WAR!1939-1941

Outbreak of War – Poland 1939 From November 1938 onwards German-

Polish relations deteriorated, as Hitler demanded the return of the ‘free city’ of Danzig, and parts of Poland to Germany.

Poland refused to negotiate. March 1939, Britain and France promised to

support Poland.

23 August 1939 Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact◦ Outwardly, a treaty of

cooperation.◦ However, secretly the deal

was that USSR would not support Poland if Germany ‘happened’ to invade it

◦ In return, Hitler would give Stalin parts of eastern Poland.

David Low, Picture Post, 21 October 1939

24 August, 1939 – Britain reaffirms its guarantee to Poland

1 September, 1939 – GERMANY INVADES POLAND

3 September, 1939 – Britain, France, and the British Empire declare war on Germany.

WORLD WAR II HAD BEGUN

War in Europe 1939-41German BLITZKRIEG tactics

Wehrmacht(army)

Panzer units(tanks)

Luftwaffe(air force)

‘Lightning War’

Poland falls by end of September. Divided between Germany and Russia.

Britain and France prepare for fighting, and wait. Called the ‘phoney war’.

Denmark and Norway conquered in April and May 1940.

‘Rendevous’ (David Low, 20 Sept, 1939)

Winston Churchill replaces Chamberlain as British PM.

“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”.

Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg fell in mid-May.

France invaded in May, and surrendered in June (the Germans avoided the Maginot Line by going around it via Belgium) – soldiers escape Nazi’s in a dramatic rescue off beaches of Dunkirk.

June, 1940 – Mussolini enters the war, taking some French territory, and later attacking Greece and North Africa.

August–October, 1940 – Britain attacked by Luftwaffe, and Germany prepares for full scale invasion – known as Battle of Britain◦ 800 RAF pilots hold off German attacks.

Germany’s first defeat.◦ Churchill says “Never in the field of human

conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”.

Operation Barbarossa 1941-42 Hitler postpones operation

Sealion, and launches a massive attack on USSR (Op. Barbarossa) in June 1941.

Great German victories at first, but Germans meet fierce Russian resistance, and not equipped to cope with harsh Russian winter.

Despite huge losses and human cost, Russia remains undefeated.

Consequences of German invasion of Soviet Union:◦ German-Soviet Non-

Aggression Pact broken

◦ Russia enters war on the Allies side

◦ War in Europe now fought on two major fronts

◦ Massive costs to Russia (‘scorched earth’ policy, 20 million killed)

Hitler Tearing the Nonaggression Pact, a 1941 poster by Kukryniksy artists

USA 1941 - Isolationist Throughout 1930s American public

anxious not to get involved in Europe’s affairs. This known as policy of Isolationism.

Reflected in 1935 and 1938 Neutrality Acts which prevented USA from lending money or selling arms to countries at war.

President Roosevelt saw dangers of fascist aggression, but could do little, even when war broke out in 1939.

After France fell, Roosevelt got Congress to allow goods to be sold to countries at war on a ‘cash and carry’ basis. He also increased the American rearming programme, and secretly supported Britain.

1941 Roosevelt calls the USA the

‘arsenal of democracy’ Lend-Lease Act – allowed

President to give anything (even arms) to any country whose defence was vital to the security of the USA

Roosevelt meets Churchill in August, condemned Nazi tyranny, and drew up a list of war aims. Known as Atlantic Charter.

Pearl Harbor Between 1940-41 Japanese-American

relations worsened. Roosevelt concerned about:

◦ Japanese expansion into China◦ Japanese intention to create ‘Greater East Asia

Co-Prosperity Sphere’ (essentially a Japanese Empire)

◦ Increasing Japanese-German/Italian cooperation October 1941, General Tojo took over

Japanese government

7 December 1941 – Tojo ordered Japanese bombers to destroy USA’s main Pacific naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i.

Over 2,000 Americans killed, and 26 ships sunk.

USA now forced to immediately declare war on Japan.

A few days later Germany and Italy, supported their Anti-Comintern Pact partner, and declared war on USA also.

WHOLE WORLD NOW AT WAR