Germany Dominates EuropeGermany Dominates Europe

Europe 1939-1941Europe 1939-1941

1.Germany Strikes Europe1.Germany Strikes Europe• Europe feared Hitler would attack Poland first• 1937 - GB + Fr signed an alliance with Poland to

protect them• GB + Fr tried to ally themselves with Russia but

failed• Stalin wanted to make a deal with Hitler instead• 1939 - Hitler and Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact1.Promised not to fight each other2.They would divide Poland in ½ • Sep. 1, 1939 - Germany attacked

Poland• Without help from GB/Fr,

Poland was quickly defeated• GB/Fr knew only a war would

stop Germany• Appeasement had failed• WWII had officially begun

• Europe feared Hitler would attack Poland first• 1937 - GB + Fr signed an alliance with Poland to

protect them• GB + Fr tried to ally themselves with Russia but

failed• Stalin wanted to make a deal with Hitler instead• 1939 - Hitler and Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact1.Promised not to fight each other2.They would divide Poland in ½ • Sep. 1, 1939 - Germany attacked

Poland• Without help from GB/Fr,

Poland was quickly defeated• GB/Fr knew only a war would

stop Germany• Appeasement had failed• WWII had officially begun

Poland is DividedPoland is Divided

2.Germany Looks to the West2.Germany Looks to the West• GB+Fr were the main goals

for Germany in the West• Smaller countries

were in the way• First = clear a path• Denmark - 1 day• Norway - 6 mo. • Nether. - 4 days• Belg. – few weeks• Luxembourg. - ?

(fast)• France was also

attacked

• GB+Fr were the main goals for Germany in the West

• Smaller countries were in the way

• First = clear a path• Denmark - 1 day• Norway - 6 mo. • Nether. - 4 days• Belg. – few weeks• Luxembourg. - ?

(fast)• France was also

attacked

DenmarkNorway

Netherlands Belgium

3.France is Next3.France is Next• Germany first used the “Blitzkrieg”

on Poland (1939)• Blitzkrieg = Fast-paced war

attacking with tanks + planes to quickly…

• break through defenses and drive deep into enemy territory

• May 1940 - France was attacked by Germany

• Germany hit France with lightning speed (avoid the trenches of WWI)

• Britain sent troops to help but were quickly pushed back

• British forces retreated back to England (Dunkirk)

• France - defeated in 6 weeks

• Germany first used the “Blitzkrieg” on Poland (1939)

• Blitzkrieg = Fast-paced war attacking with tanks + planes to quickly…

• break through defenses and drive deep into enemy territory

• May 1940 - France was attacked by Germany

• Germany hit France with lightning speed (avoid the trenches of WWI)

• Britain sent troops to help but were quickly pushed back

• British forces retreated back to England (Dunkirk)

• France - defeated in 6 weeks

Poland

4. Hitler Enters Paris

4. Hitler Enters Paris

• Hitler wanted to punish France because of the Versailles Treaty

• French Army reduced to 100K• Country was split in half• N. France controlled by Germany• S. France controlled by a pro-

German French Gov’t = Vichy• Forced to Pay reparations• French soldiers enslaved in

German military factories• Sep. 1940 – Ger, Italy, and Japan

signed the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis or Axis Powers

• Hitler wanted to punish France because of the Versailles Treaty

• French Army reduced to 100K• Country was split in half• N. France controlled by Germany• S. France controlled by a pro-

German French Gov’t = Vichy• Forced to Pay reparations• French soldiers enslaved in

German military factories• Sep. 1940 – Ger, Italy, and Japan

signed the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis or Axis Powers

5. Battle of Britain5. Battle of Britain• Germany wanted to invade GB• Had to get across the English Channel

1st • 1st Knock out the Royal Air Force• Ger + British planes dueled in

the skies• British fighters were winning• German planes switched to bombing

British cities• Cities burned, thousands of

people were killed• But Britain held out• Prime Minister Winston Churchill

boosted morale throughout – kept spirits up

• Hitler became frustrated and impatient

• While continuing to bomb GB…• Germany attacked the Soviet Union

• Germany wanted to invade GB• Had to get across the English Channel

1st • 1st Knock out the Royal Air Force• Ger + British planes dueled in

the skies• British fighters were winning• German planes switched to bombing

British cities• Cities burned, thousands of

people were killed• But Britain held out• Prime Minister Winston Churchill

boosted morale throughout – kept spirits up

• Hitler became frustrated and impatient

• While continuing to bomb GB…• Germany attacked the Soviet Union

6. The Pact is Broken(1941)6. The Pact is Broken(1941)• The Pact prevented a 2-Front

war (major problem in WWI)• Stalin believed Hitler would

never attack him• But Hitler always wanted to

control the Soviet Union• Before attacking, wiped out all

of the Balkan countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary)

• Took longer than expected• Attacked Russia 6 weeks later

than planned – ran into winter• Blitzkrieg broke down (cold

weather; long supply lines)• Russia survived; 2-Front war

was established (GB+Rus)

• The Pact prevented a 2-Front war (major problem in WWI)

• Stalin believed Hitler would never attack him

• But Hitler always wanted to control the Soviet Union

• Before attacking, wiped out all of the Balkan countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary)

• Took longer than expected• Attacked Russia 6 weeks later

than planned – ran into winter• Blitzkrieg broke down (cold

weather; long supply lines)• Russia survived; 2-Front war

was established (GB+Rus)

1938-1942