The AXIS Strategy War Around the Globe

Italy, Germany & Japan define their targets

Hitler Changes Tactics

• After Battle of Britain: – Hitler turns his attention east– Begins in the Balkans (April 1941)

• June 1941 invades Soviet Union– Violates non-aggression pact

Critical Thinking!

Balkans falls quickly: Yugoslavia in 11 Days, Greece in 17 days

Operation Barbarossa

• Hitler targets Leningrad & Moscow– June 1941

• By September Germans surrounded Leningrad – Over 1 million Russians died

• By December outside of Moscow – Winter proved fatal for Germany as it did for Napoleon

Stalingrad

Leningrad

Moscow

Russia had largest army: 5 million soldiersBut they were poorly trained & equipped!

Italy Pursues North Africa

• Mussolini’s goal is to seize British controlled Egypt

• Egypt’s Suez Canal key to reaching Oil Fields

• Italy begins in Libya and moves to Egypt

Egypt & the Suez Canal:

Access to Middle East & Oil

LibyaEgypt

Italy performs poorly

Germans come to rescue

Egypt

Japan

• Japan was overcrowded and needed raw materials

• Japan was slowly building a Pacific Empire

China

Southeast

Asia

Manchuria

The Japanese Empire

3-Theaters of War

EUROPE NORTH AFRICA PACIFIC

A.P. Classes for Juniors

• U.S History- Placement Test TBA

• European History- Tuesday March 6th (room 287)

• Electives: History of Film, Psychology, Philosophy, Women’s History