Transcript Case Red.

The Beginnings in Germany
Following its defeat in World War I, and the
signing of the Treaty of Versailles,
Germany was suffering from a series of
hardships. Reparations needed to be paid.
It lost a significant amount of territory due
to the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was
decimated due to war, and it needed to
rebuild. Due to the conditions of the treaty,
hyperinflation was to blame for the
country’s postwar economic collapse. Adolf
Hitler became the new ruler in Germany.
Leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler
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The Beginnings in Italy
Benito Mussolini came to power in Italy in
1923. At this time, Mussolini was the head
of the National Fascist Party, which ousted
the Prime Minister of Italy in 1922. This
coup came to be known as Mussolini’s
March on Rome. This made Italy a fascist
state.
Mussolini encouraged Italian nationalism,
comparing the Italy of the future to the
glory days of the Roman Empire. His
dictatorial tactics also enabled him to cut
through Italy’s notorious bureaucracy,
which gained him popularity.
The leader of the National Fascist Party in Italy,
Benito Mussolini
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Rome-Berlin Axis
Hitler, Mussolini, and their respective
parties had a strong sense of nationalism.
By this, they believed a particular
ethnicity or culture had the right to
independently constitute a political
community based on its shared history and
common goals. With Hitler’s Nazi beliefs
and Mussolini’s Fascist beliefs, they both
ran their countries in dictatorial and
repressive fashions.
When Hitler pulled Germany out of the
League of Nations, he and Mussolini came
together to form a treaty called the Pact of
Steel, and together their relationship came
to be known as the Rome-Berlin Axis.
Japan would later join the Axis, as well.
Smaller countries followed suit, and joined
the axis.
Mussolini and Hitler
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Invasion of Poland
September 1–October 6, 1939
The invasion marked the beginning of
World War II. The invasion lasted over a
month. After defeating Poland at the
Battle of Bzura in mid-September,
Germany gained a significant advantage.
Polish forces retreated, awaiting Allied
relief and a counterattack. All Polish
troops retreated to Romania, which
remained a neutral country. Within three
days, Britain and France declared war on
Germany.
German battleship Schleswig-Holstein
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Battle of France
May 10, 1940–June 25, 1940
On May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany invaded
France. The battle consisted of two major
operations. The first operation was called
Fall Gelb, or Case Yellow. German forces
looked to advance through the Ardennes
forest and cut off and surround any Allied
forces that advanced into Belgium. The
second operation was called Fall Rot, or
Case Red. It was executed on June 5. The
German forces took their flanking positions
along the Maginot Line to attack the larger
French territory. During this time, Italy
declared war on France. The result of the
battle was a decisive Axis victory.
British and French soldiers taken prisoner
in Northern France
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Battle of Britain
July 10–September 17, 1940
Bombing of London
This battle was the first to be fought
entirely by air forces. This battle pitted the
British Empire against Nazi Germany and
Italy. This was the battle in which German
air forces were attempting to gain control of
the airspace of the United Kingdom.
Hitler’s forces hoped that the German
Luftwaffe could bomb Britain into
submission so that Germany could avoid
the difficult invasion by sea of the British
Isles by a land-based army. The British,
utilizing their strong Fighter command,
were able to defeat the Germans in the air.
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Allied Invasion of Italy
September 3–16, 1943
After defeating the Axis Powers in the North
African Campaign, there was some
disagreement on what to do next. Winston
Churchill wanted to invade Italy to open up
supply lines to the Middle East and Far East.
This strategy would also occupy Germany,
while Allied forces were planning their
invasion of Normandy. Joseph Stalin and
Franklin Roosevelt favored an attack at
Normandy and into northern France. But the
plans and logistics for the Normandy attack
were not ready yet. The invasion of Italy was
approved instead. The main invasion forces
landed in Salerno on the west coast.
Operation Avalanche was the code name
given to this operation.
U.S. troops trek through Italy
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Invasion of Normandy
June 6–July 1944
The Invasion of Normandy, was the
largest seaborne invasion of all time.
Allied forces were led by U.K. and
the U.S., but consisted of troops from
Australia, Canada, Free French
Forces, New Zealand, Norway, and
Poland. The invasion began with
Allied paratroopers landing overnight,
extreme air attacks, bombings from
naval ships, and the early-morning
invasion at five different locations
along the beaches. The result of the
invasion was a decisive Allied
victory, with heavy fighting at some
locations, like Omaha Beach, and
little resistance at some of the others.
First wave of troops arrive at Omaha Beach
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Battle of the Bulge
December 16, 1944–January 25, 1945
American soldiers fighting in the Battle of the Bulge
It was an effort by the German forces
to divide the British and American
forces in two. Four Allied forces
were destroyed in the process.
Germany secretly planned this attack
and was successfully able to catch
the Allied powers off guard.
Although the German advance was
finally halted, the Allied forces
suffered a high number of casualties
during the conflict.
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Battle of Berlin
April 16–May 2, 1945
The Battle of Berlin saw a massive
invasion of Soviet troops into
Berlin, as groups attacked from the
south and east. Americans and
British forces had agreed to let the
Russians take Berlin, due to the
bitterness they held toward
Germany after the German invasion
of Russia. The Soviets continued to
make their way into the city, killing
and capturing many German
soldiers. German Dictator Adolf
Hitler, sensing his capture was
imminent, committed suicide
alongside his wife, Eva Braun.
Soldiers hoisting the Soviet flag for their victory
at the Battle of Berlin.
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Germany Surrenders
Late April–May 1945
In the final weeks of World War II,
the two central figures of Axis forces
died. On April 28, 1945, Benito
Mussolini was captured and executed,
while Soviet troops were closing in
on Adolf Hitler before he committed
suicide on April 30. German forces
surrendered a day later in Italy, and
on May 2, following the end of the
Battle of Berlin, German forces
surrendered in Berlin. After the defeat
in Berlin, German forces around the
world began surrendering, and Nazi
Germany was disbanded. All
imprisoned civilians in German
concentration camps were freed.
General Eisenhower and Marshal Tedder at
the signing of the German surrender
documents
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