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The Deadliest Conflict in Human History

Europe. In. World War II. The Deadliest Conflict in Human History. Overview. Fought between the Axis (which was composed of Germany and Italy) and Allied Forces (which was mainly composed of France, Britain, the US and the Soviet Union)

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The Deadliest Conflict in Human History

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  1. Europe In World War II The DeadliestConflict in Human History

  2. Overview • Fought between the Axis (which was composed of Germany and Italy) and Allied Forces (which was mainly composed of France, Britain, the US and the Soviet Union) • Began on September 1 1939 with the Invasion of Poland and ended on 8 may 1945 with the Fall of Berlin and the surrender of all German forces

  3. How it Began

  4. Remilitarisation of Germany • Hitler increased the size of the German military from 100 000 men to 300 000 in 1933. He increased this to 550 000 in 1935 • Hitler reintroduced conscription in 1935 • Hitler pulled Germany from the Disarmament Conference as well as the League of Nations in 1933 • Hitler ordered 3 battalions to occupy the Rhineland, which is a Demilitarised Zone • Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938 • Hitler retook the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia that had many Germans, in 1938 • Hitler took the rest of Czechoslovakia on March 1939 using force

  5. The Nazi-Soviet Pact • Signed on 23 August 1939 • The USSR agreed to remain neutral if Germany attacked Poland • Also included a secret protocol: • Germany would get the Western parts of Poland • The Soviets would get the Eastern parts of Poland and the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia • Also called the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

  6. Course of the War • Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 • Germany continued with it’s Blitzkrieg and conquered France, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Libya and many other smaller countries in Europe and began fighting against Yugoslavian rebels • The Allied forces were able to push the Axis forces out of Africa after several Battles, most famous of these being the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt • Germany launched Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941 • The Allied forces invaded Italy through Sicily on 1943, with Rome falling to the Allies on 4 June 1944 • A force of British, American Canadian soldiers participated in the D-Day landings of Normandy on 6 June 1944 with the goal of liberating France and invading Germany • Soviet troops reached Berlin on 20 April 1945, with the British and American forces slowed down by the failure of Operation Market Garden • Hitler killed himself on 30 April 1945 • The German military surrendered on 7 May 1945

