Chapter 16.2 War in Europe student notes
Main Idea: Using the sudden mass attack called blitzkrieg, Germany invaded andquickly conquered many European countries.
What is the Anschluss?= Union with Austria, violation of the Treaty of Versailles
March 12, 1938
What was Hitler’s next territorial demand?
What was the Munich Conference?GB & Fr. Say they’ll defend Czechoslovakia, Hitler invites them to Munich to discuss situation, says Czechs are abusing ethnic Germans, Hitler promises this is his “last territorial demand” hahahahaha
Who attended the Munich Conference, and what country did that person represent?
Who wasn’t at the conference?
What was the Munich Agreement?GB and France give in to Hitler’s demand September, 1938
“Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor. They will have war.”
Winston Churchill
What is appeasement?
What happened next? March, 1939
What was Hitler’ next demand?Polish Corridor to reunite all German speaking peopleMarch, 1939
British and French make pledge to help Poland against Hitler
What was the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact?Hitler and Stalin sign in Aug. 1939
1.
2.
3. Hitler tells Stalin they will both have “spheres of influence” Stalin will get Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and the eastern part of Poland
#3 is the secret part of the treaty
What happened after that?Sept. 1, 1939
Sept. 3, 1939
World War II in Europe begins
What is a Blitzkrieg?
Western Poland was conquered in a matter of 3 to 4 weeks
Eastern Poland was attacked and taken by the Soviet Union
How did German blitzkrieg tactics rely on new military technology?
What was the “Sitzkrieg?” Phony War (Phoney War [British spelling]):
winter and spring of 1939-40, French and Germans stared at each other across lines of fortification, France waited to be attacked.
What was the Maginot Line?
What was the Siegfried Line?
What did Stalin do after conquering eastern Poland?Annexed Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Troops to Finland 1939
Timeline:
April 1940 – Germany invades
May 1940 – Germany invades
May 1940 – Invasion of
June 1940 – Italy declares war against France and GB, invades France on the 10th
France surrenders on the 22nd
Charles de Gaulle – Set up a government-in-exile in Britain
Southern France is “free” under Vichy—as long as Vichy does whatever the Germans say
What was the Battle of Britain?Hitler plans invasion, force on French coast (Operation Sea Lion)
The Luftwaffe bombed GB day and night for months to destroy its military capacity and will to fight
Why did Hitler keep bombing GB even after deciding against an invasion?
“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
Winston Churchill-referring to the Royal Air Force (RAF) after the Battle of Britain