World War II

Begins… SEPTEMBER 3, 1939

The USSR attacks Poland from the east.

Germany attacks Poland from the west

Germany uses blitzkrieg tactics…

ENGLAND AND FRANCE DECLARE WAR ON GERMANY IN RESPONSE TO

THE INVASION OF POLAND

Allies vs. Axis Powers

Britain, France, Poland, China

Germany, Italy, Japan, USSR

Early Battles of

World War IIWWII was fought in Africa,

Europe, Asia, and the Pacific

The War in North Africa

Italian & German forces fought the British in North

Africa.

British General Montgomery was facing German Field Marshall Rommel, also

known as the Desert Fox.

By 1940, Axis Powers controlled most of North

Africa

THE WAR IN

WESTERN

EUROPE…

Germany invades and takes over Norway,

Finland, Denmark,and Belgium.

In May of 1940 the Nazis invade France and take

over.

A Nazi government was set up in Southern France

called the Vichy Government.

Britain stands alone in Western Europe.

U.S. sends supplies to Britain across the Atlantic

Ocean.

Germany engages in Wolf Pack Attacks.

U.S. signs Atlantic Charter with Britain and FDR

authorizes “Shoot on Sight” Order.

WAR IN

EASTERN

EUROPE

In 1941 Hitler turns on Stalin and begins Operation Barbarossa an

attack on the Soviet Union.

Stalin joins the Allies

Stalin issues the scorched earth policy burning Russian land as the Germans

attack.

Within 3 months Hitler’s troops had pushed 500 miles inside the Soviet

Union

Hitler is close to conquering the Soviet Union

By the Fall of 1941…

Hitler controlled

most of Europe

He expanded

his extermination policies to every

country he conquered

…This is called:

The Holocaust

In the Pacific . . .

Meanwhile the Japanese said the “Pacific is ours”.

Japan began to control the Pacific by taking over

Manchuria, Korea and the Philippines.

Japan wanted to take over the rest of the Islands in the

Pacific. Question: How did U.S. respond?

On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked the US pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

On December 8, 1941 the United States declared war

on Japan and Germany.

President Roosevelt said, “This is a day which will live

in infamy”

Allies vs Axis Powers

Allies = Great Britain, France, Poland, U.S, China, U.S.S.R.

Axis Powers = Germany, Italy, Japan

Question: Who is winning the war by 1942?