  7. Italian 1. Army (Pintor) 11 infantry divisions 2 mountain divisions French Army & allies (Maurice Gamelin) 109 French divisions 40 allied divisions 3,000,000 men 2,700 tanks 2,000 aircraft German Army & allies (Adolf Hitler/Walther von Brauchitsch) 135 German divisions 32 allied divisions 3,300,000 men 2,600 tanks 3,700 aircraft French Army of the Alps (Olry) 5 fortress divisions 3 mountain divisions 2 infantry divisions Italian 4. Army (Guzzoni) 7 infantry divisions 2 mountain divisions French 9. Army (Corap) 5 infantry divisions 2 cavalry divisions 1 motorized division 1 fortress division French 5. Army (Bourret) 6 infantry divisions 3 fortress divisions 2 mountain divisions French 8. Army (Gorchery) 5 fortress divisions 4 infantry divisions 1 mountain division French 2. Army (Huntzinger) 5 infantry divisions 2 cavalry divisions 1 fortress division French Reserve 16 infantry divisions 2 armoured divisions 1 motorized division 1 fortress division French 4. Army (Requin) 6 infantry divisions 2 fortress divisions Italian 7. Army (Pistoia) 6 infantry divisions 2 armoured divisions 1 motorized division 1 cavalry division The French armies are deployed in three army groups. Army Group 1 comprises 1., 2., 7., 9. Armies and the British Expeditionary Force; its objective is to reinforce the retreating Dutch and Belgian Armies along the Dyle Line. Army Group 2 comprises 3., 4. and 5. Armies; its objective is to hold the Maginot Line. Army Group 3 comprises 8. Army; its objective is to defend against any outflanking of the Maginot Line through Switzerland. The German armies are deployed in three army groups. Army Group B comprises 6. and 18. Armies; its objective is to advance into the Low Countries, enticing French armies to rush in to meet it. Army Group A comprises 4., 12., 16. Armies and Panzer Group Kleist; its objective is to attack through the Ardennes, cutting off French armies in the north. Army Group C comprises 1. and 7. Armies; its objective is to tie French armies down on the Maginot Line. German bombers viciously terror-bomb major cities in the Low Countries. Army Group A easily pushes the Dutch and Belgian Armies back, aided by German airborne troops which seize key fortresses and panic rear services. Army Group 1 rushes to the Dyle Line to reinforce the retreating Belgian Army while the Dutch Army retreats into its own prepared lines. Unrealized by the French, Army Group A makes its way through the Ardennes with Panzer Group Kleist in the lead. German 18. Army relentlessly attacks the Dutch Army, cutting it off from the French armies. French 7. Army advances into the Netherlands anyways to cover Antwerp. The rest of Army Group 1 reaches the Dyle Line and consolidates; German 6. Army probes this defensive line with little result. Meanwhile, Army Group A continues to advance; Panzer Group Kleist emerges from the Ardennes and drives towards Sedan where only the weakest elements of French 9. and 2. Armies defend. German 2. and 9. Armies’ headquarters are activated from the reserve. The Germans seek to reduce the remnants of Army Group 1: German 6. Army splits the BEF from the Belgian Army, forcing a Belgian surrender while Panzer Group Kleist and 4. Army push north, encircling French 1. Army. The BEF launches a counterattack at Arras but it is repelled. French 7. and 10. Armies also launch counterattacks to cut off the German advance armies but the attacks are weak and German 9. Army arrives to fill the gaps anyways. The Royal Navy arrives on the coast to begin an evacuation of remaining troops in the north. Belgian Army (Leopold) 16 infantry divisions 4 cavalry divisions Advanced elements of French 7. Army are shoved back by German 18. Army to reinforce the Dutch Army’s isolation. German bombers destroy an entire section of Rotterdam to make an example, forcing the Dutch to surrender. Gamelin begins shifting French 7. Army south. German 6. Army pins the BEF and French 1. Army while Panzer Group Kleist breaks through the hinge of French 2. and 9. Armies at Sedan, opening a 50-mile gap between them. Gamelin activates French 6. Army with reserves and divisions from Army Groups 2 and 3 while German 4., 12. and 16. Armies advance to guard Kleist’s flanks against counterattack. Army Group B attacks the remains of Army Group 1 and succeeds in pushing them back. Panzer Group Kleist annihilates French 9. Army but is ordered to halt by Hitler to allow the infantry to catch up. This allows Gamelin to deploy 6. and 10. Armies. The halt order is eventually lifted and Panzer Group Kleist resumes its advance, brushing aside French 7. Army and reaching the Channel. German 4. Army follows closely behind, 12. and 16. Armies establish a front running east-west and 2. and 9. Armies approach the front lines. French 6. Army attacks north at Laon but is beaten back by German air attacks. The evacuation of Dunkirk begins. Hitler is persuaded by Luftwaffe commander, Goerring, to allow his aircraft to complete the BEF’s destruction. British aircraft take off from the home islands to defend the evacuation armada in costly dogfights although Goering fails to destroy the BEF. German 4. and 18. Armies belatedly advance on Dunkirk while encircled French 1. Army heroically fights on to tie down German forces. French 1. Army surrenders only after the vast majority of the BEF is evacuated to Britain. French armies in the south however are in little position to affect fighting in the north. German Reserve 43 infantry divisions 2 motorized divisions German 1. Army (Witzleben) 10 infantry divisions 12 2 9 4 18 1 6 9 7 2 16 DUT RES BEF RES BELG 6 8 9 3 5 1 2 6 4 7 KL 10 10 German Army & allies (Hitler/Brauchitsch) • Army – Blanchard Belgian Army – Leopold • Army – Huntzinger British Expeditionary Force – Gort • Army – Condé Dutch Army – Winkelman • Army – Requin • Army – Bourret • Army – Touchon • Army – Giraud • Army – Gorchery • Army – Corap • Army – Altmayer Subordinates • Army – Witzleben • Army – Weichs • 4. Army – Kluge • 6. Army – Reichaneau • 7. Army – Dollman • 9. Army – Strauss • 12. Army – List • 16. Army – Busch • 18. Army – Kuechler • Panzer Group Kleist - Kleist German 16. Army (Busch) 13 infantry divisions German 7. Army (Dollman) 4 infantry divisions Nations French 3. Army (Condé) 13 infantry divisions 2 fortress divisions 1 cavalry division German 18. Army (Kuechler) 6 infantry divisions 1 panzer division 1 cavalry division 1 motorized division 1 air landing division 1 airborne division Army Group B (Bock) French 10. Army (Altmayer) 0 divisions Dutch Army (Winkelman) 10 infantry divisions Army Group B (Bock) German 12. Army (List) 10 infantry divisions 1 mountain division German 6. Army (Reichaneau) 16 infantry divisions 2 panzer divisions 1 motorized division Army Group 1 (Billotte) Army Group A (Rundstedt) Army Group A (Rundstedt) British Expeditionary Force (Gort) 9 infantry divisions French 6. Army (Touchon) 0 divisions Army Group 1 (Billotte) Army Group C (Leeb) German 2. Army (Weichs) 0 divisions French 1. Army (Blanchard) 4 infantry divisions 3 motorized divisions 2 light mechanized divisions 2 fortress divisions 1 armoured division French 7. Army (Giraud) 5 infantry divisions 1 light mechanized division 1 fortress division Panzer Group Kleist (Kleist) 5 panzer divisions 3 motorized divisions German 4. Army (Kluge) 12 infantry divisions 2 panzer divisions Army Group 2 (Pretelat) German 9. Army (Strauss) 0 divisions Landmarks Army Group 3 (Besson) Subordinates French Army & allies (Gamelin) Opposing forces deployed south in Alps Calais Luxembourg Rotterdam Arras Maginot Line Amiens GERMANY SWITZERLAND BELGIUM FRANCE Sedan Cologne Antwerp Brussels NETHERLANDS BRITAIN LUXEMBOURG Ardennes Forest Paris London Dunkirk Namur Verdun

