The battles of WWII

The Battle of Britain The Invasion of Russia

& Pearl Harbor

After French Defeat• On June 17, 1940 – France quit WWII [peace out]

• In fear, many British politicians considered negotiating with Hitler in order to find a way to make peace without a blood bath…

• Winston Churchill says NO!

"The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin.”

• This is a brave decision considering Germany conquered most of Western Europe in only a couple of months…

How Will Germany Invade?

Operation

Sea Lion

The Battle of Britain

• In the summer and fall of 1940, air forces clashed in the skies over the United Kingdom.

• Germany attacked British air bases, military posts and, ultimately, its civilian population.

• Germany’s aerial warfare branch (Luftwaffe) was unable to defeat the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Four Stages1. The Channel Attacks (July 10 – August 11)

a) Germany targets convoys in the English Channel.

b) This was Germany’s biggest advantage because they had good range (short distance).

c) RAF had a lot more distance to travel in order to protect their convoys.

Four Stages2. Eagle Attack (August 11 – September 6)

a) Germany attacks the airfields of the RAF in attempt to gain air supremacy..

b) German Soldiers are prepared at the French coast for Operation Sea Lion

c) The British RADAR warning system combined with tight fighter control systems worked brilliantly – Germany fails to destroy the RADAR towers because they were difficult targets

d) Britain bombs Berlin

Four Stages

3. The Blitz (September 7 – October 6)

a) Germany launches massive raids against London (400 bombers, 600 fighters)

b) Germans would often run short of fuel and leave their bombers without escorts (left to fend of themselves)

c) Britain fights back, they see than many German planes had been left alone…

d) RAF form “Big Wings” and attack in large groups – They are successful. (note: RAF are able to repair and refuel their planes on site. Huge advantage)

Four Stages

4. The End of the Battle (October 6 – October 31)a) Germany continues night bombing raids against London –

they suffer themselves more than Britain actually does…

b) Germany lose more and more men

c) With RADAR, night time ‘surprise’ attacks are no surprise at all.

d) Hitler finally realizes that there is no winning…He postpones the invasion of Britain ‘until the spring of 1941’ but it never happens

•Only fought in the air!

•Finally, Canada shows up!

•Britain’s advanced technology helped them win:• RADAR• Spitfire Fighter Planes

•First defeat against Hitler

•Therefore…

Operation

Sea Lion

The Battle of Britain

In Action (Air Attack)

The battle of Britain • Britain’s victory saved the country from a

ground invasion and possible occupation by German forces while proving that air power alone could be used to win a major battle (German solders never landed!).

Can’t Move West? Move East!

• Unable to conquer Britain, Hitler turns his attention to the East.

• He launches the greatest offensive in history …

Operation Barbarossa

•On June 22, 1941 – Germany invades Russia.

•Why the delay? The Battle of Britain ended in October…•Germany was busy helping Italy

battle it out with Greece…

Operation Barbarossa• Why?

• He is driven by his hate for communism, Slavs and Jews and his quest for more natural resources and living space for the German people.

• Hitler believed that Russia was “a house with rotten wood, If you kick in the door, the whole place would collapse”

Operation Barbarossa

•Lebensraum – German people had narrow boundaries… Hitler envied the British who had two continents of living pace (Australia and America) Hitler wanted the same…

•Plan: Reach Moscow in approximately 8 weeks! Kick the Soviet’s door down!

Operation Barbarossa• In the early stages, the Nazis scored amazing victories, however,

they were stopped before they reached Moscow, the Soviet Capital.• Assisted by: Romanian, Italians, Hungarian, Finnish, Slovaks, Croatian (but

mainly German)

German Army Divisions4 million men (3 million of

them are German)

1. North (attacked from the North)

2. Centre (Ukraine and Moscow)

3. South (Black Sea and Stalingrad)

Within 3 months, Germans destroyed Soviet air and tank forces, enslaved and killed Russian prisoners of war.

Operation Barbarossa

• Joseph Stalin (the leader of the USSR) was willing to sacrifice anything to win and forced millions into military service (even women)

• Russian soldiers who retreated or failed were killed, Russians who were captured without injury faced death if they came home

Operation Barbarossa

• Russia’s enormous size, horrible weather and vast amount of people gave them an advantage over Germany

• Eventually, Germany is divided by the Russian Red Army

Don’t ever complain about Canadian Winters

Operation Barbarossa

Could Hitler have defeated the

Soviets with the 1,652 aircraft lost

during the Battle of Britain?

In the Pacific

• Japan continues its march through China

• On Dec 7, 1941, Japan launches a full scale attack in every direction

• They attacked islands in the pacific, Hong Kong (a British colony) and into Indochina (modern day Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos)

The Battle of Hong Kong

• Hong Kong was a British colony in Southern China

• Britain knew that if Japan attacked there would be no hope

• However, the British did not want to leave the colony without putting up a fight

• Therefore, the British government requested help from the Canadian Army

• 2000 Canadians were sent to Hong Kong to defend

• The Japanese attacked with a force of over 20,000 men and soon overwhelmed the British and Canadian defenders.

• Although the Canadians fought bravely, they suffered heavy casualties and were forced to surrender when Hong Kong's government fell.

The Battle of Hong Kong

• At Hong Kong, the Japanese routinely tortured and killed prisoners and civilians

• On Christmas day, 1941, the Japanese murdered dozens of nurses, doctors and wounded soldiers in a military hospital(The Christmas Day Massacre)

• Canadians who were captured were sent back to Japan to work as slave laborers. They were denied proper food and medical care. Few of these men lived to see the end of the war.

The Battle of Hong Kong

Prisoners of War and the Battle of Hong Kong

Pearl Harbor• Dec 7, 1941, the Japanese also attack

the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawai'i

• Japanese bombers and fighters from aircraft carriers destroy many American

warships and kill thousands of people

• Japan was hoping to destroy the American Navy in one stroke in order to

rule the pacific region

• Germany declares war on the USA in support of Japan

• The USA officially enters WWII

Pacific Ocean

Pearl Harbor• Dec 7, 1941, the Japanese also attack

the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawai'i

• Japanese bombers and fighters from aircraft carriers destroy many American

warships and kill thousands of people

• Japan was hoping to destroy the American Navy in one stroke in order to

rule the pacific region

• Germany declares war on the USA in support of Japan

• The USA officially enters WWII

America Declares War

Attack on Pearl Harbor

#ThrowbackThursday

• Germany is defeated at the Battle of Britain(only air planes, Canada’s first combat, Germany’s first loss)

• Germany attacks North Africa

• Germany invades Russia but is stopped outside Moscow

• Japan attacks in every direction

• Japan hits Hong Kong (Canada’s first ground combat. Canadians are tortured, killed and captured)

• Japan hits Pearl harbor (USA enters war)