Transcript File

WWII Theatre of War: Pacific,
Western Front, and Eastern Front
Objective: Students will analyze the
different theatres of war and
strategies of WWII.
The Eastern Front
• Hitler never made it any secret that he intended continental (and
eventually global) domination.
– As early as March 1936, Hitler sent Nazi troops to occupy the Rhineland
violating the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. They faced no resistance.
– In March 1938, Nazi Germany “unified” with Austria. Again, they faced no
resistance from the allied forces based on “self determination” policies.
– Munich Pact: In October 1938, Hitler occupied the Sudetenland region in
NW Czechoslovakia on the basis of “self determination and a free Sudeten
kingdom”.
– Anti-Comintern Pact (1936): Signed between Germany and Japan. Italy
joins the Pact in 1937. This was officially against The Communist
International (Comintern) and the spread of Communist ideals, specifically
in China, U.S.S.R. and Western Europe.
• Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (August 1939):
Agreement between Germany and U.S.S.R.
– Both countries promised not to invade the other and promised neutrality if
the other was attacked by another country.
– Stalin believed this agreement would protect him from aggressive German
expansionism while he focused on solidifying his Soviet power.
– Secret parts of the agreement were revealed after the end of WWII. Both
countries planned a “spheres of influence” and agreed to split Poland in half
between Germany and Russia.
– Technically violated the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan and concerned
Japanese leaders;
– In response to the “sudden” pact, Britain and France agreed to aid Poland in
case of an invasion.
• According to Andrew Nagorski (2007; The Greatest Battle)
Adolf Hitler declared his intention to hit the USSR on 11
August, 1939 to Carl Burckhardt, League of Nations
Commissioner by saying
'Everything I undertake is directed against the Russians. If
the West is too stupid and blind to grasp this, then I shall
be compelled to come to an agreement with the Russians,
beat the West and then after their defeat turn against the
Soviet Union with all my forces. I need the Ukraine so that
they can't starve us out, as happened in the last war.‘
•Some historians argue that Hitler agreed to the Nazi-Soviet Pact
in order to buy a little time to plan for Operation Barbarossa.
WWII begins
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On September 1st, 1939, Germany invaded Poland.
Nazi tactics: the Blitzkreig (Lightning War) attacked regionally in small surprise battles
before the enemy could mobilize.
1. Disrupt communications.
2. Air raids and massive bombing campaigns
3. Splitting and enveloping enemy forces by fast moving panzer (tank) units into
attack area.
4. Foot infantry moves in quickly (within hours) to engage with any resistance in
the area.
For two years, Nazi forces utilized the Blitzkrieg successfully first in Poland, then in the
Western Front against France.
The Blitzkrieg was less successful against Britain and would be a complete failure
against the Soviet Union.
Consequences
• On September 3rd, France and Britain followed through on the promises to
Poland and declared war on the Axis, but failed to launch a full military
incursion.
• On September 17th, the Soviets invaded the eastern border of Poland and
effectively split Eastern Europe between the Soviet Union and Germany.
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The Soviet Union then turned their attention to Finland in the Winter
War.
• For the next two years, the Eastern Front was relatively quiet in terms of
International conflict so Germany was able to focus their troops on the
Western Front.
Western Response and the
American Neutrality Acts
• France and Britain maintained policies of peace and appeasement because
they were ill prepared to engage in another major war.
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They agreed to the Munich Pact,
They failed to act decisively to aid Poland
They failed to declare war against Russia
They offered little resistance to the invasion of France
Britain did not mobilize fully until Operation Sea Lion
• The United States declared their neutrality because of public opinion
against involvement in European affairs.
• The United States agreed to help the Allies with supplies and financial aid to
the Western Allies and China on a “cash and carry” basis.
• In response to the Tripartite Pact that formalized the Axis powers, the
United States passed the Lend-Lease Act, but still refused to engage in war.
Operation Barbarossa
• Germany began Operation Barbarossa at 03.00, Sunday morning June
22nd 1941.
• Stalin’s purges of the Red Army left the military without strong leadership
• Terrified of both Stalin and Hitler, the Soviet people had no option but to
fight until they were killed.
• Operation Barbarossa was the largest military offensive in history.
• The Holocaust (Final Solution) is often included in later stages of
Operation Barbarossa as the German/Soviet border shifted after each
military battle and the population living in the war torn regions were
annihilated.
Allied response
• The Russian response was to attack any supply lines
to German troops and slowly push German forces
backwards.
• The allied troops began to find military success with
support of fresh American troops and similar attacks
on German supplies.
• The Soviets and the Allies agreed to maintain a two
war front until they met in the middle in Berlin.
• Once the European war was over, the United States
and the allied forces turned their attention to the
Pacific theater
• Global War 1939-1942
• Final Solution
What happens when you try to play
nice with a bully? WWII…
Fantasyland
•Invasion of China: Manchuria,
Shanghai, and Nanjing/Nanking (sp
both ways) 1931-1939
•Invasion of Ethopia: Second ItaloAbyssinian War 10/1035
•Anschluss: Union of Germany and
Austria (forbidden by ToV) 2/1938
•Allowed the invasion of the
Sudetenland 9/1938
Reality Check
•Czechoslovakia seized by Hitler
3/1939
•Ignored Stalin’s aggression in
Finland because of the MolotovRibbentrop Pact aka. Nazi-Soviet
Non-Aggression Treaty 8/1939
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Justification
Neville Chamberlain and western
leaders rationalized their inaction for
several reasons:
– Hitler was supposedly against
communism
– They were afraid of another war
– They believed the ToV was unfair
to Germany
Reality Check
•Chamberlain and western
leaders realize Hitler’s word is
meaningless
•Franco-British pledge to support
Poland in case of Invasion
•WWII
• WWII attack map
German Advance into France
• On 10 May 1940, Nazi aggression targeted
western Europe.
