Transcript World War II - Memorial University of Newfoundland

World War II
Contrasts between World War I and
World War II
• World War II more of a global conflict
– Fought on two theatres:
• Europe and North Africa
• Asia/Pacific
• More extensive engagement of 20th c technologies
– Role of air power, radar, cryptology
– Mechanized warfare-– Role of new strategies -- blitzkrieg
• Greater involvement of civilian populations
• Staggering losses – 50 million dead
• More extensive planning for peace
The course of the war
1939-1940
• Invasion of Poland
map 1939
– Entry of Britain and France
– Phoney war:
• German invasion of Denmark and Norway
• May, 1940
map 1940
– Invasion of Netherlands, Belgium, France
– France defeated within 6 weeks
– Britain driven from continent
1940-1942
• Battle of Britain: Sept. 1940-41
• Battle for North Africa
• Germany solidifies hold on Southeastern
Europe
• Germany attacks USSR, June 21, 1941
– Bogs down
map 1941
• December, 1941
– Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour brings US
into War
Turning points: map 1942
• 1942 – El Alemain – allied victory over Rommel
in North Africa
• 1942-43 – Defence of Stalingrad
• 1943 – Invasion of Italy
map 1944
– Mussolini toppled
– Germans invade and occupy
• 1944
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June 6: D-day – Invasion of Normandy
Liberation of France
Liberation of Belgium
Partial liberation of the Netherlands
War aims
• Germany:
– Initially Continental domination, especially hinterland to its east
– Restructuring of European society –
• Aryan domination
• Allies:
– Unconditional surrender
Arguments over strategy:
• Stalin’s demand for a second front
– North African campaign as a diversion
• Churchill’s argument for an invasion through the
Balkans
• US argument– invasion through France – when
ready
• Dieppe, 1943:
– An effort to placate Stalin
– ‘test landing’
• Italian campaign
Factors determining the outcome
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The difficulty of invading Britain
Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union
US entry
Allies’ productive capacity
Ability of allies to maintain supply lines
Code breaking
– Enigma – capture of German encryption machine
Civilians and the war
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Total home front mobilization
Civilians as victims of bombing
Large numbers displaced
Occupation and choices it presented:
– Collaboration
– Resistance
• Civilians as victims of genocide
Planning the peace - I
• Summit negotiations on war aims, postwar
disposition of territory
– Casablanca 1943 (Roosevelt + Churchill)
• Agreement on unconditional surrender
– Teheran 1943
• Initial agreement on eastern Europe
• Plans for occupation of Germany
– Yalta 1945
• Plans for United Nations
• Further agreement on territory
• Concessions to Russia in order to secure entry into war
against Japan
Planning the peace – II
• Bretton Woods conference –1943
– Plans for monetary stability
• Fixed system of exchange rates
• World Bank and International Monetary Fund to stabilize
• Agreements on trade (GATT)
• Domestic side
– UK – plans for welfare state (Beveridge Report)
– Discussions in resistance movements, among
governments in exile
Other facets
• Lidice
• liberation of Paris
• Market Garden