Download Beginning of WWII and Main Events

TIMELINE
•Copy by hand the key events on the timeline
and add at least 2 illustrations. You can create a
mind map or an illustrated timeline. Your timeline
should be thoughtful, neat, and well-created.
Timelines will be turned in by tomorrow at the
beginning of the class period.
•Your timeline will span the years 1939-1945, and
maybe a little before and after those dates if you
wish.
•Write down the 8-10 events that you think are
interesting/important. Everyone’s timeline will
look a little different.
By: Ms. Susan M. Pojer
Horace Greeley H. S. Chappaqua, NY
Additional material by Molly Lynde
The Versailles Treaty
A Weak League of Nations
The Ineffectiveness of the
League of Nations
 No control of major conflicts.
 No progress in disarmament.
 No effective military force.
The “Stab-In-The-Back” Theory
German soldiers are dissatisfied.
Decadence of the Weimar Republic
International Agreements
Locarno Pact – 1925
 France, Germany, Great Britain,
Italy



Guarantee existing frontiers
Establish DMZ 30 miles deep on East
bank of Rhine River
Refrain from aggression against each
other
Kellogg-Briand Pact – 1928
 Makes war illegal as a tool of
diplomacy

No enforcement provisions
France – False Sense of Security?
The Maginot
Line
Important Dates
1931- Japan invades Manchuria
1935- Italy invades Ethopia
1936- Rome- Berlin Pact
1936-1939 Spanish Civil War
1936/37- Japan takes Nanjing China
1936- Hitler takes Rhineland
1938- Hitler takes Austria
1938- Hitler takes Sudetenland
1938- Munich Agreement/ Appeasement
1939- Hitler takes Czhechoslovakia
Czechoslavakia Crisis
• Created after WWI, millions of ethnic
Germans live there, it’s called Sudetenland
• Land rich in minerals
• 1938, Hitler demanded return of the
Sudetenland to the Reich, or German gov’t
• Czechoslavakia turns to ally France for help
and France seeks guidance from Brit.
• Brit. and France say they’ll support “selfdetermination” (right to choose gov’t)
• Hitler frustrated, Sept. 22 he demanded
complete annexation and occupation
How Would Your Country Respond?
A. Unconditional support German demands
B. Neutral (not supporting either side)
C. Negotiated w/ Hitler. He can take
Sudetenland if he promises to make no
more demands on Czech.
D. Oppose Germany but no threat to
declare war on Germany if it attacks
Sudetenland
E. Threaten to declare war on Germany if it
tries to take Sudentenland
Britain
• You try to talk to Germany – Munich
Conference Sept. 28, 1938
• Appeasement (making compromises to an
aggressor to keep peace) by letting Germany
occupy Sudetenland
• Agreement between Germany and Britain,
France, Italy (called the Munich Pact) said
Germany could occupy Sudetenland if it was
their last territorial demand in Europe
• (C)
France
• Claimed it would defend Czech. if it was
attacked by Germany, but in reality,
French president doesn’t want fighting
• France attends Munich conference too
and signed Munich Pact
• (C)
Soviet Union
• Strictly opposed to extension of
German territory, so they didn’t attend
Munich Conference
• Stalin supported Czech. against German
aggression, but didn’t think his army was
ready to fight Germany in 1938
• Reluctantly, he decided to not become
involved in solving the crisis
• (D)
United States
• Isolationist foreign policy after WWI
• Maintained neutrality toward European
problems
• (B)
Poland
• Supported Germany b/c it wanted the
rich, coal-producing region in northern
Czech.
• For its support, Poland was awarded this
northern region by Germany in Sept. 1938
• (A)
Switzerland
• Remained neutral
• But b/c it was close to both Czech. and
Germany, it accelerated its preparedness
for war
• (B)
Violation of Munich
• Munich Conference – Britain, France,
Germany, Italy
• Britain and France want to strike a deal –
appeasement
• Germany occupied Sudetenland in Oct.,
but soon Germany begins to pressure
Czech leaders and wants new Czech
gov’t that’s sympathetic to Germany
• Threatens war
• Occupy Czech. and annexes it next day
How do you respond?