  8. French Army & allies (Maxime Weygand) 72 French divisions 2 allied divisions German Army & allies (Adolf Hitler/Walther von Brauchitsch) 135 German divisions 32 allied divisions Both sides regroup for the battle for France itself. The German armies are deployed in three army groups. Army Group B comprises 4., 6., 9., 18. Armies and Panzer Group Kleist; its objective is to smash the French left wing. Army Group A comprises 2., 12., 16. Armies and the new Panzer Group Guderian; its objective is to break through the French center after Army Group B attacks. Army Group C comprises 1. and 7. Armies; its objective is to break the Maginot Line. Three Italian armies – not yet at war with France – threaten the tiny French Army of the Alps. The rest of the French armies are deployed in three army groups. All of their objectives are merely to hold the Weygand Line which runs from the Channel to the Maginot Line. Army Group 3 comprises 7. and 10. Armies; Army Group 4 comprises 2., 4. and 6. Armies; Army Group 2 comprises 3., 5. and 8. Armies. Panzer Group Kleist opens the German offensive by attacking French 10. Army which offers tough resistance. It is eventually defeated, forcing 7. Army to retreat to avoid envelopment. Panzer Group Guderian attacks shortly after, splitting French 4. and 2. Armies. The German infantry armies make slow but steady progress against French armies which stage local counterattacks in an effective fighting retreat. Panzer Group Kleist is transferred east. Seeing that France has absolutely no chance of winning, Italy declares war. German 4. Army destroys French 10. Army while Panzer Groups Kleist and Guderian break through French defences on their respective fronts. The French armies must continue to retreat to avoid encirclement. Paris is declared a free city to avoid destruction; Hitler hastily occupies it. Panzer Group Guderian, followed by 12. and 16. Armies, advances as far as the Swiss border while Army Group C pierces the Maginot Line in two places. Army Group 2 is now completely surrounded. The French armies continue to conduct a fighting retreat as the German armies advance on all fronts. Italian 1. and 4. Armies finally launch an offensive but it quickly grinds to a halt in the frigid, rough terrain. Meanwhile, Army Group 2 surrenders. France solemnly requests an armistice but Panzer Group Kleist advances after the armistice is signed to ensure German control of the western coast. German Army & allies (Hitler/Brauchitsch) Army Group B (Bock) Subordinates 2. Army – Huntzinger 3. Army – Condé 4. Army – Requin 5. Army – Bourret 6. Army – Touchon 7. Army – Giraud 8. Army – Gorchery 10. Army – Altmayer Army of the Alps – Olry Army of Paris – Hering Army Group A (Rundstedt) • Army – Witzleben Italian 1. Army – Pintor • Army – Weichs Italian 4. Army – Guzzoni • 4. Army – Kluge Italian 7. Army – Pistoia • 6. Army – Reichaneau • 7. Army – Dollman • 9. Army – Strauss • 12. Army – List • 16. Army – Busch • 18. Army – Kuechler • Panzer Group Guderian - Guderian • Panzer Group Kleist - Kleist Nations Army Group C (Leeb) Army Group 3 (Besson) Army Group 4 (Huntzinger) Army Group 2 (Pretelat) Army Group West (Savoia) Landmarks Subordinates French Army & allies (Weygand) SPAIN FRANCE ITALY LUXEMBOURG SWITZERLAND London Paris Berne Maginot Line Brussels BRITAIN BELGIUM NETHERLANDS GERMANY AUSTRIA

  9. Seventh Enemy Offensive • Fought between Germany and the Partisans in Yugoslavia • Happened from 25 May - 3 July 1944 • Partisans were led by Marshal Josip Broz Tito • Was fought in Drvar, Bosnia • Goal of the Germans was to eliminate Tito and the Partisans • The Germans used paratroopers as the main force in the attack • Battle was a failure, Tito managed to escape • Main reason the Germans failed was because their intelligence officers failed to share some of their vital information

  10. Reasons why the war happened • Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland for several reasons: • To get more land for Germany • To fight Communism • To get rid of the “inferior races” • The failure of the League of Nations. The League failed in several ways: • Britain and France didn’t try to enforce the Treaty of Versailles in any way and instead decided to “appease” Germany • Britain and France didn’t do anything when Italy invaded Abyssinia • The League’s Disarmament Conference failed make any of the countries reduce their military

  11. No other event in human history has matched the devastation that World War II caused, but not everyone was ruined by the war. The two countries that benefited the most from the war soon began a war. A Cold War.

  12. Quiz! What was the secret protocol during the Nazi-Soviet pact? It was the agreement to split Poland between Germany and Russia When was The Nazi-Soviet Pact Singed?  Signed on 23 August 1939 What year did Germany annex Austria? 1938 Why did Hitler order the invasion of Poland? To get more land for Germany, to fight Communism and to get rid of the “inferior races” Who was the leader of the Partisans? Marshal Josip Broz Tito

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