War in Europe

1. War in Europe Mr. White’s World History

2. Objectives • After this section, we should be able to: • Explain how Hitler took over most of Europe

3. Eastern Europe • In the early stages of the war in eastern Europe, the German armies quickly subdued Poland • The Soviet Union occupied the eastern half of Poland, as was laid out in an agreement with Germany • The Soviet Union then took over Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, and then attacked Finland • Finland held out for a while, but was eventually forced to surrender and give up part of its territory to the USSR

4. Sitzkrieg • After Britain and France had declared war, there was basically no armed conflict on the western front, along France’s Maginot Line • In the meantime, the British mined Norway’s waters to prevent any trading with Germany • Hitler claimed that this was a precursor to a British invasion of Norway • Hitler demanded that Denmark and Norway accept the protection of Germany • Denmark accepted • Norway refused

5. Winston Churchill • The German invasion of Norway was successful, but cost the German navy some destroyers and cruisers • Hitler secured an outlet to make sure that his navy wouldn’t be bottled up • In Britain, Hitler’s new invasions resulted in heavy criticism of Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement – Chamberlain stepped down • King George VI of England called Winston Churchill to become prime minister of Britain • Chamberlain had been one of the few people to warn about Nazi aggression and Hitler

6. The Battle of France • Hitler turned toward France after Norway • A French commander, Charles de Gaulle, had been asking the French Army to supply more planes and tanks, but was turned away • The Maginot Line and the Ardennes Forest formed an impenetrable barrier between Germany and France, many thought • The German attack came through the Netherlands and Belgium, passing through the Ardennes and by-passing the Maginot Line

7. The Maginot Line The Maginot Line was a system of fortifications built by the French after World War I to protect against German invasion of France. The strongest part of the line was concentrated along the border with Germany. The northern portion was weakly constructed because most viewed the Ardennes Forest region in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg to be impassable to tanks.

8. Dunkirk • The British and French moved their best troops into Belgium to stop the German advance, but they were quickly encircled by the German forces • Other German forces pushed into France, through undefended country • These forces pushed westward to the English Channel and encircled a force of 300,000 British and French troops at Dunkirk • For some reason, the German forces were ordered to halt, and the Allies were able to evacuate 300,000 troops across the British Channel from Dunkirk

9. The Fall of Paris • On June 14, the Germans entered Paris • The French government signed an armistice with Germany • The Germans occupied all of northern France and the Atlantic coastline to the Spanish border • A puppet French government was set up in Vichy under French Marshal Henri Petain • Some French continued to struggle against Germany, either as members of the French Resistance, or as part of the Free French government in England

10. The Battle of Britain • Britain was the last nation in Europe that stood in Hitler’s way • Hitler made plans to invade Britain • Air supremacy would be essential to cross the English Channel • The Germans first set out to destroy British aircraft factories and airfields, then turned their attention to the British Royal Air Force itself • Finally, the German Luftwaffe switched to night bombings of London and other cities – known as the “blitz”

11. The Blitz • Hitler hoped that bombing British cities would break British morale and will, and that they might simply give in to Hitler • The bombings did not accomplish this, and in some cases seemed to have the opposite effect of increasing British resolve and desire for vengeance • The Germans end this battle having lost 1,700 aircraft, losses which they were not able to replace

12. Coventry, following a German air-raid

13. U.S. Neutrality • The U.S. wanted to stay neutral through the early days of the European conflict • The 1937 Neutrality Act prohibited arms shipments, loans, or credit to nations that were fighting wars • U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was convinced that Germany’s expansion was a threat to the U.S.’s peace and safety • With FDR’s urging, and news of Germany’s aggression, U.S. public opinion began to turn against Germany

14. Anglo-American Cooperation • After Dunkirk, the British appealed to the U.S. for aid • The U.S. gave Britain 50 old destroyers in return for naval bases • The U.S. also would allow a cash-and-carry policy when trading with Britain – as long as it was paid up-front, and the British transported it, the U.S. would help supply • When Britain ran out of money, the U.S. adopted a lend-lease policy – the President could lend war materiel to any country whose defense was essential to the U.S. • FDR and Churchill also created the Atlantic Charter, which was an agreement that called for freedom of trade, self-determination, and the end of Nazi tyranny

15. North Africa • Mussolini’s goal was to create a new Italian empire around the Mediterranean • June, 1940 – Mussolini declared war on France and Britain • British forces guarding Egypt and the Sudan attacked Italian forces in Libya, and won victories • Churchill diverted troops from this British offensive to southeastern Europe, where they were crushed and captured • Hitler sent General Erwin Rommel to Libya to bail out the Italians • Rommel pushed the British back out of Libya • The Germans increasingly controlled northern Africa