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Download Chap 13 : WW2 in Europe
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WWII IN EUROPE & ITS CONSEQUENCES [up to 1949] What you will learn • How and why Germany conquered large areas of Europe between 1939 and 1941 • How the Nazis ruled Europe in WWII • How and why Hitler eventually lost the war • Effects of the war in Europe up to 1949 • Beginning of the Cold War WORLD WAR II • WWII – Truly a world war taking place in 3 continents – Europe, Africa and Asia • Involved more civilians than in WWI • Partly because of the use of warplanes to bomb civilian targets • Also because so many countries were occupied by enemy forces • Often described as TOTAL WAR • Total war involves immense suffereings • Try not to forget the individuals involved • Bear this in mind as we go along GERMANY CONQUERS POLAND 1939 • Poland was no match for Germany • Despite fierce resistance, it was conquered in less than a month • Germans called it Blitzkrieg or lightning war • Used over and over again by the Germans over the next two years with great success • Used by the Japanese as well in East Asia 4 STAGES OF BLITZKRIEG 1. Dive bombers attack key targets such as roads, railway stations and airfields to destroy enemy communications 2. Paratroopers dropped from the air to take control of key positions 3. Columns of tanks cross the borders and move in swiftly to occupy enemy territory 4. Large number of troops move in, travelling fast on lorries, cars and motorbikes GERMANY CONQUERS POLAND 1939 • • • • At the same time that Germany invaded western Poland, Soviet troops moved into the east The USSR also took the opportunity to regain control of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania These had been part of the Russian empire in WWI but independent since 1919 They were not to become independent until the end of communism in the USSR in late 1980s German troops parade through Warsaw, Poland, September, 1939. Photo credit: PK Hugo J,,ger, Courtesy The National Archives and Records Administration, item #200-SFF-52. Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm Germany's invasion of Poland marked the beginning of World War II. Here a Nazi unit is en route to Poland at the end of September, 1939. Handwritten on the side of the train car is, "We are going to Poland to thrash the Jews." Photo credit: Meczenstwo Walka, Zaglada Zydów Polsce 19391945. Poland. No. 26. Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm During the September 1939 Nazi military campaign, about 600,000 men of the Polish Army, including 60,000 Jews, were taken prisoner by the German fascists. Most of the Jewish prisoners were murdered. Photo credit: Meczenstwo Walka, Zaglada Aydów w Polsce 1939-1945. Poland. No. 16. GERMANY INVADES WESTERN EUROPE 1940-41 • • • • Apr 1940 : Hitler launched his attack on western Europe His aim was to bring the whole of western Europe under his control Also wanted to knock Britain and France out of the war As in Poland, German troops moved fast, using blitzkrieg tactics and taking over whole countries, in some cases, in a matter of days GERMANY INVADES WESTERN EUROPE 1940-41 • • • • • The attack began in Apr 1940 with the invasion of Norway and Denmark Both countries were neutral and had small armies Soon taken over Norway did fight on for some time with help from the British Hitler then moved south to take over the Netherlands and Belgium and finally invaded France GERMANY CONQUERS FRANCE • • • • • • France crumbled in the face of the German attack British forces were sent to France to try and stop the German advance Forced to retreat back across the English Channel at Dunkirk At times, they German armies were advancing at 70 km per day By mid-Jun 1940, they had entered Paris The French government resigned GERMANY CONQUERS FRANCE • • Eiffel Tower souvenir on German occupation The whole of northern France and the Atlantic coast right down to the Spanish border was handed over to Germany In the rest of France, a French government continued on the condition that it followed exact orders from the Germans BATTLE OF BRITAIN • • • • • • • • Britain, led by Winston Churchill, was the only one of Hitler’s enemies left Hitler hoped to gain control of the air over southern England before crossing the English Channel His attempt failed Many German bombs fell on British cities in 194041 But the Luftwaffe did not succeed in destroying the Royal Air Force Fear of attack from the air stopped Hitler from committing his invasion force Britain remained in the war Hitler was forced to turn his attention elsewhere GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & NORTH AFRICA • • • • • Hitler turned his attention to the USSR after his failed attempt to conquer Britain He had always been interested in gaining lands in the east He decided to launch his attack on the USSR in the spring of 1941 However, before he could carry out his planned invasion of the USSR, he had to go to the aid of his ally, Mussolini, who was having difficulties in the Balkans (south-east Europe) and North Africa Why did he have to do that? GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & NORTH AFRICA • • • • • • In the Balkans, Mussolini had attacked Greece The Greek army fought back successfully with the help of British forces Britain and Italy both ruled lands at this time in North Africa Italian armies based in Libya had attacked British forces in Egypt only to be driven back Mussolini had appealed to Hitler for help Hitler sent troops to help Mussolini in both these areas GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & NORTH AFRICA • • • In the Balkans, the Germans had to fight their way down through Yugoslavia in order to link up with the Italians in Greece Both Yugoslavia and Greece were quickly captured In North Africa, German troops successfully drove British forces back to Egypt HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941 • • • • • • • • The German invasion of USSR was the largest military exercise Hitler had attempted The USSR was a vast country Hitler attacked along a line which stretched from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south 4 million troops were deployed in the invasion As in previous campaigns, blitzkrieg tactics were employed The Germans advanced at an incredible speed Provinces were captured in a matter of days Vast number of Soviet troops were taken prisoners SOVIET POWs Soviet POWs killed by Germans SOVIET POWs SOVIET POWs Soviet POW killed by German medical experiments HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941 • • • • • The Russian winter is very cold