A. Supported Germany’s annexation of Czech.
B. Declared war on Germany for breaking
Munich Pact
C. Continued appeasement, hoping Germany
would finish its territorial aggression
D. Tried to negotiate with Germany to pull
out of Czech.
E. Neutral
F. Neutral, but prepared for defensive war in
case of invasion
Britain
• Didn’t respond, just stood by
• (C)
France
• Followed Britain’s lead, appeasing Hitler in
hopes that Czech. Crisis wouldn’t cause
international war
• (C)
Soviet Union
• Adopted a more friendly stance towards
Germany b/c Stalin thought Western
countries could do nothing to stop the
rise of Nazi Germany
• Hoped that good relationship w/ Germany
would keep Russia out of European war
• (A)
United States
• Maintained neutrality
• Staying out of conflicts in Europe
• (E)
Poland
• Too small to stand up to Germany
• Forced to accept appeasement policy
adopted by allies, Britain and France
• (C)
Switzerland
• Maintained neutrality
• But intensifies defensive measures
because of threat of invasion
• (F)
Invasion of Poland
• After occupation of Czech, Hitler looks
towards Polish Corridor, strip of German
land given to Poland in 1919
• This strip split Germany into two parts
• 1939, Hitler makes demands for territory
to be returned to Germany
• Fearing aggression, Poland reinforced
defense agreements w/France, Brit., USSR
• But, Hitler and Stalin shocked the world by
signing the Nonaggression Pact (pledging to
not attack one another in case of war
Invasion of Poland
• Defense agreement between Poland and
USSR useless now
• Neville Chamberlain, Brit. Prime
Minister, formally gives Brit. support to
Poland
• France promises to attack Germany if
they start war in Poland
• Sept. 1, 1939, Germany invades Poland
How do you respond?
A. Neutral
B. Neutral, but prepared for defensive war in
case of invasion
C. Gave financial aid (money) to Allies (all
countries fighting against Germany)
- Germany and its allies called Axis Powers
D. Joined Germany in its invasion of Poland
E. Declared war on Germany and hoped they
would retreat from Poland, but did not
actually fight
F. Declared war on Germany and sent troops
to fight the Germans
Britain
• Could not help defend Poland militarily
• Declares war on Germany, but does not start
any fighting w/Germans
• (E)
France
• Declares war on Germany
• Some minor attacks on the French-German
border, but for the most part, France does
not aid the Poles despite their defense
agreement
• France begins long process to defend its
border w/ Germany
• (E)
Soviet Union
• Supported German invasion of Poland
• Stalin realizes war in Europe inevitable so he
signs secret agreements w/ Germany that
would divide up Eastern Europe between the
two countries
• Soviet Union invades Poland in alliance w/
Germany
• (D)
United States
• With the invasion of Poland, the official
beginning of the war, the U.S. announces its
neutrality
• Pres. Roosevelt says he’ll take all necessary
measures except for war to help the Allies
• (A)
Poland
• Fought for over 3 weeks before surrendering
to Germany and Soviet Union
• A Polish “gov’t in exile” established in London
• (F)
Switzerland
• Stays neutral
• But it does mobilize 430,000 troops in case it
was invaded by Germany
• (B)
Invasion of France
• After fall of Poland, Germany and Allies didn’t
fight for 8 months – the “phony war”
• Then, Germany invades Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, and Belgium in May 1940 (they
all surrender)
• Germany had already invaded France, but w/
Belgium conquered, its able to have full
attention on capturing Paris (if Paris falls,
France falls)
• French move their gov’t south to prepare
Response to fall of Paris?
