Download Germany Sparks the New War

WWII Journal #1
• Argue whether the world could have stopped Hitler after
1933 & before World War II started.
– What would have had to happen? When did it have to occur?
• What flaw do YOU see in Hitler’s military strategy at
the start of World War II?
Battle of Britain
England fights alone!
Vichy France
• France surrenders June 1940
• France is divided
– Germans control north
– Puppet government
formed in southern France
Henri Petain
Rescue at Dunkirk
• June 1940: England rescues 330,000
soldiers from coast of France
• Send 850 ships to rescue
• Britain is now alone in the war!
Winston Churchill
Leader of Great Britain
May 1940 – July 1945
Brilliant in rallying Britain to stand up to Germany
“We shall never surrender”
PRIMARY SOURCE: Speech from May 1940
Battle of Britain
• Critical battle in WW II
– July 1940-May 1941
• Considered 1st turning point of WWII
– Forces Hitler to turn east toward Russia
• Primarily an air battle:
– Strength of air force & technology determined victor
Royal Air force (RAF) vs.
England
2,900 planes
Germany
4,500
Luftwaffe
LONDON after an air attack by the GERMANS
Civilians became targets in World War II
Technology saves Britain
• Britain had developed Radar technology
– helped track incoming airplanes
• Enigma: a German decoding machine
– English smuggled machine to England
– could read German secret military messages
• Battle of Britain proved Hitler could be stopped!