Transcript Hitler`s Mistakes - TheWikiToEndAllWikis

Introduction to WW2 Battles
Canada’s Army and Navy Before WW2
10,000 soldiers (armed forces)
12 tanks, 29 Bren guns, 23 antitank rifles, 5 small
mortar guns
10 operational vessels in navy
Hitler’s Army
Hitler had been building his army, navy and air force
since he became Chancellor of Germany in 1933
When Germany invaded Poland on September 1st,
1939 he used a method called “Blitzkrieg” (lightning
warfare) in which he attacked the country very quickly
using all his resources
The Phony War
From September, 1939 when war was declared
on Germany to April 1940 there was no fighting
All the countries were preparing for war
Britain sent troops to Europe
In May, Germany quickly invaded Norway, the
Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
British officials ordered the British Army to retreat
Planes providing air support for tanks
1. Dunkirk - “Operation Dynamo”
May 26 – June 3, 1940
German troops chase the British to the English
Channel. Hitler wanted his air force to come in for the
“kill”, but they were unable because of fog
338,000 British soldiers escaped back to England using
military and personal boats
Because of civilian help, 338,226 soldiers escaped
These soldiers were able to regroup to fight another day
2. Battle of Britain – “Operation Sea Lion”
July 1940 - Hitler orders his “Luftwaffe” (air force) to attack
Britain to knock out airfields and supply factories
After a German aircraft accidently bombs London, the
British RAF retaliates by bombing Berlin
So, Hitler changed his plans from bombing the military
bases to bombing civilians
This gives RAF time to recover and replenish its supplies
By October 1940, the Luftwaffe are unable to defeat the
RAF and Hitler changes his plans
3. Russia - “Operation Barbarossa”
June 22, 1941
Surprise “blitzkrieg” attack launched by 3 million
German troops on Russia which had 8 million men on
the eastern front
Stalin orders his army to retreat - giving up land to gain
time, and asks civilians for help
Red Army uses a “scorched earth” retreat (burned and
destroyed factories, farms and crops to hinder German
advance)
The two armies face a freezing winter and Stalin is able
to counter-attack
Leningrad (St. Petersburg) is besieged 2 ½ years.
Their supplies are cut off and citizens ate toilet paper
and boiled leather.
Stalingrad is also under attack
Many Germans die, equipment and horses freeze
After a long battle, Germany is forced to retreat