Download War back on the European Continent

War on the European Continent
1. Define the term Blitzkrieg: Lightening War
2. Explain how Blitzkrieg was designed to work as a military strategy.
1,2,3 knockout attack, divisions attack together in waves for mutual support. 1- Tanks, 2 Mobile Infantry, 3- Planes
Complete the following organizer with reference to Hitler’s three key strategic mistakes/blunders:
Operation Barbarossa, 1941
Battle of Britain, 1940
Evacuation of
Dunkirk 1940
What happened?
What were the strategic errors?
 Hitler halts Panzers to finish
attack with Air force – air force s is
ground 3 day due to weather
 For 9 days troops are ferried out
of France
 1/3 of a million men are
evacuated
 Radar not destroyed
The German air force (Luftwaffe) are
attacking the entire English coast to destroy  Attacks moved to London –
civilian target – no military value
the RAF. The destruction of the RAF
needed to happen before Hitler would
other than government
launch an invasion force on Great Britain.
 Attacks localized – can
During these attacks, London was bombed
concentrate defensive forces
by accident. Churchill immediately retaliates
Germany invades France. The blitzkrieg
splits the French and British forces dividing
them in half. The northern half of the troops
are pushed to the coastal town of Dunkirk.
These troops are trapped between the
advancing German troops and the North
Sea.
by bombing Berlin. During this battle the
RAF are outnumbered 3 to 1 but score kills
of 2 to 1
Hitler goes against the Non-Aggression
Pact and launches a surprise attack against
Russia. Most of Russia’s experienced
officers were killed in Stalin’s rise to power,
so there are inexperienced Russian officers
fighting against eh German blitzkrieg.
Stalin trades land for time while he retreats
and waits for winter. Stalin asks the people
to start a “scorched earth policy” destroying
all food as they retreat. The Germans get
caught by the Russian winter. They are
poorly supplied and not ready for the severe
Russia winter. Hitler’s orders did not allow
the German troops to “dig in” for winter. The
German troops are stopped within sight of
the Russian capital.
 Attack too late in the season, not
prepared for winter
 Too many men lost over the
winter (don’t dig in) can’t cover
entire front for spring offensive
 Leningrad has no strategic value

Significance to the course / outcome
of the war?
 Most experienced troops are left to
defend Britain
 “Live to fight another day”
 Troops that lead the D-Day attack
 Most successful military evacuation
in history
 British have time to train new pilots
and build more planes
 First attack on Germany (country)
 Radar- British can mount a better
defense – know where the attack is
 Increases British morale- “We can
take it”
 First time the Blitzkrieg is
unsuccessful (urban battle)
 First surrender by German troops
 Largest military land invasion in
history
 German’s have advanced as far as
they will go in Europe – the tides of
the war has turned
War in the Pacific
3. After what event, which occurred on December 7, 1941, did the United States of America enter the war?
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
4. Complete the following organizer: The Battle of the Coral Sea
Intended target?
Invasion of Australia
Why was this battle unique?
First time aircraft carriers do
battle, fought entirely by planes
Why was it successful for the Allies (US)?
Both side call it a success, but invasion of
Australia never took place
War back on the European Continent
5. Complete the following organizer: D-Day
Date
June 6, 1944
6. Describe the V1 Rocket
Gas powered
Unmanned bomb
2000 fall on London
What is the plan for D-Day?
Recapture France, Drive the
Germans back to the Rhine,
**Add open a third front to the war
Where will the battle be won or lost?
On the beaches
Describe the V2 Rocket
Guided missile
No warning (faster than speed of sound)
Too fast to be shot down, 1000 fell on Allies
The End of the War
7. On what date does VE (Victory in Europe) Day occur? May 7th 1945
8. What strategy do the Japanese use for the first time at the Battle of Leyte Gulf? Kamikaze pilots
9. What does this Japanese term mean in English? Divine Wind
10. Explain how the Americans justify dropping the atomic bomb first on Hiroshima and then on Nagasaki?
Japanese refuse to surrender
Expect 1 million American Casualties (later there is no record of how they came to that number more like 100 000)
**add** needed to test the bomb to demonstrate it’s destructive capacity and dominate their enemies (USSR)
11. On what date does VJ (Victory in Japan) Day occur?
August 10th Japan sues for peace, papers signed August 15th 1945