Transcript To understand the significance of the Fall of France and the Battle of

L2: The War in Europe
Yellow Block
Agenda
Objectives:
1. To understand the
significance of the Fall
of France and the
Battle of Britain.
2. To evaluate and
analyze the
implications of the Fall
of France and the
Battle of Britain.
Schedule:
1. Opening activity
2. Lecture & Videos, and
Analysis
Homework:
1. Totalitarianism Writing
Portfolio (see assignment
sheet!) Due: Friday 4/27
1. Writing Goals: Due L5 Tues
5/1
Hitler Plans to Invade France
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• Hitler next
looked to
France.
• Following WWI,
France adopted
a defensive
military policy to
protect
themselves from
being invaded in
the event of
another war with
Germany.
The Maginot Line
• Series of concrete and steel
fortifications armed with
heavy artillery along the
French and German border.
• Bordered to the North by the
dense Ardennes Forest which
the French believed could not
be penetrated by German
forces.
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Germany Invades France
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• Germany invades
France through the
Ardennes which end up
being no obstacle for
German tanks.
• When they invade
through the Ardennes
the Germans:
– Catch the French of guard
and they are late to send
troops to the region.
– Cut the French and British
forces defending France
in half.
Dunkirk
• Trapped with no
reinforcements the British try
to flee to France by sea and
head for the coastal town of
Dunkirk.
• Amidst bombing by the
Luftwaffe, the British
desperately evacuated their
soldiers on anything that
would float.
– They lost most of their
equipment and supplies
however.
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The Fall of France
• Nazi begin to drive toward
Paris, the capital city.
• Italy invades France in support
of Germany.
• Millions of French citizens begin
to run from the invading Nazis,
fleeing to the south of France in
cars, bicycles, and carts.
• With troops in retreat, the
French government flees Paris
and is forced to surrender.
• The Nazis now occupy France
and establish a puppet
government called the Vichy
government.
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The Fall of France: Significance
• In only a few months since the start of the war
France has fallen to Germany--this was
something Germany had previously been
unable to do during the entirety of WWI.
• Germany now occupies most of continental
Europe.
• The only power opposed to Hitler is Great
Britain--it now has to fight Germany alone.
Fall of France Discussion
Some historians argue that WWI and WWII can be
seen as phases of one larger 20th century world
war rather than distinct conflicts. How might the
battle for France provide evidence for this? Do
you agree?
How was the Fall of France a psychological victory
for the Nazis / psychological defeat for the
French?
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Germany Plans to Invade Britain
• Hitler expected that after his stunning victories in
the west, Britain would make peace.
• The British reject Hitler’s peace offers.
• Hitler then plans
an invasion of
England
(Operation Sea
Lion)
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The Battle of Britain
• In August 1940, the Luftwaffe
begin massive attacks on
British air and naval
installations.
– The goal is to destroy British
military operations so that
Britain cannot defend itself or
launch a counterattack.
– Ultimately Hitler hoped to
destroy Britain’s air defense
and eventually force Britain
out of the war.
• Both Britain and Germany
suffer heavy sustained losses
in the first month of fighting.
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The Battle of Britain
• In September, Hitler orders the
Luftwaffe to not only attack military
sites, but also civilian targets.
– He attacks in retaliation for British
attacks against German cities,
which themselves were retaliation
for Hitler’s accidental bombing of
London.
• He believes that this will break the
morale of the British people and
lead to a Nazi victory.
• The Luftwaffe start attacking major
British cities including London.
– Factories, homes, churches,
stores, are all repeatedly bombed.
– People have to find shelter in
subway stations.
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The Battle of Britain
• Hitler’s plan backfires--the attacks actually strengthen the morale of the
British people.
• Because military targets were not being hit, the British were able to rebuild
their air strength quickly.
• Soon the British Royal Air Force is inflicting major losses on the Nazis.
• By the end of the Battle of Britain, German loses in the air outnumbered
British losses 3 to 1.
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Visual Summary
• Video!
The Battle of Britain:
Significance
• First major Nazi defeat of the war.
• Nazis shift strategy away from defeating
Britain in the West and instead turn
attention to the Soviet Union.
• This begins a two-front war:
– Britain in the West
– U.S.S.R. in the East
Battle of Britain Discussion
Why did Germany lose the Battle of
Britain?
What lessons can be deduced from
the Battle of Britain about the
necessity of the “army of public
opinion” in achieving victory in
war?