Transcript The War Begins (cont.)

Ch 19 Sec 2: WW II Begins in Europe
•
Blitzkreig – “lightening fast” war that the Germans used by
overwhelming their enemies with superior firepower and
numbers allowing them to defeat Poland in one month.
•
Maginot Line – Western front line that the French had
reinforced after WWI fearing another German invasion and
changing Hitler’s strategy to get to France through Belgium
•
Dunkirk – massive evacuation of British troops in the
Northern France (June 1940).
•
The Fall of France – German’s accept French surrender
June 1940 and put in a puppet government (Vichy)
•
Winston Churchill – Prime Minister of England that
became the face of Europe’s final resistance to Hitler.
Attempted to appeal directly to FDR to enter the war.
•
Battle of Britain – German air force (Luftwaffe) attack that
lasted from June to October 1940. The British Royal Air
Force (RAF) were able to defend their nation with the new
technology of radar.
The War Begins
• On September 1, 1939, Germany and the USSR
invaded Poland.
(pages 589–591)
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The War Begins
• On September 3,
Britain and
France declared
war on
Germany–
starting World
War II.
(pages 591–593)
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The War Begins
• The Germans used a blitzkrieg, or lightening war, to
attack Poland.
• The Polish army was defeated by October 5.
(pages 591–593)
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The War Begins (cont.)
• On April 9, 1940, the German army attacked Norway
and Denmark.
• Within a month, Germany overtook both countries.
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The War Begins (cont.)
• After World War I, the French built a line of concrete
bunkers and fortifications called the Maginot Line
along the German border.
(pages 591–593)
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The War Begins (cont.)
• When Hitler decided to attack France, he went around
the Maginot Line by invading the Netherlands,
Belgium, and Luxembourg.
(pages 591–593)
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The War Begins (cont.)
• The French and British forces quickly went into
Belgium, becoming trapped there by German
forces.
(pages 591–593)
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The War Begins (cont.)
• By June 4, about
338,000 British and
French troops had
evacuated Belgium
through the French port
of Dunkirk and across
the English Channel,
using ships of all sizes.
(pages 591–593)
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The War Begins
• On June 22, 1940,
France surrendered
to the Germans.
• Germany installed a
puppet government
in France.
(pages 591–593)
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Britain Remains Defiant
• Hitler thought that Britain would negotiate peace after
France surrendered.
• He did not anticipate the bravery of the British people
and their prime minister, Winston Churchill.
(pages 593–594)
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Britain Remains Defiant
• On June 4, 1940, Churchill delivered a defiant
speech that rallied the British people and alerted
the United States to Britain’s plight.
“Even though large tracts of
Europe have fallen . . . we
shall not flag or fail. . . . We
shall defend our island,
whatever the cost may be, we
shall fight on the beaches, we
shall fight on the landing
grounds, we shall fight in the
fields and in the streets, we
shall fight in the hills; we shall
never surrender.”
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(pages 593–594)
Britain Remains Defiant (cont.)
• To invade Britain, Germany had to defeat the British
air force.
• In the Battle of Britain, the German air force, the
Luftwaffe, launched an all-out air battle to destroy
the British Royal Air Force.
(pages 593–594)
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Britain Remains Defiant (cont.)
• After German bombers bombed London, the
British responded by bombing Berlin, Germany.
(pages 593–594)
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Britain Remains Defiant (cont.)
• The Royal Air Force was greatly outnumbered by the
Luftwaffe, but the British had radar stations and were
able to detect incoming German aircraft and direct
British fighters to intercept them.
(pages 593–594)