A. Surrender unconditionally to Germany
B. Surrender on condition that your gov’t
retained limited independence and control of
some of your territory
C. Proclaim neutrality
D. Neutral, but prepare defenses in case war
spreads
E. Fought Germany wherever possible
F. Supported Germany’s invasion of France
Great Britain
• Britain had already evacuated its troops from
France b/c of German pressure, so British
couldn’t help defend Paris
• But Brit. continues to fight Germans
elsewhere
• Britain left alone after Paris fell, last Allied
country not occupied/annexed by Germany
Soviet Union
• Supported the invasion but doesn’t participate
in it
• (F)
United States
• Maintained neutrality, but alarmed by success
of Germany
• When Italy declares war on France and
Britain, Pres. Roosevelt announces that the
United States would “extend to the
opponents of force (the Allies) the material
resources of this nation”
• (C)
Poland
• Had been partitioned by Germany and
USSR, but the troops who had been able to
escape the country continued to fight
Germany elsewhere
• (E)
Switzerland
• Maintains neutrality, but w/ the fall of
France, it was completely surrounded
by Axis countries or Axis-occupied
lands
• Swiss plan to defend only the heartland
of their country
• (D)
France
• Surrendered and signed armistice (cease-fire)
w/ Germany on June 22, 1940
• w/ the armistice, Germany had direct control
over northern and western 60% of France
• French gov’t would keep control of the rest of
France, but it was set up as a puppet gov’t
collaborating w/ Germans (Vichy Gov’t)
• Charles de Gaulle (a French general refuses
the Vichy Gov’t and creates Free French Gov’t
– He wants to continue fight against Germany
France
• Both (B) and (E) are right b/c Vichy and the
Free French Gov’t had individual responses to
events
• So now France is divided into two gov’ts
Battle of Britain
• When France surrenders in 1940 to Germany,
Hitler in control of all W. European countries
except Great Britain
• Hitler hopes that new PM (Winston Churchill)
would surrender, but he doesn’t
• Operation Sea Lion, invasion of Britain
• Battle of Britain, Luftewaffe (German Air
Force)
– Has to be preceded by massive air assault to
destroy Brit. air defenses (radar stations, air
bases)
How do you respond?
A. Surrender to Germany
B. Fought against Germany’s attack Brit.
C. Supported Germany’s attack on Brit.
D. Proclaimed neutrality
E. Neutral, but supported Brit. w/ military
supplies and money
F. Proclaimed neutrality, but prepared defenses
in case war spreads
Britain
•
•
•
•
Royal Air Force fights brilliantly
40,000 Brit. causalities, 16,000 civilians dead
Germans lose almost 2,000 planes by Oct. 31
Brit. wins Battle of Britain and HUGE morale
boost – its “finest hour”
• (B)
France
• Vichy supports the Nazis in Battle of Brit.
• Free French in Britain contributed to defense of
the country
• Vichy (C)
• Free France (B)
United States
• Neutral but transferred 50 American
destroyers to Brit. navy
• U.S. loaned Brit. $ to pay for their defense
• (E)
Poland
• Had been partitioned by Nazis and Soviets in
1939
• But four squadrons of Polish pilots fought
successfully in Battle of Britain
• (B)
Swiss
• Maintained neutrality
• Continues plans for defense against possible
German invasion
Invasion of Soviet Union
• After victories in W. and S. Europe, Hitler
begins long-anticipated invasion of Soviet
Union – “Operation Barbarossa”
• Nonaggression Pact (1939) had been purely
pragmatic (practical) attempt to stall inevitable
battle
• Nazis thought they could defeat Soviet Union
in a few weeks
• June 22, 1941 – Hitler unleashes massive
invasion in USSR
Response?
A. Supported Germany’s invasion of Soviet
Union
B. Fought against the German invasion of Soviet
Union
C. Proclaimed neutrality
D. Supported the Soviets by sending military
supplies and materials, but no troops
E. Surrendered to Germany
F. Opposed Germany’s invasion by fighting
Germans elsewhere
Britain
• GB and Soviet Union captured Iran in Aug.
1941
– This allowed Brit. to send arms and materials
through India to USSR during the war
• (D)
France
• Vichy France stays allied to Germany and sent
some troops to aid in Operation Barbarossa
• Free France fought in the war against
Germany in N. Africa and still defended Brit.
