Hitler’s Lightning War Chapter 16 Section 1. Main Idea Using the sudden mass attack called the blitzkrieg, Germany overran much of Europe and North Africa.

Hitler’s Lightning WarHitler’s Lightning War

Chapter 16Chapter 16

Section 1Section 1

Main IdeaMain Idea

Using the sudden mass attack called Using the sudden mass attack called the blitzkrieg, the blitzkrieg, GermanyGermany overran overran much of Europe and North Africa.much of Europe and North Africa.

Hitler’s actions set off Hitler’s actions set off World War IIWorld War II. . The results of the war still affect The results of the war still affect politics and economics of today’s politics and economics of today’s world.world.

IntroductionIntroduction During the 1930s, Hitler played During the 1930s, Hitler played

on the on the hopeshopes and and fearsfears of the of the Western democracies.Western democracies.

Each time Hitler gained new Each time Hitler gained new territory, he promised that was territory, he promised that was the last the last demanddemand..

However, Hitler’s demands kept However, Hitler’s demands kept coming.coming.

Now Hitler wanted Now Hitler wanted PolandPoland.. He demanded that the He demanded that the Polish Polish

CorridorCorridor (taken during WWI) (taken during WWI) be returned to Germany.be returned to Germany.

Germany Sparks a Germany Sparks a New War in EuropeNew War in Europe

Stalin had already signed a 10 year Stalin had already signed a 10 year nonaggressionnonaggression pact with Hitler. pact with Hitler.

Hitler had promised Stalin Hitler had promised Stalin territoryterritory.. They secretly agreed to They secretly agreed to dividedivide

Poland between them.Poland between them. USSRUSSR would also take Finland, would also take Finland,

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Germany’s Lightning AttackGermany’s Lightning Attack

Hitler quickly made plans to Hitler quickly made plans to conquerconquer Poland. Poland.

Attacked Poland by surprise on Attacked Poland by surprise on September 1, 1939September 1, 1939..

German German tankstanks and and troopstroops entered entered Poland.Poland.

Also, began Also, began bombingbombing Poland’s Poland’s capital Warsaw.capital Warsaw.

France and Britain’s France and Britain’s ResponseResponse

France and Britain France and Britain declared wardeclared war on on Germany on September 3Germany on September 3rdrd..

Germany took the western half of Poland Germany took the western half of Poland before France and Britain could before France and Britain could sendsend its its troops.troops.

This was the first test of Germany’s This was the first test of Germany’s newest military newest military strategystrategy.. BlitzkriegBlitzkrieg (lightning war). (lightning war).

WorkedWorked in the case of Poland. in the case of Poland.

The Soviets Make Their The Soviets Make Their MoveMove

September 17September 17thth – Stalin – Stalin sent troops to occupy the sent troops to occupy the easterneastern half of Poland. half of Poland.

Next, Stalin easily took Next, Stalin easily took Lithuania, Latvia and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.Estonia.

FinlandFinland, however, , however, resisted.resisted.

One millionOne million Soviets were Soviets were sent to Finland.sent to Finland.

Soviets expected a Soviets expected a quick quick winwin and were not and were not prepared for prepared for winterwinter fighting.fighting.

After heavy losses, the After heavy losses, the Soviets finally Soviets finally wonwon..

The Phony WarThe Phony War France and Britain France and Britain

stationed their armies stationed their armies along the along the Maginot LineMaginot Line, , waiting for Germany to waiting for Germany to attack.attack.

NothingNothing happened. happened. Soldiers were Soldiers were boredbored.. Germans soldiers were Germans soldiers were

stationed on the stationed on the Siegfried Siegfried LineLine, a few miles away., a few miles away.

Germans jokingly called it Germans jokingly called it a “a “sitzkriegsitzkrieg”.”.

The Fall of FranceThe Fall of France

Germany began to Germany began to sweep through the sweep through the NetherlandsNetherlands, , BelgiumBelgium and and Luxembourg.Luxembourg.

