WWII IN EUROPE & ITS CONSEQUENCES [up to 1949] What you will learn How and why Germany conquered large areas of Europe between 1939 and 1941How and why.

WWII IN EUROPE &WWII IN EUROPE &ITS CONSEQUENCESITS CONSEQUENCES

[up to 1949][up to 1949]

What you will learnWhat you will learn

• How and why Germany conquered How and why Germany conquered large areas of Europe between 1939 large areas of Europe between 1939 and 1941and 1941

• How the Nazis ruled Europe in WWIIHow the Nazis ruled Europe in WWII• How and why Hitler eventually lost How and why Hitler eventually lost

the warthe war• Effects of the war in Europe up to Effects of the war in Europe up to

19491949• Beginning of the Cold WarBeginning of the Cold War

WORLD WAR IIWORLD WAR II• WWII – Truly a world war taking place in 3 WWII – Truly a world war taking place in 3

continents – Europe, Africa and Asiacontinents – Europe, Africa and Asia• Involved more civilians than in WWIInvolved more civilians than in WWI• Partly because of the use of warplanes to Partly because of the use of warplanes to

bomb civilian targetsbomb civilian targets• Also because so many countries were occupied Also because so many countries were occupied

by enemy forcesby enemy forces• Often described as Often described as TOTAL WARTOTAL WAR• Total war involves immense suffereingsTotal war involves immense suffereings• Try not to forget the individuals involvedTry not to forget the individuals involved• Bear this in mind as we go alongBear this in mind as we go along

GERMANY CONQUERS POLAND GERMANY CONQUERS POLAND 19391939

• Poland was no match for GermanyPoland was no match for Germany• Despite fierce resistance, it was Despite fierce resistance, it was

conquered in less than a monthconquered in less than a month• Germans called it Blitzkrieg or Germans called it Blitzkrieg or

lightning warlightning war• Used over and over again by the Used over and over again by the

Germans over the next two years Germans over the next two years with great successwith great success

• Used by the Japanese as well in Used by the Japanese as well in East AsiaEast Asia

• Poland was no match for GermanyPoland was no match for Germany• Despite fierce resistance, it was Despite fierce resistance, it was

conquered in less than a monthconquered in less than a month• Germans called it Blitzkrieg or Germans called it Blitzkrieg or

lightning warlightning war• Used over and over again by the Used over and over again by the

Germans over the next two years Germans over the next two years with great successwith great success

• Used by the Japanese as well in Used by the Japanese as well in East AsiaEast Asia

4 STAGES OF BLITZKRIEG4 STAGES OF BLITZKRIEG

1.1. Dive bombers attack key targets such as Dive bombers attack key targets such as roads, railway stations and airfields to roads, railway stations and airfields to destroy enemy communicationsdestroy enemy communications

2.2. Paratroopers dropped from the air to take Paratroopers dropped from the air to take control of key positionscontrol of key positions

3.3. Columns of tanks cross the borders and Columns of tanks cross the borders and move in swiftly to occupy enemy territorymove in swiftly to occupy enemy territory

4.4. Large number of troops move in, Large number of troops move in, travelling fast on lorries, cars and travelling fast on lorries, cars and motorbikesmotorbikes

• At the same time that Germany invaded western Poland, Soviet troops moved into the east

• The USSR also took the opportunity to regain control of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

• These had been part of the Russian empire in WWI but independent since 1919

• They were not to become independent until the end of communism in the USSR in late 1980s

• At the same time that Germany invaded western Poland, Soviet troops moved into the east

• The USSR also took the opportunity to regain control of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

• These had been part of the Russian empire in WWI but independent since 1919

• They were not to become independent until the end of communism in the USSR in late 1980s

GERMANY CONQUERS POLAND GERMANY CONQUERS POLAND 19391939

German troops parade through Warsaw, Poland, September, 1939. Photo credit: PK Hugo J,,ger, Courtesy The National Archives and

Records Administration, item #200-SFF-52. Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm

Germany's invasion of Poland marked the beginning of World War II. Here a Nazi unit is en route to Poland at the

end of September, 1939. Handwritten on the side of the train car is, "We are going to Poland to thrash the Jews."

Photo credit: Meczenstwo Walka, Zaglada Zydów Polsce 1939-1945. Poland. No. 26.

Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm

During the September 1939 Nazi military campaign, about 600,000 men of the Polish Army, including 60,000 Jews, were taken prisoner by the

German fascists. Most of the Jewish prisoners were murdered.Photo credit: Meczenstwo Walka, Zaglada Aydów w Polsce 1939-1945.

Poland. No. 16.

• Apr 1940 : Hitler launched his attack on Apr 1940 : Hitler launched his attack on western Europewestern Europe

• His aim was to bring the whole of western His aim was to bring the whole of western Europe under his controlEurope under his control

• Also wanted to knock Britain and France out Also wanted to knock Britain and France out of the warof the war

• As in Poland, German troops moved fast, As in Poland, German troops moved fast, using blitzkrieg tactics and taking over whole using blitzkrieg tactics and taking over whole countries, in some cases, in a matter of dayscountries, in some cases, in a matter of days

GERMANY INVADES WESTERN EUROPE GERMANY INVADES WESTERN EUROPE 1940-411940-41

• The attack began in Apr 1940 with the The attack began in Apr 1940 with the invasion of Norway and Denmarkinvasion of Norway and Denmark

• Both countries were neutral and had small Both countries were neutral and had small armiesarmies

• Soon taken overSoon taken over• Norway did fight on for some time with help Norway did fight on for some time with help

from the Britishfrom the British• Hitler then moved south to take over the Hitler then moved south to take over the

Netherlands and Belgium and finally invaded Netherlands and Belgium and finally invaded FranceFrance

GERMANY INVADES WESTERN EUROPE GERMANY INVADES WESTERN EUROPE 1940-411940-41

• France crumbled in the face of the France crumbled in the face of the German attackGerman attack

• British forces were sent to France to try British forces were sent to France to try and stop the German advanceand stop the German advance

• Forced to retreat back across the Forced to retreat back across the English Channel at DunkirkEnglish Channel at Dunkirk

• At times, they German armies were At times, they German armies were advancing at 70 km per dayadvancing at 70 km per day

• By mid-Jun 1940, they had entered ParisBy mid-Jun 1940, they had entered Paris• The French government resignedThe French government resigned

GERMANY CONQUERS FRANCEGERMANY CONQUERS FRANCE

• The whole of northern The whole of northern France and the France and the Atlantic coast right Atlantic coast right down to the Spanish down to the Spanish border was handed border was handed over to Germanyover to Germany

• In the rest of France, In the rest of France, a French government a French government continued on the continued on the condition that it condition that it followed exact orders followed exact orders from the Germansfrom the Germans

GERMANY CONQUERS FRANCEGERMANY CONQUERS FRANCE

Eiffel Tower souvenir on German occupation

• Britain, led by Winston Churchill, was the Britain, led by Winston Churchill, was the only one of Hitler’s enemies leftonly one of Hitler’s enemies left

• Hitler hoped to gain control of the air over Hitler hoped to gain control of the air over southern England before crossing the southern England before crossing the English ChannelEnglish Channel

• His attempt failedHis attempt failed• Many German bombs fell on British cities in Many German bombs fell on British cities in

1940-411940-41• But the Luftwaffe did not succeed in But the Luftwaffe did not succeed in

destroying the Royal Air Forcedestroying the Royal Air Force• Fear of attack from the air stopped Hitler Fear of attack from the air stopped Hitler

from committing his invasion forcefrom committing his invasion force• Britain remained in the warBritain remained in the war• Hitler was forced to turn his attention Hitler was forced to turn his attention

elsewhereelsewhere

BATTLE OF BRITAINBATTLE OF BRITAIN

• Hitler turned his attention to the USSR after Hitler turned his attention to the USSR after his failed attempt to conquer Britainhis failed attempt to conquer Britain

• He had always been interested in gaining He had always been interested in gaining lands in the east lands in the east

• He decided to launch his attack on the USSR He decided to launch his attack on the USSR in the spring of 1941in the spring of 1941

• However, before he could carry out his However, before he could carry out his planned invasion of the USSR, he had to go to planned invasion of the USSR, he had to go to the aid of his ally, Mussolini, who was having the aid of his ally, Mussolini, who was having difficulties in the Balkans (south-east Europe) difficulties in the Balkans (south-east Europe) and North Africaand North Africa

• Why did he have to do that?Why did he have to do that?

GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & NORTH AFRICANORTH AFRICA

• In the Balkans, Mussolini had attacked In the Balkans, Mussolini had attacked GreeceGreece

• The Greek army fought back successfully The Greek army fought back successfully with the help of British forceswith the help of British forces

• Britain and Italy both ruled lands at this time Britain and Italy both ruled lands at this time in North Africa in North Africa

• Italian armies based in Libya had attacked Italian armies based in Libya had attacked British forces in Egypt only to be driven backBritish forces in Egypt only to be driven back

• Mussolini had appealed to Hitler for helpMussolini had appealed to Hitler for help• Hitler sent troops to help Mussolini in both Hitler sent troops to help Mussolini in both

these areasthese areas

GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & NORTH AFRICANORTH AFRICA

• In the Balkans, the Germans had to fight their In the Balkans, the Germans had to fight their way down through Yugoslavia in order to link way down through Yugoslavia in order to link up with the Italians in Greeceup with the Italians in Greece

• Both Yugoslavia and Greece were quickly Both Yugoslavia and Greece were quickly capturedcaptured

• In North Africa, German troops successfully In North Africa, German troops successfully drove British forces back to Egyptdrove British forces back to Egypt

GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & GERMANY OFFENSIVES IN THE BALKANS & NORTH AFRICANORTH AFRICA

• The German invasion of USSR was the largest military exercise Hitler had attempted

• The USSR was a vast country• Hitler attacked along a line which stretched from

the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south

• 4 million troops were deployed in the invasion• As in previous campaigns, blitzkrieg tactics were

employed• The Germans advanced at an incredible speed• Provinces were captured in a matter of days• Vast number of Soviet troops were taken prisoners

HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941

SOVIET POWsSOVIET POWs

Soviet POWs killed by Germans

SOVIET POWsSOVIET POWs

SOVIET POWsSOVIET POWs

Soviet POW killed by German medical experiments

• The Russian winter is very cold• Made military operations extremely

difficult• Because of Mussolini’s problem, Hitler had

launched his attack on the USSR later than he had intended

• He was unable to capture either Moscow, the capital or Leningrad before winter set in

• The USSR did not surrender

HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941

• When better weather returned in spring 1942, the German attack began again

• As before, the German armies were amazingly successful

• However, the Soviet troops held on and tied up huge numbers of German soldiers in this part of the war

HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941HITLER INVADES THE USSR, JUNE 1941

WWII IN EUROPE &WWII IN EUROPE &ITS CONSEQUENCESITS CONSEQUENCES

[up to 1949][up to 1949]

PART IIPART II

What you will learnWhat you will learn

• How and why Germany conquered How and why Germany conquered large areas of Europe between 1939 large areas of Europe between 1939 and 1941and 1941

• How the Nazis ruled Europe in WWIIHow the Nazis ruled Europe in WWII• How and why Hitler eventually lost How and why Hitler eventually lost

the warthe war• Effects of the war in Europe up to Effects of the war in Europe up to

19491949• Beginning of the Cold WarBeginning of the Cold War

• Harsh German rule• Hitler – use resources

and workers of captured countries for Germany’s benefits

• Millions of slave workers

• All opposition ruthlessly crushed

• Brutal treatment of Jews in Europe

GERMAN RULE IN EUROPEGERMAN RULE IN EUROPE

GERMAN RULE IN EUROPEGERMAN RULE IN EUROPE

• Hitler’s hatred of the Jews

• War gave him opportunity to implement his “Final Solution” to the Jewish problem – the systematic mass murder of Europe’s Jews

• Known as the the HolocaustHolocaust

GERMAN RULE IN EUROPEGERMAN RULE IN EUROPE

• 6,000,000 Jews were killed during these years

• Either lined up and shot, buried or burnt alive or tortured to death

• Others died of starvation• Most were taken to

extermination camps, mainly in German-occupied Poland, where they were gassed

• Organised by Germans with ruthless efficiency

GERMAN RULE IN EUROPEGERMAN RULE IN EUROPE

As Germany pushed its borders eastward into Poland, Jews in western Poland living in areas overtaken by the Third Reich were forced to move

east. This mass deportation occurred in the winter of 1939-40. Photo credit: Meczenstwo Walka, Zaglada Zydów Polsce 1939-1945.

