World War IIWorld War II

18.1 The Outbreak 18.1 The Outbreak of World War IIof World War II

Nazi Expansion

►March 1939 – Hitler’s armies occupied all of Czechoslovakia

►Hitler wants Polish city of Danzig

►= defies Munich Agreement►Poles refuse to surrender city

Nazi ExpansionNazi Expansion►France & BritainFrance & Britain►Will go to war with Germany Will go to war with Germany

if Hitler attacks Polandif Hitler attacks Poland►Hope for Soviet help against Hope for Soviet help against

NazisNazis

Soviet/Nazi Nonaggression Soviet/Nazi Nonaggression PactPact

►August 23, 1939August 23, 1939►Stalin & Hitler agree not to Stalin & Hitler agree not to

attack each otherattack each other►Shocks the world since Stalin Shocks the world since Stalin

had been against fascismhad been against fascism►Secretly agreed to divide Secretly agreed to divide

Poland Poland

War Breaks OutWar Breaks Out►Sept. 1, 1939Sept. 1, 1939►German armies invade PolandGerman armies invade Poland►Sept. 3, 1939Sept. 3, 1939►Britain & France declare war on Britain & France declare war on

Germany & become the Allied Germany & become the Allied PowersPowers

►Soviet troops also invade eastern Soviet troops also invade eastern Poland and FinlandPoland and Finland

►Poland conquered in less than 1 Poland conquered in less than 1 monthmonth

Presidential Election / Presidential Election / 19401940

►Roosevelt wins reelection for Roosevelt wins reelection for his unprecedented third termhis unprecedented third term

►Won by promising to Won by promising to keep America out of warkeep America out of war

►Secretly knew that American Secretly knew that American involvement was unavoidableinvolvement was unavoidable

Lend-Lease ActLend-Lease Act►War materials flowed between War materials flowed between

Britain & the USBritain & the US►Britain can’t pay for the suppliesBritain can’t pay for the supplies►Roosevelt proposed the US lend Roosevelt proposed the US lend

or lease the supplies to Britainor lease the supplies to Britain►Later extended to SovietsLater extended to Soviets►$50 billion shipped total$50 billion shipped total

Us received land for military basesUs received land for military bases

The Fall of FranceThe Fall of France

German BlitzkriegGerman Blitzkrieg

► = The use of tanks, planes, = The use of tanks, planes, paratroopers, and advanced paratroopers, and advanced communications to attack communications to attack quickly and overwhelm ones quickly and overwhelm ones opponent opponent

►Means “Lightning War” Means “Lightning War”

France Mobilizes & France Mobilizes & FallsFalls

►French troops mobilized on the French troops mobilized on the Maginot LineMaginot Line

► = Fortification on the southern = Fortification on the southern border between Germany & border between Germany & FranceFrance

►Germans defeated Belgium, Germans defeated Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Northern FranceNorway, and Northern France

France Mobilizes & France Mobilizes & FallsFalls

►Germans – go around Maginot Line Germans – go around Maginot Line through Ardennes Forrestthrough Ardennes Forrest

►Beat France in 1.5 MonthsBeat France in 1.5 Months►British forced off continent at British forced off continent at

DunkirkDunkirk►= Huge Failure= Huge Failure►Germany established a “puppet” Germany established a “puppet”

French government in the south at French government in the south at Vichy = Vichy = Vichy RegimeVichy Regime

Battle of BritainBattle of Britain►May 10, 1940:May 10, 1940:►Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill: elected : elected

PM of BritainPM of Britain►Britain stands alone against Britain stands alone against

the Axisthe Axis►Churchill opposed Churchill opposed

appeasement towards Hitler & appeasement towards Hitler & continued fightingcontinued fighting

Battle of BritainBattle of Britain►August 1940August 1940►Massive, daily & nightly Massive, daily & nightly

bombings of British cities by bombings of British cities by Luftwaffe Luftwaffe (German Air Force)(German Air Force)

►German Goal: German Goal: Break British Break British will to fight; doesn’t workwill to fight; doesn’t work

►British Royal Air Force used British Royal Air Force used radar & destroyed more radar & destroyed more German planesGerman planes

Operation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa►July 1941 July 1941 ►Need Oil – fuel for armyNeed Oil – fuel for army►Hitler’s Generals against thisHitler’s Generals against this

Hitler invades the Soviet UnionHitler invades the Soviet UnionViolates their agreement; Violates their agreement; Soviets caught off guardSoviets caught off guard

Two front warTwo front war

Battle of the AtlanticBattle of the Atlantic►German U-Boats –German U-Boats –

Continued to cause serious Continued to cause serious damage to Allied ships & suppliesdamage to Allied ships & supplies

►Allies counteracted with –Allies counteracted with –Better sonarBetter sonarFaster escort shipsFaster escort shipsBombing of submarine shipyardsBombing of submarine shipyardsNazis lost 783 U-BoatsNazis lost 783 U-Boats