Transcript At the end of this lesson you will be able to:

At the end of this lesson you will be
able to:
• Identify significant events that began
World War II
• Define key terms and people relating to
World War II
• Analysis and sequence events that led to
the Second World War.
• Make predictions on the outcome of the
War once America gets involved
Important Vocabulary
Appeasement – a policy of making
concessions to an aggressor to preserve
peace
Blitzkrieg – German for “lightning war”; a fast
forceful style of fighting used by Germany
during WWII and made possible by a
strong and advanced tank fleet
Lend Lease Act - 1941 legislation allowing
the USA to supply war materials to Great
Britain on credit
The Czechoslovakia Crisis
Great Britain
France
Britain felt Germany
would be less
aggressive if allowed to
occupy the Sudetenland
France claimed it would
defend Czechoslovakia
if attacked by Germany
(but it didn’t really want
to go to war).
Munich Pact (Munich
Conference)
• Purpose: A meeting to avoid war
• Attended by: Germany, France and Great
Britain, & Italy
• Great Britain and France believed that by
giving in to what Germany wants, this
would be the last territorial demand
Germany would ask for…Germany had
other plans!
Soviet Union
United States
•Opposed to Germany
•Isolationism – didn’t
expanding
want to fight another
European war
•Not invited to Munich
Conference
•Didn’t believe army was
ready to fight
Violation of the Munich Pact
Great Britain
France
•Did not
respond to the
annexation of
Czech.
•Followed
Britain’s lead,
choosing to
appease Hitler
in hopes that
the Czech.
Crisis would not
become a war
Soviet Union
•Adopted
friendly stance
towards
Germany
hoping to stay
out of war (for
now)
Violation of the Munich Pact
United States
•Maintained
Neutrality,
staying out of
European
conflicts
Invasion of Poland
Great Britain
France
Soviet Union
•Declared war
on Germany
9/3/1939
•Could not help
defend Poland
•Declared war
on Germany
9/3/1939
•Began to
mobilize troops
to border of
France and
Germany
•Supported
invasion
•Secret Treaty –
divide Eastern
Europe with
Germany
Invasion of Poland
United States
•Maintained
neutrality
•Hoped it would
be a short war
Winston Churchill
• British Prime Minister for most of World
War II (from May 1940)
• Was strongly against appeasement
• Remembered for being an outstanding
leader and helping boost British hopes for
victory
• Worked hard to promote strong relations
with the US and strongly distrusted the
Soviet Union
Fall of Paris
Great Britain
France
•Could not help
defend Paris
but fought
German troops
elsewhere
•Last allied
country not
occupied by
Germany
•Surrendered to
Germany
6/22/40
•Germany
controlled 60%
of France and
divided country
Soviet Union
•Supported
German’s
invasion of
Paris but did
not participate
in it.
Fall of Paris
United States
•Maintained
Neutrality
•Shocked at
Germany’s
success
Poland
•Partitioned by
Germany and
Soviet Union
but troops that
escaped
continue to fight
the Germans
Switzerland
•Maintained
neutrality
•Planned
defense
Battle of Britain
Great Britain
Vichy France
•Royal Air Force
fought well and
never allowed
Germany to
invade (3 month
long battle)
•Supported
Nazi’s
•Free French
forces in Britain
helped defend
against
Germans
Soviet Union
•Supported
bombing of
Britain but
played no part
in it
Battle of Britain
United States
•Maintained
neutrality
•Transferred 50
American
destroyers to
British Navy
•Loaned Britain
money for war
(Lend Lease
Act)
Poland
•Four
squadrons of
Polish pilots
fought bravely
and
successfully
Switzerland
•Maintained
neutrality