Poland. No. 57 Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm

German soldiers enjoying the public humiliation of Polish Jews after the German invasion of Poland in September 1939.

One Jew is forced to cut the beard of another under German supervision as the local population of Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland watches. Source : http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery/WW277.htm

• Until 1942, Hitler looked invincible

• Most of Europe under his control

• Only Britain and USSR managed to stand up to Hitler and drive his army off

• But neither seemed capable of challenging his control of the continent

DECLINE DECLINE AND FALL AND FALL

OF NAZISMOF NAZISM1942-451942-45

• Towards end of 1942, the tide began to turn

• Hitler’s forces were being defeated

• By 1945, Germany had shrunk to its original size

• Hitler committed suicide in the ruins of Berlin

• How did this happen?DECLINE DECLINE

AND FALL AND FALL OF NAZISMOF NAZISM

1942-451942-45

• Hitler took on more territories than he could cope

• USSR was a huge country with enormous resources

• Though defeated over and over again, it did not surrender

• Hitler had to fight the USA after Dec 1941 – what happened then?

DECLINE DECLINE AND FALL AND FALL

OF NAZISMOF NAZISM1942-451942-45

• Much of Europe was in ruins

• Millions of refugees took to the roads

• Rejoicing, suffering and hardship

• What were the major changes after the war?

EUROPE EUROPE AFTER THE AFTER THE

WARWAR

• Germany had shrunk• Large parts of eastern

Germany were handed over to Poland

• Germany divided into 4 “occupation zones”

• Controlled by Britain, France, USA and USSR

• In effect, the country was divided into two parts

• The eastern part was ruled by the Soviets; the western part by the British, French and Americans

THE NEW THE NEW FRONTIERSFRONTIERS

• These two parts eventually became the separate republics of East and West Germany

• They were to remain separate for over 40 years

• United only in 1990• The USSR now extended

much further west than before the war

• Included Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania as well as parts of Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia and Romania

• Its reward for the part it played in defeating Hitler

THE NEW THE NEW FRONTIERSFRONTIERS

CHURCHILLCHURCHILLTRUMAN TRUMAN

AND STALINAND STALIN

THE COLD WAR

• WWII a turning point in relations between USA and USSR

• Mainly because of them that Germany and Japan were defeated

THE COLD WAR

• Both countries became much stronger

• During the war, they were allies

• After the war, relations turned cold and started what is known as THE COLD WAR today

• Lasted for the next 40 years

• A term used to describe the conflict between the USA and the USSR and their allies

• A Cold War because it was fought with words instead of weapons

THE COLD WAR

• After the war, USSR set up communist countries all over Eastern European countries under its influence

• USA was hostile to communism

• Feared USSR would try to spread communism to other parts of the world, esp in western Europe which would then become unfriendly towards USA

THE COLD WAR

• USSR equally suspicious of USA

• In 1945, USA was the only superpower to have the atomic bomb

• USSR was terrified that this might be used against them and their allies

• Mutual suspicions made worse by clashes in Europe

THE COLD WAR

• Greece – civil war between communists and supporters of the Greek royal family

• US eventually led it to a royalist victory

• Disagreements over future of Germany

• Stalin wanted complete control of Berlin which was inside the Soviet zone of occupation but jointly controlled by all four powers

THE COLD WAR

• Stalin cut off all road and rail links between West Berlin (controlled by Britain, France and USA) and west Germany

• USA was determined not to let West Berlin fall to communism

• Organised a huge airlift of supplies

• Although the Berlin crisis was successfully resolved, it drove the two sides further apart

THE COLD WAR

• US keen to support countries in western Europe to stop communism

• 1947 : Truman Doctrine - USA would support all free peoples trying to resist being taken over by another power

• Also agreed to provide economic aid to western Europe

• Marshall Plan – giving money to countries to help them rebuild their industries after the war

THE COLD WAR

• 1949 : NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

• USA agreed to defend other NATO members against armed attack

• In return, members were expected to support the USA in other parts of the world

THE COLD WAR

• USSR suspicious of the closer links between USA and its allies in Europe

• Tried to establish stronger links with own allies in eastern Europe

• Formation of Cominform (1947) an aorganisation which linked communist parties in different states

• Comecon (1949) tried to strengthen economic links between communist countries

Copyright reserved 2001

From the histerical notes of the Castle of