Transcript European and African Campaign

European
and
African
Campaign
• German troops march
into Austria unopposed in
Hitler's "Anschluss" union. A majority of the
6 million population were
German.
• Hitler signs Munich
Agreement with
Chamberlain asking for his
last territorial demand - the
Sudetenland of
Czechoslovakia. Hitler's
propaganda said needed to
help 3 million Germans
escape Czech murdering
them.
• German troops invade
remainder of
Czechoslovakia - a
country which ceased to
exist during the war.
Policy of appeasement giving up principles to
pacify aggression, had
failed.
•Non-aggression pact
between Germany
and Soviet Union
signed - and the two
countries secretly
agree to divide up
Poland.
• German air force "Luftwaffe" bombs areas of
Poland (bases, roads, cities)
and sends tanks in at same
time to wreak havoc on
land. Blitzkrieg - lightening
war of taking enemy by
surprise and quickly
crushing opposition with
overwhelming force.
• Britain and France declare
war on Germany, though
major fighting in Poland
over in 3 weeks, with help
from USSR, before a defense
can be mounted. Blitzkrieg
proven highly effective, and
Poland ceases to exist
during the war.
• British and French set up
fortification of eastern
border of France along
Manginot line, across
from German defense on
Siegfried line - waiting for
action. Becomes
"sitzkrieg" - sitting war,
or phony war.
•USSR annexes
Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania. They
then move on to
Finland and fight
only 3 months before
Finland surrenders.
• Germany launches invasion
of Denmark and Norway to
"protect...freedom and
independence." Need bases
to attack Britain! Then they
attack Belgium,
Luxembourg, and the
Netherlands - the end of the
phony war.
• Manginot line is proven
ineffective as Germans
send tanks through the
"impassable" Ardennes
Mountains.
• German offensive in
France traps 400,000
British and French troops
who flee to the coast at
Dunkirk - all types of
boats start shuttling
330,000 troops across
English Channel to
Britain.
•Italy joins
Germany and
invades France
from the South
and both march
towards Paris.
• At Compiegne, Hitler gives
France surrender terms:
Germany occupies the
North, in the South a puppet
government is set up in
Vichy, headed by Marshall
Phillipe Petain. General de
Gaulle flees to Britain and
sets up gov't in exile.
• Germany prepares invasion
of Brit. w/ fleet of ships.
Tries 1st to gain control of
skies by running bombing
runs, every night for 2
months with ↑ 2000 planes
per day. RAF fights back
using radar and decimates
Luftwaffe, Hitler calls off
invasion.