Transcript Unit 1: From Pre-History to Early Civilizations

Section II: Conflict in Europe
(Pages 668-671)
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This section is about:
How World War II began with
the invasion of Poland and
how Hitler soon conquered
most of Europe, including
France.
How the United States
responded to the Nazi attacks.
How resistance fighters helped
fight the Nazis.
How women worked to help
the allies.
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We’ll start with something
you already probably know
– the picture on page 671;
Does that look familiar?
There’s nothing wrong
with looking at a couple of
the questions first: page
671: Review History: A
and B.
Also: “Critical Thinking”
and “Write about
Economics”
Conflict In Europe
World War II Begins
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Most of Europe had been
“turning their head” as Hitler
invaded Austria, and then
Czechoslovakia.
They had remembered WWI
and how horrible it was and
hoped by appeasing Hitler, he
might be happy and stop.
Finally, France and Great
Britain agreed that if Hitler
invaded Poland, they’d have
to take some action.
Invasion of Poland
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On September 1st, 1939,
Hitler invaded Poland.
Two days later, France
and Great Britain
declared war on
Germany.
Eventually 40 other
nations (including the
U.S. and eventually the
U.S.S.R.) would form an
alliance (the Allies)
against Germany, Italy,
and Japan.
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Hitler’s invasion of Poland
was his first real show of
military power.
His new strategy was
called a blitzkrieg
(“lightning war”).
This was a total attack of
planes dropping bombs,
followed by fast moving
tanks and trucks carrying
troops and weapons.
The Polish army was
overwhelmed.
Within a month, Poland
“no longer existed.”
Germany and the Soviets
divided Poland in two (as
they had agreed to).
The Move West
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Germany didn’t attack anyone
else in 1939 – but Russia did
(Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia,
and a little of Finland).
In April, 1940, Hitler did attack
and take Norway and
Denmark, and in May took
Luxemburg and the
Netherlands.
The Germans were finally
ready to head west - to
France.
The French and British were
ready – at the German/French
border, but the Germans first
went through Belgium.
The Miracle at Dunkirk
and the Fall of France
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This left thousands of French and
British soldiers “trapped” with
little hope for escape.
The British asked for all available
ships to come help.
Stranded soldiers fought their way
to Dunkirk as the boats (big ships
– even tiny fishing boats) came to
rescue 350,000 soldiers.
This was called “the Miracle at
Dunkirk” and gave a huge boost
to the morale of the British.
But France couldn’t stop the
Germans and their Luftwaffe (and
the Italians in the south) and had
to surrender when the Germans
had taken Paris.
The Blitz in Britain
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Britain was unhappy with their
Prime Minister (Neville
Chamberlin – who they
thought didn’t do enough),
and replaced him with
Winston Churchill.
Churchill was one of the few
politicians who had been
against appeasement. He
knew Hitler was a threat to
world peace.
After France, Hitler next
attacked Great Britain,
starting with the bombing of
air bases and then cities.
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The “Battle of Britain” or
“the blitz” lasted for 57
days in a row.
Hitler believed the constant
attacks would weaken the
British people.
Instead, it made them even
tougher.
Many British “camped out”
in bomb shelters and
underground railway
stations.
The kept watching the
English Channel for signs of
an invasion.
In London alone, 14,000
people were killed in the
bombings.
Responses to
the Nazi Threat
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It took a while, but other
nations around the world
began to get involved.
At first, the United States
declared it would stay
neutral and stay out of
anything that didn’t directly
involve them.
But when their friends were
attacked (France and Great
Britain), people in the
United States began to
change their opinions of
staying neutral.
Lend-Lease Act and the Atlantic Charter
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President Roosevelt (FDR)
wanted to help, but didn’t
want to go against our
“isolationist” policies.
He came up with the idea of
“the Lend-Lease Act.”
The U.S. Would be the
arsenal (provide weapons
for) for those standing up to
Hitler.
FDR also met with Churchill
and agreed to the Atlantic
Charter: to support all
peoples to determine their
own governments. This
helped strengthen the bond
between the two.
Resistance Movements
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Poland, France, Belgium, and others
were under Hitler’s control.
They were forced to supply Hitler and
his armies with manufactured goods
and food.
Many people tried to resist: they
were called “the underground.
French General Charles de Gaulle had
escaped before the Nazis overran
France and helped by sending
messages to the resistance.
Many groups tried to sabotage the
Nazis (intentionally damaging or
destroying something).
Some other resistance took the form
of helping Jewish people hide and/or
escape (Anne Frank).
Women in the War
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Just like WWI, millions of men
left their jobs to fight.
Women took their places –
making planes, ships, tanks,
and other military supplies.
Some also raised crops at
home.
Many women even served in
the armed forces.
They weren’t allowed in direct
combat, but did often serve in
places there was direct danger.