Download The Course of WWII

Beginning of WWII
Chapter 19 Section 2
Opposing Sides
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Axis Powers
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• Austria and Bulgaria
Allied Powers
• Great Britain
• France
• USSR
• United States
Germany Takes Poland

September 1, 1939 – German forces
invade Poland
• Blitzkrieg – “lightening war” – using
tanks supported by planes then sending
in troops to hold the conquered territory

Europe was shocked w/ the Germany’s
speed and efficiency
• Poland surrendered w/i 4 weeks
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Germany and the Soviets divided Poland
German Domination
April 1940 – German forces took over
Denmark and Norway
 May 1940 – Germany invaded Belgium,
Luxembourg, and the Netherlands
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• Main assault through Luxembourg and the
Ardennes Forest
Getting from Germany into France
 Germans broke through and raced across
Northern France
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Taking over France would be next!
Fall of France (1940)

Maginot Line
• Line of concrete bunkers and fortifications
the French built after WWI
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
Along the German-French border
Hitler went around the Maginot Line
and attacked from the Belgium-French
border
• Trapped French and British troops on the
beaches of Dunkirk

Small town in N. France near Belgian border
Miracle at Dunkirk (1940)

As German troops were closing in
on Dunkirk Hitler put a 3 day delay
on German troops
• This delay allowed 338,000 Allied troops
to evacuate (mostly British)

Evacuation done by the British Royal Navy and
civilians in private boats
• The Allies left b/h tons of ammo, rifles,
and vehicles
France Surrenders

June 22, 1940
• Hitler accepts the French surrender
• Hitler expected Britain to negotiate for
peace after France surrendered

They did not!
• Hitler orders an invasion of Britain
The United States

Franklin D. Roosevelt = US President
• The US follows strict isolationism
Roosevelt disagrees w/ Germany’s actions,
but the US still wants to be neutral
 After WWI we do not want to be brought in
a war we have no interest in

• 1941 – US eventually b/g to supply
Britain w/ food, ships, planes, etc

We stop practicing strict isolationism
Battle of Britain

Luftwaffe – German air force
• Launched a major attack on Britain
• German planes bombed British air and
naval bases, harbors, and war industries
• Germany accidently bombs London
In retaliation, Britain bombs Berlin
 Hitler is furious! His new strategy is massive
bombings of British cities

• Hitler wants to break the morale of the British
people, but he fails!

British use newly developed radar to intercept
German aircraft
• Hitler eventually cancels the invasion of Britain
Operation Barbarossa

June 1941 – Germany invades the
Soviet Union
• Stalin is shocked!
This attack ends the Nazi-Soviet Pact
 USSR joins the Allies

• Hitler b/l the Soviets could be defeated b/f
the winter set in, he was wrong!
Russians lost 2 ½ million soldiers
 Thousands of Germans froze to death

• No winter uniforms – Hitler thought Soviets would be
defeated b/f winter came
Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941 – Japanese forces
attack US naval base at Pearl Harbor
• Pearl Harbor in Hawaiian Islands
• Why?

Economic sanctions US put on Japan
• Attack on Pearl Harbor forces the US to
join in WWII (join the Allies)
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
“…December 7, 1941 – a date which will live
in infamy…”
Same day – Japan launches attacks
on the US controlled Philippines
Pearl Harbor, 12-7-41