This was a strategy to This was a strategy to keep the Allies’ keep the Allies’ attention there, while attention there, while Germany snuck into Germany snuck into France through the France through the ArdennesArdennes forest. forest.

Rescue at DunkirkRescue at Dunkirk After being trapped by After being trapped by

German forces in northern German forces in northern France, the Allies France, the Allies retreated to retreated to DunkirkDunkirk, a , a French port city near the French port city near the Belgian border.Belgian border.

The Allies had no where to The Allies had no where to go.go.

Heroically, the Heroically, the British British navynavy rescued the army. rescued the army.

Though the armada was Though the armada was an amateur, it rescued an amateur, it rescued more than more than 338,000338,000 soldiers.soldiers.

France FallsFrance Falls

After Dunkirk, After Dunkirk, resistanceresistance in France in France began to crumble.began to crumble.

Germans had taken Germans had taken ParisParis.. French leaders surrendered on June French leaders surrendered on June

22, 1940.22, 1940. General Charles General Charles de Gaullede Gaulle led the led the

French in German resistance.French in German resistance. France was finally liberated in France was finally liberated in 19441944..

The Battle of BritainThe Battle of Britain After France fell, After France fell, Great Great

BritainBritain stood alone in stood alone in battling the Nazis.battling the Nazis.

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill was was now the British Prime now the British Prime Minister.Minister. ““We shall never surrender.”We shall never surrender.”

1940, Germany’s 1940, Germany’s LuftwaffeLuftwaffe (air force) began (air force) began bombing Great Britain.bombing Great Britain. At first, focused on At first, focused on airfieldsairfields

and aircraft factories.and aircraft factories. Later focused on Later focused on citiescities, such , such

as London.as London.

Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force

Despite being outnumbered, Despite being outnumbered, Britain’s air force (RAF) had Britain’s air force (RAF) had two things in their favor.two things in their favor. RadarRadar German code-making German code-making

machine, machine, EnigmaEnigma.. Germans switched from day Germans switched from day

raids to raids to night bombingsnight bombings to to avoid the RAF.avoid the RAF.

After about a year, Hitler After about a year, Hitler decides to call off the attacks.decides to call off the attacks.

The The Battle of BritainBattle of Britain is over. is over. Allies now realize that Hitler’s Allies now realize that Hitler’s

attacks can be attacks can be blockedblocked..

The Mediterranean The Mediterranean and the Eastern Frontand the Eastern Front

Hitler decides to deal with Great Hitler decides to deal with Great Britain later.Britain later.

He now focused on the He now focused on the Mediterranean and the Mediterranean and the BalkansBalkans..

Despite the non-aggression pact, Despite the non-aggression pact, Hitler also goes after the Hitler also goes after the Soviet Soviet UnionUnion..

Axis Forces Attack North Axis Forces Attack North AfricaAfrica

Mussolini attacks British Mussolini attacks British forces in forces in Egypt Egypt while the while the Battle of Britain is occurring.Battle of Britain is occurring.

By February, Britain had By February, Britain had taken taken 130,000130,000 Italian Italian prisoners.prisoners.

Hitler stepped in to save Hitler stepped in to save MussoliniMussolini.. Sends a German tank force Sends a German tank force

under the command of under the command of Erwin Erwin RommelRommel..

Rommel finally Rommel finally defeatsdefeats the the Allies.Allies. Earns the name “Earns the name “Desert Desert

FoxFox”.”.

The War in the BalkansThe War in the Balkans

Hitler was planning on attacking USSR but Hitler was planning on attacking USSR but wanted to build bases in the wanted to build bases in the BalkanBalkan countries first.countries first.

Hitler Hitler persuadespersuades Bulgaria, Romania and Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to join the Axis Powers.Hungary to join the Axis Powers.

Greece and Yugoslavia refused because Greece and Yugoslavia refused because they favored Britain.they favored Britain.

Hitler Hitler invadedinvaded them and they surrendered them and they surrendered in about two weeks.in about two weeks.