• But unable to aid in defense of USSR
• Vichy (A)
• Free France (F)
United States
• Agreed to give support of Allies to Soviet
Union (tanks, raw materials) through Iran
• In Dec. 1941 (after Pearl Harbor), U.S. joins
Allies and begins fighting Axis (Germany, Italy,
and Japan)
• (D)
Poland
• Remained under German control during
Barbarossa
• Polish prisoners captured during Soviet
invasion pf Poland formed into army in USSR
that fought against Germans on Eastern Front
• (B)
Swiss
• NEUTRAL
• (C)
Soviet Union
• Higher number of troops and severe
winter save Soviet troops against Germany
• Germans have to wait out harsh winter
• Soviets use that time to reorganize and
stockpile supplies
• More attacks in the spring, but USSR
defend valiantly
• Feb. 1943, Germans forced to surrender at
Stalingrad – tide turns
• (B)
Operation Overlord
• By 1944, Allies ready to launch Operation
Overlord, invasion of Normandy coast of
France
• D-Day June 6, 1944
• Germany now in control of all of France,
ended Vichy Gov’t in 1942
• Nazi generals had been expecting an invasion
of France and had reinforced defenses on
Normandy
Response?
A. Participated fully in invasion of Normandy
coast
B. Supported Allies by sending some troops and
supplies to Operation Overlord
C. Did not participate in Operation Overlord,
but fought Germans elsewhere
D. Gave financial support to Allies
E. Neutral
F. Neutral but secretly helped Allies
Great Britain
• Organized and housed Allied army while it
prepared for invasion of France
• 83,000 Brit. and Canadian soldiers made up
over half of landing forces
• (A)
France
• Vichy France had been overrun by Nazis b/c
Vichy generals were cooperating w/Allies
• All French forces came under control of Free
France Gov’t
• French soldiers participate in Operation
Overlord, which drives Germans out of
France
• (A)
Soviet Union
• Continued war against Germany in the East,
but does not participate in Operation
Overlord
• By June 1944, Red Army had driven Germans
off of almost all Soviet territory
• (C)
United States
• 73,000 U.S. troops in the invasion
• American general Dwight D. Eisenhower
commands Allied armies in Europe and
accepts German surrender on May 8, 1945
• (A)
Poland
• Poland’s government-in-exile prepared for the
liberation of Poland by the Soviets
• Polish forces active in invasion of Italy, but not
Operation Overlord
• (C)
Swiss
• Remained neutral
• However, its Air Force secretly aided the
Allies in their bombing of Germany
• Swiss gave Allies precision instruments used in
making of planes, tanks, bombs, etc.
• (F)
The Great Depression
The Manchurian Crisis, 1931
Japan Invades Manchuria, 1931
Italy Attacks Ethiopia, 1935
Emperor
Haile
Selassie
Germany Invades the
Rhineland
March 7, 1936
U. S. Neutrality Acts:
1934, 1935, 1937, 1939
Rome-Berlin Axis, 1936
The “Pact of Steel”
The Spanish Civil War:
1936 - 1939
The
National
Front
The
Popular
Front
[Nationalists]
[Republicans]
 Carlists [ultra-Catholic
monarchists].
 Catholic Church.
 Falange [fascist] Party.
 Monarchists.
 Communists.
 Republicans.
 Socialists.
The Spanish Civil War:
A Dress Rehearsal for WW II?
Italian troops in
Madrid
“Guernica”
by Pablo Picasso
The Spanish Civil War: 1936 - 1939
The American “Lincoln Brigade”
The Spanish Civil War: 1936 - 1939
Francisco Franco
The Japanese Invasion
of China, 1937
The Austrian Anschluss, 1938
The “Problem” of the
Sudetenland
Appeasement: The Munich
Agreement, 1938
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr
Hitler is a man we can do business with.
Czechoslovakia Becomes Part of
the Third Reich: 1939
The Nazi-Soviet
Non-Aggression Pact, 1939
Foreign Ministers
von Ribbentrop & Molotov
Poland Attacked: Sept. 1, 1939
Blitzkrieg [“Lightening War”]
German Troops March into Warsaw
Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis, 1940
The Tripartite Pact
European Theater of Operations
The Phony
War Ends
Hitler invaded Belgium,
Luxembourg, and the
Netherlands.With everyone’s
attention on Hitler’s sweep of
these nations he sent an even
larger force into France through
the Ardrennes Forest, avoiding
the Maginot Line - a system of
fortifications along France’s
border with Germany. Allied
forces and German forces
stared at each other. Became
known as Stizkrieg
Dunkirk Evacuated
June 4, 1940
The War Comes to Europe