Battles of World War II

Battles of World War IIBattles of World War II

What Happened?What Happened?

Blitzkrieg- Lightning Fast WarBlitzkrieg- Lightning Fast War

• By April 1940By April 1940• Hitler conquered and Hitler conquered and

occupied: Poland, occupied: Poland, Denmark, Belgium, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Luxembourg, and NetherlandsNetherlands

• Quick War tacticsQuick War tactics

Battle of Dunkirk

• German troops trapped Allied soldiers

• Massive evacuation occurred from May 26- June 3, 1940

• France surrendered June 22, 1940

Battle of Britain July 1940- Sept. 1940

• German Luftwaffe attacked British Royal Air force

• New radar used by British• Hitler cancels invasion of

country• Winston Churchill-

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”

U.S. reaction- neutrality

• Public opinion vs. Hitler• Solution “cash and carry

system”• 50 ships for Caribbean

bases• Lend lease Act of 1941-

$7 billion to Britain then Soviet Union

The Battle of the Atlantic• U.S. aid to Britain increases,

German U-Boats concentrate on the Atlantic and stopping supplies

• Convoys organized- US Navy escort

• Atlantic Charter established- US and Britain agreed not to acquire new land as result of WWII

• Germany attacks US destroyer- FDR shoot U-Boats on sight!

War between the U.S. and Germany seems certain…

And then BAM!! Attack on Pearl Harbor