Hitler Invades the Soviet Hitler Invades the Soviet UnionUnion

With the Balkans in control, Hitler could move With the Balkans in control, Hitler could move forward with Operation forward with Operation BarbarossaBarbarossa..

Soviet Union was not prepared for attack.Soviet Union was not prepared for attack. Largest army in the world, but had Largest army in the world, but had poor trainingpoor training

and and little equipmentlittle equipment.. Germans push 500 miles inside the Soviet Germans push 500 miles inside the Soviet

Union.Union. The Soviets use the same The Soviets use the same scorched-earth scorched-earth

strategystrategy that they used against Napoleon. that they used against Napoleon. As the Soviets were pushed back, they torched As the Soviets were pushed back, they torched

everything in their path.everything in their path.

LeningradLeningrad

Hitler seizes Hitler seizes LeningradLeningrad and and cuts it off from the Soviets.cuts it off from the Soviets.

Determined to Determined to starvestarve the the population (2.5 million population (2.5 million people), Hitler bombs food people), Hitler bombs food warehouses.warehouses.

People began eating cattle People began eating cattle and horse feed, and horse feed, catscats and and dogs then crows and dogs then crows and ratsrats..

Nearly Nearly one millionone million people people died that winter (1941-1942).died that winter (1941-1942).

The city still refused to fall.The city still refused to fall.

MoscowMoscow

Hitler now focused on Hitler now focused on MoscowMoscow, the , the capital and heart of USSR.capital and heart of USSR.

Germans weren’t prepared for harsh Germans weren’t prepared for harsh winterwinter..

They were still in summer uniforms They were still in summer uniforms and wanted to and wanted to retreatretreat..

Hitler would not let them.Hitler would not let them. More than More than 500,000500,000 die. die.

The United States Aids Its The United States Aids Its AlliesAllies

Most Americans felt that the United States Most Americans felt that the United States should should not benot be involved in the war. involved in the war.

Congress had passed three Congress had passed three Neutrality Neutrality ActsActs between 1935-1937. between 1935-1937. Made it illegal to Made it illegal to sell armssell arms or or lend moneylend money to to

nations at war.nations at war. FDRFDR knew that if the Allies fell that the knew that if the Allies fell that the

U.S. would be dragged into war.U.S. would be dragged into war. FDR asks Congress to allow the FDR asks Congress to allow the AlliesAllies to to

buy American arms.buy American arms.

Lend-Lease ActLend-Lease Act

1941 – Congress passes the 1941 – Congress passes the Lend-Lend-Lease ActLease Act.. U.S. can lend or lease arms or supplies U.S. can lend or lease arms or supplies

to any country to any country vitalvital to the U.S. to the U.S. U.S. Navy helps U.S. Navy helps escortescort British ships British ships

carrying U.S. arms.carrying U.S. arms. Hitler orders his submarines to sink Hitler orders his submarines to sink

any any cargo shipscargo ships they see. they see.

Atlantic CharterAtlantic Charter

U.S.U.S. was still not in the war at this point. was still not in the war at this point. However, FDR and Churchill met secretly However, FDR and Churchill met secretly

and issued a joint declaration called the and issued a joint declaration called the Atlantic CharterAtlantic Charter.. Upheld free trade among nations and the right Upheld free trade among nations and the right

of the people to choose their own government.of the people to choose their own government. Charter later serves as Allies’ Charter later serves as Allies’ peace planpeace plan

at the end of WWII.at the end of WWII.

Dragged into WarDragged into War

September 4 – a German September 4 – a German U-U-boatboat fired on a U.S. destroyer. fired on a U.S. destroyer.

FDR orders the U.S. navy to FDR orders the U.S. navy to shoot shoot German submarinesGerman submarines on sight.on sight.

U.S. was now involved in an U.S. was now involved in an undeclaredundeclared naval war with naval war with Germany.Germany.

The attack that ends up The attack that ends up drawing the U.S. into war drawing the U.S. into war comes from comes from JapanJapan, not , not Germany.Germany.