“Nature is cruel, so we may be cruel, too… I

have the right to remove millions of an

inferior race that breeds like vermin”

-Hitler

QW:What is your thought on this quote?QW:What is your thought on this quote?

Start of WWII

“Nature is cruel, so we may be cruel, too… I

have the right to remove millions of an

inferior race that breeds like vermin”

-Hitler

For some the world is not enough…

• In February 1938, Adolf Hitler threatened to invade Austria unless Austrian Nazis were given important government posts.

• In March 1938, Hitler announced the unification, of Austria and Germany.

• Hitler claimed the Sudetenland (an area of Czechoslovakia with a large German-speaking population).

• Czechs strongly resisted Germany’s demand for the Sudetenland.

Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr Hitler is a man we can do

business with.

Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr Hitler is a man we can do

business with.

How does Europe and the League of Nations respond to these aggressions?How does Europe and the League of Nations respond to these aggressions?

Appeasement: The Munich

Agreement, 1938

Appeasement: The Munich

Agreement, 1938

British Prime Minister Neville British Prime Minister Neville ChamberlainChamberlain

(If we give Hitler a cookie, Czechoslovakia, he will calm

down and stop invading people!)

(If we give Hitler a cookie, Czechoslovakia, he will calm

down and stop invading people!)

Czechoslovakia Becomes Part of the Third Reich: 1939

Czechoslovakia Becomes Part of the Third Reich: 1939

What is going on with this woman?

Is she happy or sad about Czechoslovakia being handed over to the Germans in the Munich Agreement?

Why is she giving the Nazi salute?

What is going on with this woman?

Is she happy or sad about Czechoslovakia being handed over to the Germans in the Munich Agreement?

Why is she giving the Nazi salute?

The Nazi-SovietNon-Aggression Pact, 1939

The Nazi-SovietNon-Aggression Pact, 1939

Foreign Ministers Foreign Ministers von Ribbentrop & von Ribbentrop &

MolotovMolotov

• Hitler does not want to fight another 2 front war

• Needs to keep Russia at bay

• Russia is hoping to stay out of war completely

• Trusts Hitler, big mistake

Poland Attacked: Sept. 1, 1939

Poland Attacked: Sept. 1, 1939

Blitzkrieg [“Lightening War”]

Blitzkrieg [“Lightening War”]

Where is THIS arrow coming from?!?

First look at the Invasion Arrows…

What do they tell you?

“Blitzkrieg”• In German blitzkrieg means

“lightning war”.• Hitler used blitzkrieg during his

invasion of Poland. • Blitzkrieg included surprise attacks,

rapid advances into enemy territory, and massive air attacks that struck and shocked the enemy.

• Germany achieved most of its victories in World War II with the Blitzkrieg tactic.

German troops on the march through Poland

German Troops March into Warsaw

German Troops March into WarsawPoland

surrenders in 28 days.

All that TALK had gotten the countries of Europe No where at all.

Chaos Ensues….

What to do?• Britain and France declare they WILL have war

with Germany if the Germans don’t withdraw Right NOW! (Who does this sound like?)

• Germany does not withdraw. In fact, they ignore the British and refuse to answer them.

• Britain declares war on September 3rd, 1939.• Unfortunately Britain and France are not ready

to fight. They must raise, equip, train and position their armies. That takes time…..

And Then…..The Phony War:

• Not much happens between invasion of Poland (Sept 1939) and April 1940.

• Everyone wonders if Hitler has finally had enough “cookies”. France re-enforces the Maginot Line and some ships get sink in the Atlantic.

Hitler and Mussolini- Just Good Friends

Maginot Line

•Then…. Lightning Strikes again!

•Then…. Lightning Strikes again!

“Blitzkrieg: German soldiers being parachuted into Holland - May 10, 1940”

Mussolini and Hitler

• June 1940, Italy declares war on Great Britain and France

Blitzkrieg, 1940

Blitzkrieg, 1940

Hitler, His army was trained, experienced and well supplied with advanced weapons and machines, attacks everywhere at once!

April 9th - Norway and DenmarkMay 10th – Belgium and the NetherlandsMay 13th- France

Destruction in France• Civilian centers burned

to the ground!• Jews, Gypsies, and

others rounded up to be sent back to Germany for execution!

• Maginot Line completely ignored!

• The combined French, British, and Belgian Armies on the run!

Dunkirk Evacuated

June 4, 1940

Dunkirk Evacuated

June 4, 1940

• Allied soldiers chased all the way to the sea

• Every seaworthy vessel in England mobilized for the rescue

• Hitler almost wins the day that June, but enough soldiers are rescued to keep fighting the war.

Miracle at Dunkirk• The event at Dunkirk is called a

miracle because the retreating allies had lost hope and then the British pulled through for them and rescued 338,000 men.

• Many people think that what happened at Dunkirk was a miracle, but factors of it were a disaster.

• The evacuation had been going on for 5 days before the public knew; the troops had to leave behind all heavy artillery, most of which Hitler collected and studied to help him make life more difficult.

• Members of some platoons were evacuated whilst the rest of their platoon were still fighting.

• As Churchill observed: “Wars are not won by evacuations.”

June 22, 1940• On June 22, 1940 France signs an armistice with Germany in occupied France.

• An armistice is a cease fire or a truce.

• The Franco-German Armistice divided France into two zones. One zone was under German military occupation and the other was under French control.

• In 1942 Germans occupied all of France

June 22, 1940

Hitler meets with Gen. Petain of France as France begins

armistice talks

A Divided FranceA Divided France

Henri Petain Leads the Henri Petain Leads the new Vichy government.new Vichy government.

He means to save as He means to save as much of France as much of France as

possible. possible.

“Vichy France becomes the lapdog of Hitler and Germany. They do what they are told.

“Vichy France becomes the lapdog of Hitler and Germany. They do what they are told.

The French ResistanceThe French Resistance

The Free The Free FrenchFrench

General General Charles Charles

DeGaulleDeGaulle

Neither Free nor actually in France, DeGaulle leads the Resistance (from England), making spies and saboteurs out of everyday Frenchmen and women. The citizens, still in France, smuggle in supplies from the Allies and disrupt the Germans whenever and wherever possible.

Neither Free nor actually in France, DeGaulle leads the Resistance (from England), making spies and saboteurs out of everyday Frenchmen and women. The citizens, still in France, smuggle in supplies from the Allies and disrupt the Germans whenever and wherever possible.

E. What would we call a small group of people attacking an unpopular government and blowing things up with small home made weapons today? So, what makes these people different?

E. What would we call a small group of people attacking an unpopular government and blowing things up with small home made weapons today? So, what makes these people different?

Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis:The Tripartite PactSeptember, 1940

Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis:The Tripartite PactSeptember, 1940

* 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.

On June 4, 1940, Churchill delivered a defiant speech that rallied the British people and alerted the United States to Britain’s plight.

• 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.

• After German bombers bombed London, the British responded by bombing Berlin, Germany.

The bombing of Britain

Battle of Britain

• The Royal Air Force was greatly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe (German air force)

• the British had radar stations and were able to detect incoming German aircraft and direct British fighters to intercept them.

• Hitler is forced to give up

Now Britain Is All Alone!Now Britain Is All Alone!