Practice of War Flashcards
Axis Powers
Japan, Italy and Germany (JIG)
Allied Powers
France, USSR (Russia), England, USA (Estados Unidos) (FREE)
Invasion of Poland 1939
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. The Polish army was defeated within weeks of the invasion. From East Prussia and Germany in the north and Silesia and Slovakia in the south, German units, with more than 2,000 tanks and over 1,000 planes, broke through Polish defenses along the border and advanced on Warsaw in a massive encirclement attack. After heavy shelling and bombing, Warsaw surrendered to the Germans on September 27, 1939. Britain and France, standing by their guarantee of Poland’s border, had declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. The Soviet Union invaded eastern Poland on September 17, 1939. The demarcation line for the partition of German- and Soviet-occupied Poland was along the Bug River.
Invasion of France 1940
In the Second World War, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the successful German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, defeating primarily French forces. On 22 June, an armistice was signed between France and Germany, which resulted in a division of France whereby Germany would occupy the north and west, Italy would control a small Italian occupation zone in the southeast, and an unoccupied zone, the zone libre, would be governed by the newly formed Vichy government led by Marshal Pétain. France remained under Axis occupation until the liberation of the country after the Allied landings in 1944.
Battle of Britain 1940
Hitler initially wanted to negotiate with Britain, but this does not happen. Instead, Hitler used the air force (Luftwaffe) to bombard Britain. The country was able to rebuild its air bases when Hitler changed tactics to bombing cities (specifically London) and Hitler eventually gave up and turned his attention to Russia.
Battle for Crete 1941
The Germans did not take advantage of their tactical lead after this invasion. They could potentially have gained control of Africa had they pursued it after this battle. Instead, they invaded Russia.
Operation Barbarossa 1941
Hitler was in command of the army during this time period. His technology could not keep pace with the enemy, nor could it protect his army from the weather.
Operation Overload/ D-Day
This event was planned with an incredible amount of secrecy and relied on Allied control of the English Channel.
Blitzkrieg
When German tanks, supported by the Luftwaffe air force, cut through any enemy defense lines, opening the way for infantry (land troops, tanks). It means “Lighting war.” Successes: Invasion of Poland, Invasion of France. Failure: Operation Barbarossa
Maginot Line
The French built a line of fortification that ultimately failed to protect them from a Nazi invasion.
Paratroopers
The Invasion of Crete included a huge number of German _____________ instead of blitzkrieg tactics.
Panzers
German tanks that could go faster than 5 miles and hour and go over barbed wire
Radar
The British could detect German planes
Luftwaffe
The German Air Force, and it failed in the Battle of Britain.
Royal Air Force
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