World War II PT 3

California Standard

10.8.3

• Identify and locate the Allied and Axis

powers on a map and discuss the major
turning points if the war, the principal
theatres of conflict, key strategic decisions,
and the resulting war conferences and
political resolutions, with an emphasis of
importance on geographic factors.

World War II Begins

Lightning Attack on Poland

• Sept. 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland.
• Blitzkrieg- “lightning war”, fast moving planes &

tanks followed by massive infantry forces & take
the enemy by surprise.

• After attack Great Britain & France declare war on

Germany.

Soviets Move

• Sept. 17, 1939 Stalin sends troops to occupy

Eastern Poland.

• Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia fall easily.
• Finland defeated March 1940.

Battle for France

• Hitler goes around Maginot Line to attack France.
• Maginot Line- A system of fortifications along

France’s boarder with Germany.

• German army traps French & British at Dunkirk,

France.

• May 26-June 4, 850 cross the English channel

saving 338,000 soldiers.

France Falls

• June 10, 1940- Following Dunkirk Mussolini

(Italy) declares war on both Great Britain &
France.

• June 14, 1940 Paris falls to the Germans.
• June 22, 1940 France surrenders leaving puppet

government.

• French Gen. Charles De Gaulle flees to London

and organizes Free French.

• Goal: Liberate France.

Battle of Britain

• Operation Sea Lion- Hitler’s plan to invade

Britain:

• Germany bombs British cities to break spirit of

people.

• RAF fight valiantly against Luftwaffe forcing

them to abandon day time raids.

• Hitler abandons attack on Britain May 1941

-Winston Churchill-
British Prime Minister

“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight

on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the
fields and in the streets…we shall never
surrender.”