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Hitler’s Lightning War (Ch. 16, Sec. 1)

Hitler’s Lightning War (Ch. 16, Sec. 1). Events That Led to the Beginning of WWII. Germany attacked Poland in September of 1939 (blitzkrieg or “Lightning War”) Britain and France declared war on Germany Soviet Union took over eastern half of Poland, and northeast Europe (Finland)

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Hitler’s Lightning War (Ch. 16, Sec. 1)

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  1. Hitler’s Lightning War(Ch. 16, Sec. 1)

  2. Events That Led to the Beginning of WWII • Germany attacked Poland in September of 1939 (blitzkrieg or “Lightning War”) • Britain and France declared war on Germany • Soviet Union took over eastern half of Poland, and northeast Europe (Finland) • Britain & France (Maginot Line) mobilized to battle Germany (Siegfried Line) along France’s border • Instead Germany pulled a surprise invasion of Denmark & Norway

  3. Germany Defeated France, then Attacked Britain • Germany attacked France through the Ardennes forest & pinned down the Allies at Dunkirk • Britain rescued the Allied forces (English Channel), but France fell to Germany • In the summer of 1940, Hitler began to bomb Britain, including cities (to break morale) • A defiant Britain, using radar, a decoding machine, & the RAF, held off Germany

  4. Axis Powers Shifted Their Focus to North Africa, the Balkans, & the Soviet Union • Italy attacked British-controlled Egypt (N. Africa), but needed help from Germany (Rommel) • Axis Powers defeated Allied forces in Egypt & then took Tobruk, Libya • Germany used threat of military force to gain control of Balkan region (SE Europe) • Hitler then attacked Soviet Union & after several early victories had Russia in retreat • But winter set in & Germany lost 500,000 men

  5. US Joined Allied Cause • When war broke out in Europe, the US Congress passed Neutrality Acts (to stay out of war) • But, in March 1941, Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act (Roosevelt) to supply arms to the Allies • Britain and US signed Atlantic Charter (guaranteed free trade / choice of government) • After a German u-boat fired on a US destroyer, US ships shot submarines on sight (undeclared war)

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