Blitzkrieg & Sitzkrieg

Hitler Takes Europe In A Season

Blitzkrieg Also known as

“Lightning Warfare” An intense military

attacked designed to bring about a swift victory

Used by the Germans in World War II

Elements of Blitzkrieg 1. Surprise 2. Psychological Warfare 3. Concentration of Firepower 4. Speed 5. Leadership from the Front 6. Co-odination

The Theory of Blitzkrieg The tactic was

developed by German army officer Hans Guderian

Designed to hit hard and move on instantly

It aimed to create panic amongst civilians

The Theory of Blitzkrieg Once a strategic target had been selected,

Stuka dive bombers were sent in to ‘soften up’ the enemy, destroy all rail lines, communication centres and major rail lines

Done as the German tanks were approaching

Planes would withdraw last minute so the enemy did not have time to recover

Blitzkrieg Unleashed The German Air Force (Luftwaffe), tank divisions

(Panzers), and the army (Wehrmacht) smashed into Poland

Poland was the perfect target for a blitzkrieg attack A flat country with no natural obstacles; large out of date

army September 1st 1939, surprise bombing raids

began on Poland’s aerodromes Poland’s air force is destroyed

Blitzkrieg Unleashed Luftwaffe began bombing

raids on Poland’s railways and military convoys to disrupt mobilization

German ground forces moved in from the North and South

Poland’s army had nowhere to retreat

The final blow came in mid-September when the USSR invaded Poland from the East

Blitzkrieg Unleashed Two days later, honouring their obligations to

Poland, France and Britan declare war on Germany On September 9th 1939, Canada declares war on

Germany The USSR invaded Poland from the East on

September 17th under the terms of a secret pact with Germany

Warsaw surrended on September 27. By october 6, Poland ceased to exist as a country. World War II had begun.

Sitzkrieg Also known as “Phoney

War” There was no fighting in

Europe until Hitler turned his attention to the rest of Europe in April 1940

Prime Minister King & President Roosevelt hoped that Hitler would stop with Poland. They were sadly mistaken

The Fall of European Nations In April of 1940

Denmark & Norway fall to Nazi Germany

Soon after Holland falls to Nazi Germany

Then on May 10th 1940 the Germans invaded France

The Fall Of France German forces

pushed through the Ardennes, outflanking the Maginot Line and unhinging the Allied defenders

Paris was occupied on June 14

For Hitler, it was a spectacular victory

The Effects of Blitzkrieg France was divided into a German occupation zone

in the north and west, a small Italian occupation zone in the southeast, and a collaborationist government in the south, Vichy France

The British Expeditionary Force and many French soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk

France remained under German occupation until after the Allies defeated the German forces in France following the Allied landings on D-Day 1944

The Rescue At Dunkirk Allied troops were trapped by an advancing

German Army at Dunkirk With their backs to the sea and Germans closing

in, Hitler’s army ceases to pursue their capture The Allies launch a massive rescue by sending

900 ships across the English Channel they save 14,000 French Troops and 200,000 British Troops

The troops would form the core of the allied invasion that liberates Europe

The Effects of Blitzkrieg Due to the success of Blitzkrieg the Nazis

swept through Europe from Poland to the Atlantic in 9 months

The Nazis now effectively held the mainland of Europe

What was next…..?