Turning Points ofWorld War II

Appeasement

• 3 possible motives

• Significance in 1938?

• Modern significance?

• Modern application to U.S. foreign

• end of isolationism

The Fall of FranceJune 1940

• “phony war”

• blitzkrieg warfare

• less than three weeks....

• train car

Battle of Britain aka“The Blitz” (Fall 1940)

• Background of battle

• new technology

• Nazis change tactics

• First major turning point: Allies go on the offensive--Germany is not invincible!

Operation Barbarossa June 1941

• Nazis invade the USSR! (lebensraum)

• second major turning point: two front war

• a new alliance and propaganda--”Uncle Joe”

• lend lease is extended to the USSR

Significance of Operation Barbarossa

Ultimately, Hitler failed to learn from WW I

Pearl Harbor• policy of isolation

• impact of the Battle of Britain

• Why did Japan attack?

• U.S. responses (turning point #3)

D-Day

• turning point #4--largest amphibious invasion--ever!

• strategy

• toehold in Europe

“The destruction of the enemyʼs landing attempt...is the sole decisive factor in the whole conduct of the war and hence in its final result.” ---Adolf Hitler

A-bombTurning Point #5:

game over

Lessons Learned• how to create a long-lasting peace

• power of a-bombs

• importance of industry, inventions & mass production

• isolation

• appeasement

• intelligence organization

• tactics