Made military operations extremely difficult Because of Mussolini’s problem, Hitler had launched his attack on the USSR later than he had intended He was unable to capture either Moscow, the capital or Leningrad before winter set in The USSR did not surrender HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941 • • • When better weather returned in spring 1942, the German attack began again As before, the German armies were amazingly successful However, the Soviet troops held on and tied up huge numbers of German soldiers in this part of the war WWII IN EUROPE & ITS CONSEQUENCES [up to 1949] PART II What you will learn • How and why Germany conquered large areas of Europe between 1939 and 1941 • How the Nazis ruled Europe in WWII • How and why Hitler eventually lost the war • Effects of the war in Europe up to 1949 • Beginning of the Cold War GERMAN RULE IN EUROPE • • • • • Harsh German rule Hitler – use resources and workers of captured countries for Germany’s benefits Millions of slave workers All opposition ruthlessly crushed Brutal treatment of Jews in Europe GERMAN RULE IN EUROPE GERMAN RULE IN EUROPE • • • Hitler’s hatred of the Jews War gave him opportunity to implement his “Final Solution” to the Jewish problem – the systematic mass murder of Europe’s Jews Known as the Holocaust GERMAN RULE IN EUROPE • • • • • 6,000,000 Jews were killed during these years Either lined up and shot, buried or burnt alive or tortured to death Others died of starvation Most were taken to extermination camps, mainly in Germanoccupied Poland, where they were gassed Organised by Germans with ruthless efficiency As Germany pushed its borders eastward into Poland, Jews in western Poland living in areas overtaken by the Third Reich were forced to move east. This mass deportation occurred in the winter of 1939-40. Photo credit: Meczenstwo Walka, Zaglada Zydów Polsce 1939-1945. Poland. No. 57 Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm German soldiers enjoying the public humiliation of Polish Jews after the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. One Jew is forced to cut the beard of another under German supervision as the local population of Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland watches. Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm • • • • DECLINE AND FALL OF NAZISM 1942-45 Until 1942, Hitler looked invincible Most of Europe under his control Only Britain and USSR managed to stand up to Hitler and drive his army off But neither seemed capable of challenging his control of the continent • • • • • DECLINE AND FALL OF NAZISM 1942-45 Towards end of 1942, the tide began to turn Hitler’s forces were being defeated By 1945, Germany had shrunk to its original size Hitler committed suicide in the ruins of Berlin How did this happen? • • • • DECLINE AND FALL OF NAZISM 1942-45 Hitler took on more territories than he could cope USSR was a huge country with enormous resources Though defeated over and over again, it did not surrender Hitler had to fight the USA after Dec 1941 – what happened then? • • • • EUROPE AFTER THE WAR Much of Europe was in ruins Millions of refugees took to the roads Rejoicing, suffering and hardship What were the major changes after the war? THE NEW FRONTIERS • • • • • • Germany had shrunk Large parts of eastern Germany were handed over to Poland Germany divided into 4 “occupation zones” Controlled by Britain, France, USA and USSR In effect, the country was divided into two parts The eastern part was ruled by the Soviets; the western part by the British, French and Americans • THE NEW FRONTIERS • • • • • These two parts eventually became the separate republics of East and West Germany They were to remain separate for over 40 years United only in 1990 The USSR now extended much further west than before the war Included Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania as well as parts of Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Romania Its reward for the part it played in defeating Hitler CHURCHILL TRUMAN AND STALIN THE COLD WAR • • WWII a turning point in relations between USA and USSR Mainly because of them that Germany and Japan were defeated THE COLD WAR • • • • • • Both countries became much stronger During the war, they were allies After the war, relations turned cold and started what is known as THE COLD WAR today Lasted for the next 40 years A term used to describe the conflict between the USA and the USSR and their allies A Cold War because it was fought with words instead of weapons THE COLD WAR • • • After the war, USSR set up communist countries all over Eastern European countries under its influence USA was hostile to communism Feared USSR would try to spread communism to other parts of the world, esp in western Europe which would then become unfriendly towards USA THE COLD WAR • • • • USSR equally suspicious of USA In 1945, USA was the only superpower to have the atomic bomb USSR was terrified that this might be used against them and their allies Mutual suspicions made worse by clashes in Europe THE COLD WAR • • • • Greece – civil war between communists and supporters of the Greek royal family US eventually led it to a royalist victory Disagreements over future of Germany Stalin wanted complete control of Berlin which was inside the Soviet zone of occupation but jointly controlled by all four powers THE COLD WAR • • • • Stalin cut off all road and rail links between West Berlin (controlled by Britain, France and USA) and west Germany USA was determined not to let West Berlin fall to communism Organised a huge airlift of supplies Although the Berlin crisis was successfully resolved, it drove the two sides further apart THE COLD WAR • • • • US keen to support countries in western Europe to stop communism 1947 : Truman Doctrine USA would support all free peoples trying to resist being taken over by another power Also agreed to provide economic aid to western Europe Marshall Plan – giving money to countries to help them rebuild their industries after the war THE COLD WAR • • • 1949 : NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation USA agreed to defend other NATO members against armed attack In return, members were expected to support the USA in other parts of the world THE COLD WAR • • • • USSR suspicious of the closer links between USA and its allies in Europe Tried to establish stronger links with own allies in eastern Europe Formation of Cominform (1947) an aorganisation which linked communist parties in different states Comecon (1949) tried to strengthen economic links between communist countries From the histerical notes of the Castle of Copyright reserved 2001