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Invasion of Poland
Hitler now used military force to pursue German interests as Germany invadedPoland. Blitzkrieg (lightining war) was used by the Germans. German Luftwaffe and Panzer divisions attacked Poland along with the Soviet army in order to upkeep the Nazi-Soviet Pact. This was the catalyst to the Second World War -
Period: to
World War 2
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Battle of the Atlantic
An ongoing British struggle to keep her seas free and open to North America as well as her empire. German U-boats and submarines inflicted the most damge. The Allies became more effective and organized thanks to the radar, despite the inital failures and losses of the Allies. The Allies were sucessful in their counter-attack on the U-boats and claimed victory. -
Evacuation of Dunkirk
340,000 British and French troops cornered by the Germans were evacuted by not only the British Navy, but every available boat from Britain. This marked one of Hitler's great mistakes as he held back his forces who easily could have defeated the Allied forces. Despite the military failure, this event proved to be a moral boost for the Allies who lived to fight another day. -
Fall of France
The German army's entrance into Paris forced the French surrender. Germans continued on to occupy the Atlantic Ports as well as Northern France. A semi-independent government was granted at Vichy in Southern France and the French army was demobilized. This event emphasized the weakness of the French. -
The Battle of Britain
An aerial battle between the Royal Air Force of Britain and Goering's Luftwaffe to control the skies of Britain, as well as the English Channel. The British were eventially victorious in battling over London, which caused Hitler to delay the invasion of Britain. This proved to be o Hitler's biggest mistake as it gave Britain time to rebuild its air force. Also, it meant elongation of the war and an advantage for the Allies as the US' industry was added to the Allies' cause. -
Winter War
This was an eventful period. Soviets attacked Finland, who eventually surrendered and signed a peace treaty on March 12, 1940. The Red Army took the Baltic states from June 15 - 17, 1940.German forces occupied Romania on October of 1940, who joined the Axis powers a month later. Mussolini attacked Greece on October 28, 1940. Hitler then invaded both Yugoslavia and Greece. Such actions caused Hitler to delay the Nazi attack on the Soviet Union. -
Barbarossa
This marked Hitler's betrayal of the Nazi-Soviet Pact as he attacked the front stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Hitler was motivated by his envy of the "breadbasket of Europe" as well as his desire to crush Communism. As Stalin was caught off-guard, the Soviet air force was devastated and those who survived were kept as prisoners of war. The German forces continued on to occupy Soviet territories. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Germans attacked the suburbs of Stalingrad, and this signified urban warfare at its worst. Despite being denied access to Stalingrad on Novermber 23. Hitler ordered Von Paulos to fight to the death. Hence, Hitler lost some of his best army units, was denied access to the Caucasus oil fields, and forced him to take a defensive stance with his army. The Battle of Stalingrad paved the way for Eastern Europe's liberation. -
Battle of El Alamein
Montgomery's "Desert Rats" of Britain defeated the famous Rommel and caused the German/Italian retreat of Africa. Whoever was victrious would control the strategic strip of water. In the end, the Suez remained under Allied control, Hitler was denied access to the oil in the Middle East, and proved that Hitler's best forces could indeed be beaten. -
The Italian Campaign
Although Stalin wanted an Allied landing in France, the Western Allies were not yet ready for such a massive invasion. Before taking France, a full year of build-up and planning took place. Also, this time was used to eliminate any possible sources of trouble from the Germans. The plan was to take Sicily first before the actual landing in Italy. -
Normany Invasion
175,000 Allied soldiers initiated the amphibious assault on beaches; Utah and Omaha (US), Gold and Sword (Britain), and Juno (Canadians). Rommel was right in his prediction that the victor of the battle would be the victor of the war. At the end of the first day, despite great sacrifice and causualties, the Allies had their beach head. -
Battle of the Bulge
Germans launched the last offensive attack and pinpointed the weak spot of the Allied front in the Ardennes. 200,000 Germans attacked an area defended only by 80,000 Allied troops. Germans proceeded to advance a full sixty miles before being stopped on Christmas.
