Theatre of War Flashcards
The Theatre of War
World History is divided into pre- and post WW2
▪ Outcome of WWII created the political and economic nature of the world today
A war of ideologies in which nationalism was a key factor. ▪ Social Nazism vs. Communism vs. Capitalism
Innumerable atrocities committed
Teams
The Allies, 1940
The Big Three
:Great Britain (Winston Churchill)
The U.S.A (FDR) (1941)
The Soviet Union (Joseph Stalin)-
Strategies for War
Defeat Germany first, ignore the socialist threat for now
The Axis Alliance, 1940
“Tripartite Pact”: Third Reich, Italy, Japenese Enemy
Poland is Invaded, 1939
The USSR and Germany annex all of Poland
Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands all fall to Nazis by 1940
France Surrenders, 1940
On June 22, 1940 France signed an armistice with Germany, agreeing to German occupation of northern France and the coast.
▪ The French military was demobilized,
▪ The French government forced to collaborate with the German authorities in occupied France.
Britain now stood alone against Germany
Canada Declares War
Canada was not automatically at war with Germany when Britain declared war.
The Statute of Westminster 1939 granted Canada the ability to control its own foreign affairs, including declarations of war
Canada enters the war on September 10th, 1939.
The Battle of Britain, 1940
Hitler expected Britain to make peace Prime Minister, Winston Churchill,
refused to surrender.
● Hitler proceeded with invasion plans. The Luftwaffe began massive attacks on Britain to destroy its air defenses.
● Britain held firm during the Blitz despite devastating destruction to English cities.
The British resistance convinced Hitler to postpone the invasion but he continued the bombing attacks.
American Neutrality
President Franklin D. Roosevelt remained isolationist during the first two years of WWII
- Believing the best way to help was to support the war effort but stay out of the fight
Foreign policy was to build up its own defences and avoid antagonizing either side of the war
The U.S Lend Lease Act, 1941
The Lend-Lease Act allowed the United States to transfer materials and arms to any country, without payment.
The U.S sent material aid such as ammunition, tanks, airplanes, trucks, and food to the war effort in Europe without violating the nation’s official position of neutrality.
President Roosevelt exchanged ships for 99 year leases on British military bases - including Newfoundland
Operation Barbarossa, 1941
Hitler made a pivotal mistake - he invaded the Soviet Union
On June 22, 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa
● The operation consisted of an attack army of 4 million men spread
out along a 2,000-mile front in three massive offensives.
● The German army quickly advanced, but at a terrifying cost.
For the next three years, 90 percent of German deaths would happen on the eastern front.
