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World War II

World War II. The War Begins. Nazi-Soviet Pact. “There exists no real conflict of interest between Germany and Russia.” Signed August 23, 1939 USSR and Germany would not war against each other If either was attacked they would not aid the attacker Partition of Poland

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World War II

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  1. World War II

  2. The War Begins

  3. Nazi-Soviet Pact • “There exists no real conflict of interest between Germany and Russia.” • Signed August 23, 1939 • USSR and Germany would not war against each other • If either was attacked they would not aid the attacker • Partition of Poland • Stalin had grown tired of Britain and France

  4. World War II Begins • Group of S.S. dressed as Polish soldiers attacks a radio station in Germany • Blitzkrieg – lightning warfare • Take as much territory as possible as quickly as possible • September 1, 1939 – German army sweeps across the Polish border

  5. World War IIBegins • September 3, 1939 – English ambassador arrives in Germany • Issues ultimatum • Germans refuse the ultimatum • Britain and France declare war

  6. World War IIBegins • Soviets move into Poland from the east • Claim to protect the Belorussian and Ukrainian minorities • Poland taken in less than a month • No help from the British or French • Germany takes 71,000 sq. miles • USSR takes 75,000 sq. miles

  7. World War IIBegins • Finns able to repel the Soviets • “political house-cleaning” in the Red Army – incompetent or inexperienced generals • Sheer size of the Soviet army overwhelms the Finns

  8. German Invasion of Norway • Gain access to the iron mines of northern Sweden • Railroad terminal at Narvik connects to northern Sweden • Avoid British navy and take the country • Luftwaffe – German air force – establishes dominance • Denmark taken at the same time

  9. The Phony War • October 1939 – April 1940 • Time of war with few military engagements • Both sides look for a quick end to the war • Sides cannot come to an arrangement because of disagreements over Poland

  10. The Maginot Line • Series of stationary defenses along the German/French border • Concrete bunkers • Pill boxes • Great defense against trench warfare, not so much against a mobile military

  11. Maginot Line

  12. Axis Germany Italy Japan Allied United Kingdom French Resistance Soviet Union Later… United States Canada Australia Axis and Allied

  13. Neutrals Spain Switzerland Sweden Turkey Portugal Ireland Neutrals

  14. Axis Controlled Areas France Austria Bohemia and Moravia Poland Bulgaria Norway Netherlands Belgium Denmark Hungary Slovakia Greece Axis Controlled

  15. Homework – The War Begins • Define: blitzkrieg, Phony War, Maginot Line • What agreement did the Germans and Soviets come to in 1939? • How did World War II begin? • Why was the Maginot Line ineffective? • Name the three major Axis Powers and the four major Allied Powers.

  16. The War in Europe

  17. Invasion Through the Low Countries • Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg • German offensive through the low countries • Circumvents defenses of the Maginot Line • Allied commanders expect an attack through the low countries by the North Sea • Attack comes through the lowlands and the Ardennes Forest

  18. Invasion Throughthe LowCountries North Sea NETHERLANDS BELGIUM Germany LUXEMBOURG France

  19. Invasion Through the Low Countries • May 10-14 – Battle of Holland • 30,000 civilians killed when the Germans bombed Rotterdam • May 18 – Fall of Antwerp, Belgium

  20. Escape from Dunkirk • French and British driven up against the English Channel • Mass evacuation • 300,000-400,000 soldiers • Watercraft used to evacuate • Naval ships • Merchant marine • Personal boats

  21. Escape from Dunkirk • Hitler’s first major mistake of the war • May 24 • Orders panzer (tank) divisions to stop outside of Dunkirk • Relies on Luftwaffe to destroy Allied armies • Destruction of the Allied armies would have left Britain defenseless in the case of an invasion

  22. The Fall of France • Retreat leaves France to the Germans • France is split in two • Northern France – occupied by the Germans • Southern France – puppet government put in to place • Seat of government at Vichy • French Resistance led by General Charles de Gaulle

  23. The Fall of France

  24. EnglandAlone • Neville Chamberlain steps down and Churchill takes his place • Characterized as a bulldog • Resolved to win the war

  25. Battle of Britain • Operation Sea Lion – German operational name for the invasion of England • RAF vs. Luftwaffe – Luftwaffe had four times the number of planes as the RAF • English advantages • Advanced radar – allows for dogfights • Pilots eject

  26. Battle of Britain

  27. Battle of Britain • German targets • Air fields • Radar stations • Hitler tires of slow progress – the Blitz of London begins • “Never had so many owed so much to so few.” • Winston Churchill

  28. Lend-Lease • Maintain American neutrality but aid the Allies • $7 billion in weapons and supplies to Britain • March 1941-September 1945 • $48.6 billion to Allies

  29. Churchill and Roosevelt Meeting in Newfoundland Draw up a statement of principles for a post-war world Atlantic Charter

  30. Homework – The War in Europe • Define: low countries, Luftwaffe, RAF, lend-lease, Atlantic Charter • How could the escape from Dunkirk be considered a turning point to the war? • How were Chamberlain and Churchill different?

  31. The United States Enters World War II

  32. Pearl Harbor • December 7, 1941 • Mistakes • Japanese mini-sub sunk in Pearl Harbor • Japanese planes mistaken for American bombers • Sunday morning • Church • Sleeping in • surfing

  33. Hawaiian Islands

  34. Oahu

  35. Pearl Harbor

  36. Pearl Harbor • Attack by Japanese begins at 7:55 am • Battleships become main targets • Arizona (destroyed) • Oklahoma (destroyed) • West Virginia (heavily damaged) • California (heavily damaged) • Nevada (heavily damaged) • Tennessee (moderately damaged) • Maryland (moderately damaged)

  37. Pearl Harbor USS Arizona

  38. Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial

  39. Pearl Harbor • Attack in two waves • Attack can be viewed as a failure: • American aircraft carriers were at sea • United States finally enters the war

  40. America Enters the War • December 8, 1941 • Roosevelt asks Congress for a war declaration • United States declares war on Japan

  41. America Entersthe War • “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. The United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan.”

  42. Homework – The U.S. Enters WWII • What was America’s policy towards the war before Pearl Harbor? • Describe the events of Pearl Harbor in detail. • Which ships did the Japanese focus their attacks on? Why was the attack unsuccessful? • What was the reaction of the United States to the attack?

  43. Focus Returns to Europe

  44. Operation Barbarossa • German invasion of the USSR • Hitler’s second big mistake – creates a three front war • Soviet strategy • Multiple lines, when one is broken fall back to the next one • Wait for the winter • Final stands at Moscow and Stalingrad

  45. OperationBarbarossa

  46. The Warin NorthAfrica • The Battle of El-Alamein • German Aim - take control of the Suez Canal and stop supplies to the Allies from the east • Allied Aims - push the Germans out of North Africa and have a jumping off point for an invasion of Sicily

  47. The Warin NorthAfrica • Rommel (German) vs. Montgomery (British) • The Allies drive the German Afrika corps across the desert to Tunisia

  48. Italy • “Soft underbelly of Europe” • Difficulties to invasion • Apennine Mountains – similar to Appalachians • German reinforcements • Invasion of Sicily followed by the invasion of the mainland

  49. Battle of Monte Cassino

  50. Mussolini

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