WWII: The Start of War in Europe

WWII: The Start of War in Europe

WWII Vocabulary:​

​Blitzkrieg - A type of warfare used by the Germany military. It means "lightning war."

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Luftwaffe - German air force during WWII.

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Maginot Line​ - A line of fortifications built by France to defend against a German invasion.

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​The MaginotLine

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​Britain and France (at first) fought a defensive war. Defending themselves from German attacks.

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(Ex. Maginot Line)​

​Defensive War:

Germany, and many Axis powers, waged an offensive war by invading other countries.​

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(Ex. Blitzkrieg)​

Offensive War:​

WWII Starts: Invasion of Poland

• August 23, 1939 - Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Non-Aggression Pact.

• September 1, 1939 - Nazi Germany invaded Poland.

• September 3, 1939 - Britain and France declared war on Germany; WWII begins.

• September 17, 1939 - The Soviet Union invaded Poland

• By September 29, Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

"The Phony War"

​The period during WWII when no major fighting took place (from October 1939–May 1940).

The Fall of France ​

• On May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Belgium and France (using Panzer tanks, they went through the weaker parts of the Maginot Line).

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• In just over six weeks (by June 22, 1940), the Germans overran Belgium and the Netherlands, drove the British Expeditionary Force from the Continent, captured Paris, and forced the surrender of the French government.

​Nazi Occupation of France

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​Dunkirk

• Following the fall of France, 330,000 Allied troops (British, French, Belgian, and Dutch) were trapped at Dunkirk.

• Churchill called all water vessels (military, commercial, and even private boats) to help evacuate soldiers. 

• With air and ground cover from British and French forces, all men made it to safety. 

• This kept Britain from surrendering.

The Battle of Britain​

• After Germany and Hitler had conquered most of Europe, including France, the only major country left to fight them was Great Britain.

• Germany wanted to invade Great Britain, but first they needed to destroy Great Britain's Royal Air Force.

• The Battle of Britain was when Germany bombed Great Britain in order to try and destroy their air force and prepare for invasion.

The Blitz​

• ​The Battle of Britain started on July 10th, 1940.

• It lasted until May 1941 as the Germans continued to bomb Britain. 

• This period of aerial bombing was known as "the Blitz".

• Although the German bombings continued, the British did not stop fighting back.

• Hitler was frustrated and started bombing large cities including London.

• ​At one point London was bombed for 57 nights in a row.

• Hitler finally stopped bombing London because he needed his bombers to invade Russia.

Destruction from the Blitz. Imperial War Museum​

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​British Bomb Shelter - Imperial War Museum

​The British victory was a turning point in the war in Western Europe because it was the first defeat of Nazi Germany (showing that the Nazis were not invincible).

Britain wins the Battle of Britain:​

Operation Barbarossa: ​Hitler invades the Soviet Union

• ​June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.

• This broke the Non-Aggression Pact between Hitler and Stalin.

• The Soviet Union joined the Allies.

• Nazi Germany now had to fight another two-front war (in Eastern and Western Europe).

Stalingrad:​

• ​The battle began in November 1942 when the German air force (Luftwaffe) bombed the Volga River and the then the city of Stalingrad.

• They reduced much of the city to rubble.

• Soviet troops would not give up.

• Soviets, including women, hid all over the city, in buildings and even the sewers, attacking the German soldiers.

• This brutal battle began to take its toll on the Germans.

The Germans Surrender at Stalingrad:​

​Stalin ordered his soldiers NOT to let the Germans take the city.

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After months of fighting and nearly starving and/or freezing to death, the German soldiers surrendered on February 2, 1943. 

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It was so cold that Germany's tanks froze.​

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Hitler was furious with his general for surrendering the city.

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The Turning Point in Eastern Europe​

• ​The Battle of Stalingrad was the largest and deadliest battle of World War II.

• It was the turning point of the war in Eastern Europe.

• After losing the battle, the German army lost so many soldiers and took such a defeat that they never quite recovered.

​Independent Work:

• Go to Canv​as, click on the link to open this Quizizz and answer the questions on the following slides.

Poll

What do you think happens next?

• Germany realizes they cannot defeat the Soviet Union, so they ask for an armistice (an end to the war).

• Germany attacks the United States.

• Germany continues to fight and tries to win the war on the Western front in (France, Britain).

Draw

Draw a picture to let me know how your day is going so far.

Multiple Choice

The word Blitzkrieg means?

• Lightning war

• Thunder war

• Surprise attack

Multiple Choice

The _________ __________ was a fortification built by France to defend itself against another German invasion.

• Atlantic Wall

• Berlin Blockade

• Maginot Line

• Eiffel Tower

Multiple Choice

WWII officially began on which date?

• December 7, 1941

• June 6, 1944

• August 6, 1945

• September 3, 1939

Multiple Choice

Which agreement allowed Hitler and Stalin to divide and conquer Poland?

• The Munich Pact

• The Non-Aggression Pact

• The Passive-Aggressive Act

• The Lend-Lease Act

Multiple Choice

October 1939 through May of 1940 was known as the ________ war.

• Cold

• Phony

• False

• Fake

Multiple Choice

France fell to Nazi Germany in just a little over six weeks.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Which Allied leader called upon all ships to help evacuate Dunkirk?

• Stalin

• Hitler

• Chamberlain

• Churchill

Multiple Choice

The Battle of Britain took place....

• In the trenches

• On the seas

• In the air

Multiple Choice

The aerial bombings used by Germany during the Battle of Britain is known as

• The Donner

• The Blitz

• The Wasser

Multiple Choice

Hitler bombed the city of London for 57 nights in a row.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The one Western European country not defeated by Germany was?

• France

• Britain

• China

• U.S.

Multiple Choice

The battle of __________ was a turning point in the war on the Western front.

• Stalingrad

• Paris

• Dunkirk

• Britain

Multiple Choice

After failing to defeat Britain during the Blitz, the Nazis then invaded which country?

• U.S.

• France

• Italy

• Soviet Union

Multiple Choice

The Germans were victorious at the Battle of Stalingrad.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The code name given to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union was...

• Operation Eagle

• Operation Overlord

• Operation Barbarossa

Multiple Choice

The city of Stalingrad in the Soviet Union was named for which dictator?

• Tojo

• Mussolini

• Stalin

• Hitler

Multiple Select

The Nazis were unable to take the city of Stalingrad because... (there are 2 correct answers).

• It was too hot to continue fighting.

• It was too cold to continue fighting.

• German troops refused to fight in the sewers.

• The German army lost many soldiers in the battle and they were starving.

Multiple Choice

The Battle of ______________ was the turning point of the war in Eastern Europe.

• Leningrad

• Moscow

• Paris

• Stalingrad

Open Ended

Type a question you have, or write about something you found interesting in today's lesson.