Mason's Quiz Flashcards
Why was Hitler such a successful orator?
- said to have given over 5000 speeches
- charismatic nature
- wrote his own speeches and edited them
- overwhelmingly powerful
- passionate
- practiced in front of a mirror
U Boats
U boats= German submarines
- used torpedoes against ally ships
- surfaced before they attacked
- very cramped,40-50 men on each sub
- tried sinking more ships than could be replaced
- hunted in groups of 20 called wolf packs
Black Pit
- area of the Atlantic Ocean that couldn’t be protected by ally aircraft
- many attacks occur here
- millions of tons of supplies lost by 1942
- nearly 100 ships sunk every month,
- June—834,000 tons of goods lost(worst month for allies)
Lend Lease
1941-Roosevelt signs lend lease bill, allowing USA the unrestricted ability to help supply the allies in their fight against the Axis
Enigma
-HMS Bulldog acquires this
-1943- a turning point
~allied radar system
~perfected forms of engagement w Germany
~RAF and British Navy on the offensive
Axis Defeated
- May 1945– war ends
- allied losses include 74,000 people on the Atlantic alone
- 2,000 royal canadian navy
- 1600 Canadian merchant navy
- 752 Canadian airmen
Battle of the Atlantic
- occurs from Sept ‘39-May ‘45
- longest continuous battle of WW11
- fought between allies and German forces for control of the Atlantic Ocean
- Germans want to cut back supplylines
- Canadian Merchant Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force
Battle of Atlantic Begins
- begins hours after Britain declares war on Germany
- German sub attacks SS Athenia-passenger ship to Montreal
- Germans believed that disrupting supply lines would ensure German victory
Convoy
Massive groups of ships travelling together
Canadian Fleet
- small in beginning=6 destroyers and 3500 ppl
- beginning of war they only had 40 ocean merchant vessels, by the end of war they had over 400
- 12000 sailors and over 25000 voyages
Corvettes
Small single gun shops with depth charges
-quick and inexpensive to build
North African Campaign Leaders
Britain-Bernardo Montgomery(Egypt)
-Germany- Erwin Rommel(The Desert Fox)
Battle occurs over Libya Egypt border in area called Western Desert
|> inhospitable, very little vegetation and water
Why the Mediterranean?
- Mussolini declares war on allies in ‘40
- struggle for control on Suez Canal and access to oil in Middle East
- oil is crucial for armies(especially for Britain)
- canal provides Britain with link to overseas dominions
In the Beginning…
-Libya is an Italian colony,
British have been around Egypt since late 1880s
-allies have less troops, but they are better organized, trained, and equipped
-Italy attacks Greece-unsuccessful
-hitler sends Rommel to N.Africa to aid Italy
-Rommel is aggressive and pushes back against initial ally successes
Both sides build up strength
Second Battle of El Alamein
- October 1942
- British troops under Montgomery inflict decisive victory over Rommel
- pushes them back into Tunisia(hitler insisted no one retreat, Rommel didn’t listen)
- wants to preserve his force to fight another day
- ultra initiatives(breaking enigma code) aid ally forces through North Africa campaign
Operation Torch
November 1942
- British and American landings in N.W. Africa
- squeeze in on axis troops from both sides, encircle them and force their surrender in May 1943
Britain at war
Blitz began sept 7,1940
-initially the Luftwaffe bombed only strategic sites(airfields, factories)
Hitlers 2nd Mistake of the War
Goerig and Hitler decide to bring down British spirit by bombing civilian targets. This strategy proved to have opposite effect. It strengthened Britain.
- London and other British cities were bombed 76 nights in a row
- Britain people became more determined
- 60,000 killed
- children evacuated in the cities
- rationing began 1940
- 1941-woman under 50 had to work in factories
- people hid in subway stations and bomb houses
Lend Lease
USA supported Britain by shipping countless items and war materials to Britain in return the British promised to repay them after war
Lebensraum
German for -Living Space
Scorched earth policy
Purposefully burning land so the leader can’t enjoy it. This is what Russians did to the Germans so the soldiers couldn’t live off of their land.
Battle of Britain- operation sea lion
-hitler and nazi Germany successfully conquered France, Belgium, Norway, leaving Britain as the only allied force in Europe
-hitler plans a land invasion of Britain
-troops and tanks cross English Channel by boat(2 hrs, rough water)
-
Battle Begins
-phase one begins on July 10
-Luftwaffe attack convoys in English Channel
-Luftwaffe attacks radar stations in southern England
-lasts about a month
Radar levels the playing field
