Transcript Blitzkrieg In The East and The West

Blitzkrieg In The West
and The East
Blitzkrieg in West
The Battle of Britain
“Operation Barbarossa”
Poland 1939
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Germany attacks
Poland, Sept. 1939
because it desires
Lebensraum between
Russia
Poland has a defensive
alliance signed with
Britian and France but
it does not deter Hitler
Poland falls in four
weeks against
blitzkrieg
Poland 1939
The Phony War 1939-1940
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After Poland’s fall,
Britian races to reinforce
the French along the
Maginot Line
War exists but no one is
fighting?!
Germany is mobilizing its
forces and bad weather
delay fighting
Britian and France panic
as time passes
How many gun turrets are
visible in this picture?
Denmark and Norway 1940
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Germany moves quickly
through the Scandinavian
countries
Desiring access to the
North Sea, deep harbors
and iron from Sweden
Hitler’s general staff did
not feel seizing these
countries was a necessity
but a risk
To France and To A Return Of
Honor
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May 1940, Germany
blitzkrieg tactics plow
through Belgium and the
Netherlands
Germany troops swing
past the famed Maginot
Line and surprise the
French
French forces outnumber
German forces in terms of
armor and aircraft
French believed in “élan”
against German Blitzkrieg
To France and To A Return Of
Honor
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Battle of Dunkirk 1940
saw British forces escape
destruction by German
forces due to naval
evacuation
June 22, 1940 Frances
surrenders
Hitler had pushed for this
attack against generals
advice again
To France and To A Return Of
Honor
The Battle Of Britain 1940
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Winston Churchill is Britain's
Prime Minster
A man of many qualities and
oratory skill
Hitler seeks to invade Britain,
but he must control her skies
British RAF and German
Luftwaffe fight for air
dominance
Germany cannot break
Britain causing Hitler to look
elsewhere for victory
The Battle Of Britain 1940
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Germany loses for
many reasons
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Radar introduced
Air-ground
communications used
Germany lacks correct
aircraft for this action
Spitfire
The Invasion Of Russia 1941
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Russia and Germany had
signed a Non-aggression
Pact
Joseph Stalin felt
complacent that Germany
would not attack
Stalin in 1936 had purged
his military of its leadership
because of distrust
Military leadership after the
purge was incompetent
The Invasion Of Russia 1941
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“Operation Barbarossa”
1941, German invasion of
Russia
Hitler attacks Russia even
though it violates NonAggression pact
German army pushes to
outskirts of Moscow and
Stalingard by 1942
German forces are tried, ill
equipped for winter and
overstretched from supply
lines
Stalingrad 1942-1943
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Battle of Stalingrad,
1942-1943 is best
described as a battle of
wills
Brutal room to room
fighting for a city, both
sides used everything in
arsenals
Fought for 195 days
Germany will losses will
be irreplaceable
The Invasion Of Russia 1941
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Russian army launches
counter offensive
smashing and pushing
Germans back by late
1942
Hitler refuses to retreat
and orders generals to
stand and fight
German army loses
740,000 men due to
weather, fighting and
disease
Kursk 1943
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Kursk, 1943, largest
tank battle in history
Russian offensive
showed that they
could in fact defeat
German panzers
T-34 tank introduced
and changes outcome
of war for Russia
The Invasion Of Russia 1941
Why Did Hitler Pursue War With
Russia
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There had been a history of animosity
between the two regions
Hitler desired a “greater Germany” one
with “lebensraum”
Hitler believed that he was invincible, did
he not command most of Europe by
1940?!
Hitler underestimated the Russian military
and the Russian will to fight