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Chapter 16.1. Das Blitzkrieg. Setting the Stage. Recall that Hitler rose to power in Germany by exploiting Anti-Semitism as well as anger over the Treaty of Versailles.
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Chapter 16.1 Das Blitzkrieg
Setting the Stage • Recall that Hitler rose to power in Germany by exploiting Anti-Semitism as well as anger over the Treaty of Versailles. • The Treaty of Versailles crippled Germany economically, stripped it of its colonies and took away some traditional German territory. • Hitler Had his sights set on restoring Germany’s glory one way or another…
Hitler began his restoration of German greatness by announcing plans to annex, or peacefully take over Austria. Many Austrians favored this move, and in March 1938, Austria was united with Germany despite the fact that the Treaty of Versailles forbade unification between the two countries. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
He next announced plans to take over Czechoslovakia, especially its Western borders with Germany, as the area contained about 3 million German speaking people. These Germans favored this move, but losing this Sudetenland would rob Czechoslovakia of its only defenses against Germany, and the majority of Czechs opposed Hitler’s intentions. The Czechs asked the French and British for help, but without consulting the Czechs, Britain and France appeased Hitler by giving in to his demands so long as he promised not to take over any other territory. Less than six months later, all of Czechoslovakia was made part of Germany. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
Despite being bitter enemies, Hitler and Stalin signed a “non-aggression pact” in August of 1939. Hitler no longer had to fear fighting a two-front war. Germany Sparks a New War in Europe
Germany Sparks a New War in Europe • Hitler next sought to retake land that was given to Poland so that they may have a sea port after WWI, and the Poles asked the French and British for help. • Figuring the French and British would give in, Hitler made plans to conquer Poland, and on September 1st, Hitler’s armies invaded Poland.
Germany’s Lightning Attack • Learning from the stagnant, non-moving trench warfare of WWI, Germany sought instead to fight a war of movement called Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war.” • Blitzkrieg called for a simultaneous use of armored columns to penetrate weaknesses in enemy formations, paratroopers to seize strong points behind the lines, and aircraft to bomb and strafe positions from the air. • Western Poland was quickly overrun by Nazi forces, and Stalin moved into Eastern Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and attacked Finland as well.
Germany’s Lightning Attack • Today this is known as “combined arms” and is the standard for military tactics in any large scale operation, including how we fought WWII, Desert Storm, and the initial phases of the current war in Iraq.
The “Phony War” • Two days after Hitler attacked Poland, France and Britain declared war and began to mobilize their armies in anticipation of fighting, but nothing happened. • However, Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway in April, 1940, and Germany begain to build bases from which Britain could be bombed into submission.
The Fall of France • On May 10, 1940, Hitler blitzed his way through the dense Ardennes Forest in Northern France/Belgium/Luxembourg and snuck through France’s line of heavy forts called the “Maginot Line.” • 10 days later, his fast-moving forces had reached France’s coast.
The Fall of France • As his armies linked up in France, the remaining French and British military forces were in danger of being lost. • In an interesting and heroic event in a war that was going poorly for the allies, a fleet of boats of any kind available (including civilian yachts, fishing boats, paddle steamers, even lifeboats) sailed to the beaches of Northern France and rescued 338,000 French and British soldiers.
The Fall of France • In a month’s time, German forces had taken Paris, and France surrendered on June 22, 1940.
The Battle of Britain • As France fell, Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill swore that Britain would never give up. • He said “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets… we shall never surrender”
The Battle of Britain • Even so, Britain was Hitler’s next target, and he began softening it up by air. • In the Summer of 1940, the German Luftwaffe (air force) bombed Britain, eventually targeting British cities.
The Battle of Britain • Running mostly on luck, radar, and breaking secret Nazi codes, Britain’s Royal Air Force hit back with a vengeance. • By breaking codes and detecting German forces before they struck, the British always managed to have fighter planes in the right spot to stave off many German attacks. • After riding out waves of German bombers for nearly a year in bomb shelters, the British people found some relief when Hitler called off his invasion and focused on the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe.
The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front • Mussolini had moved into Africa long before WWII, and was fighting British forces. The war began to turn against Italy, and Hitler was forced to send in the Afrika Korps under Germany’s most gifted general, Erwin Rommel. • Yugoslavia and Greece soon fell as well.
The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front • Hitler bit off more than he could chew, however, in making the same mistake that doomed Napoleon Bonaparte over 100 years before. • On June 22, 1941, Hitler’s forces attacked the unsuspecting Russian army and began to push deep into Russia. • Recall that the Great Purge had killed millions of people INCLUDING many of Russia’s most capable military leaders.
The Mediterranean and the Eastern Front • As they fell back, Russians resorted to a grim and brutal struggle, burning or destroying everything left behind in a “scorched earth policy” to deny any use of anything to the Nazis. • Sieges often resulted when German forces approached large cities, such as at Leningrad where nearly one million people died as the city starved to death and ran out of horses, cats, and dogs. • Hitler nearly conquered Moscow, Russia’s capital, but fell short, and in time, would lose all that his forces had gained.
