache), CO

Opened: Aug 24, 1942

Closed: Oct 15, 1945.

Peak population: 7,318.

Minidoka, ID

Opened Aug 10, 1942.

Closed Oct 28, 1945.

Peak population 9,397.

Manzanar, CA

Opened Mar 21, 1942.

Closed Nov 21, 1945.

Peak population 10,046.

Jerome, AR

Opened Oct 6, 1942.

Closed June 30, 1944.

Peak population 8,497

Heart Mountain, WY

Opened Aug 12, 1942.

Closed Nov 10, 1945.

Peak population

10,767.

Topaz UT

Opened Sep 11, 1942.

Closed Oct 31, 1945.

Peak population 8,130

Tule Lake, CA

Opened May 27, 1942.

Closed March 20, 1946.

Peak population18,789.

Japanese-American Internment Camps

Life in the camps was hard. Internees had only been allowed to bring with then a few

possessions and given just 48 hours to evacuate their homes. In some cases family

members were separated and put in different camps.

Some internees died from inadequate medical care and the high level of emotional

stress they suffered. Those taken to camps in desert areas had to cope with extremes

of temperature.

Internees were housed in barracks and had

to use communal areas for washing, laundry

and eating. It was an emotional time for all.

More than two thirds of those

interned were American citizens

and half of them were children.

During the entire war only ten people

were convicted of spying for Japan

and these were all Caucasian

Americans.

"I remember the soldiers marching us to the Army tank and I looked at their rifles and I was just terrified because I

could see this long knife at the end . . . I thought I was imagining it as an adult much later . . . I thought it couldn't

have been bayonets because we were just little kids."

From "Children of the Camps"

Japanese-American Internment Camps

Video: Japanese Relocation and Detention

Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)

The 1944 case of Korematsu v. U.S. the Supreme Court upheld the government’s

right to act against the rights of Japanese Americans living on the west coast and

affirmed the constitutionality of the camps.

In December 1944 Public Proclamation number 21, which

became effective in January 1945, allowed internees to return to

their homes. The effects of internment affected all those

involved. Some saw the camps as concentration camps and a

violation of the Act of Habeas Corpus; others though, saw

internment as a necessary result of Pearl Harbor. At the end of

the war some remained in the US and rebuilt their lives, others

though were unforgiving and returned to Japan.

In 1991, the United States admitted

fault and President Bush issued a

public apology on behalf of the United

States government.

The United States government made

$20,000 reparation (financial)

payments to each camp survivor.