• 14 May 1940 Holland fell
• 26 May 1940 Dunkirk is evacuated
• 22 June 1940 the Franco-German armistice
was signed at Compiegne, France
Operation Sea Lion
• 1940 August-September Battle of BritainGermany lost
• Blitzkrieg tactics ineffective
• Landing a German force would be costly and
most likely unsuccessful.
• First battle settled entirely by aerial
engagements.
• 7 September 1940-May 1941 Blitz
• First battle settled entirely by aerial engagements.
• First time the Luftwaffe would act as principal attack
force.
• Goering's makes fatal/fateful decision to stop
targeting RADAR sites
• Allows Britain to continue to have advanced warning
for aerial attacks.
• Operation Sea Lion was never indefinitely postponed.
Western Front con.
• Meanwhile…
– In 1940 Germany occupied Norway via the
port of Narvik, effectively cutting off Eastern
Europe from Britain. Stalin used this to his
advantage to aid him in his conquest of the
Slavic areas.
D-Day
• Allied response to Axis Power aggression.
• Plan to retake the Western European
continent.
• Massive invasion force would retake European
continent.
• Aerial bombing, paratroopers, marine landing
force
• http://www.irischangthemovie.com/trailer/iri
s_trailer.html
• http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/361797/Na
nking/trailers
Sino-Japanese Conflict
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The official start of WWII is considered to be the 1939 invasion of Poland, rather then the invasion of
Czechoslovakia in 1938, or the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931.
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Why then do we use the invasion of Poland in 1939 to mark the beginning of this global conflict?
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Because prior to this time the rest of the world was willing/hoping that the aggressive totalitarian regimes of Italy, Japan, and Germany would
be satisfied and stop. After Poland fell it became obvious that armed intervention was necessary to prevent the rest of the world’s collapse.
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By 1938, Japan’s imperial intentions had reached Nanking.
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Japanese dictators viewed China as the main outlet for their imperial and expansionist ambitions.
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After the manufactured "Marco Polo Bridge Incident" of July 1937, the Japanese launched a fullscale
invasion of China, capturing Shanghai on 12 November and the imperial capital, Nanjing, on 13 December.
Numerous atrocities were committed en route to Nanjing, but they could not compare with the epic
carnage and destruction the Japanese unleashed on the defenseless city after Chinese forces abandoned it
to the enemy.
Background for US Japanese
Conflict in the Pacific
• US relations with Japan broke down throughout the 1930’s.
• In 1937 Japan invaded China further inflaming the nations
relations.
• By 1941, war had been raging for several years in Europe, and
the Japanese had joined the Axis powers in conquest.
• The US applied pressure to the Japanese through economic
and political sanctions.
• The Japanese viewed this action, principally the oil embargo,
as a threat to their national security.
• They resolved to attack the US to protect their interests.
Japanese Strategy
• The Japanese planned to conqueror the Western Pacific.
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was intended to immobilize the
US’s Pacific Fleet to prevent US military intervention.
• Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the
Combined Japanese Fleet devised the attack.
• Yamamoto, opposed to starting a war with the US, believed
Japanese victory hinged on surprising and debilitating the US
to such an extent that they could not oppose Japanese
aggression.
• The Japanese fleet sailed on November 26, 1941
with 33 aircrafts, auxiliary crafts, and 6 aircraft
carriers.
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At 6 am, on December 7, the first wave of Japanese bombers launched for the attack.
Six midget submarines launched 10 miles outside the mouth of Pearl Harbor intending to
wreak havoc once the aerial bombardment began.
The Japanese attack was multi-pronged, they hit: Hickam, Wheeler, Bellows airfields, Ewa
Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station, and Schofield Barracks suffered
varying degrees of damage, with hundreds of planes destroyed on the ground and hundreds
of men killed or wounded.
At approximately 8:10 am, the USS Arizona exploded, having been hit by a 1,760 pound
armor-piercing bomb that slammed through her deck and ignited her forward ammunition
magazine. In less than nine minutes, she sank with 1,177 of her crew, a total loss. The USS
Oklahoma, hit by several torpedoes, rolled completely over, trapping over 400 men inside.
The USS California and USS West Virginia sank at their moorings, while the USS Utah,
converted to a training ship, capsized with over 50 of her crew. The USS Maryland, USS
Pennsylvania, and USS Tennessee, all suffered significant damage. The USS Nevada attempted
to run out to sea but took several hits and had to be beached to avoid sinking and blocking
the harbor entrance.
Battle Map
The total damage to the Pacific Fleet was devastating, but not as bad as the Japanese had
hoped.
All US aircraft carriers were on a training exercise so avoided the devastation at Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor itself surprisingly experienced minimal damage, fuel storage areas were
relatively unhurt, and the submarine base was left intact.
Consequence
• Prior to the December 7th attack the US was
divided over becoming involved in another
European conflict.
• The attack at Pearl Harbor galvanized the US
population in a way that politicians could not.
• The Japanese succeeded in waking the
Sleeping Giant.
Allied Strategy
• The Allied command decided that the
European theatre was more important, so
committed their initial efforts there.
• This allowed for several major Japanese
victories.
• Once the Allied powers turned their attention
to the Pacific Theatre they began their Island
Hopping Campaign.