World War 2 Flashcards
Explain Blitzkrieg Warfare.
These were the Nazi ‘lightning war’ tactics which conquered Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium and France in April-June 1940? A military attack used by the German army in WW2. It used a combination of speed, surprise air attacks and overwhelming land forces to destroy the opposition.
What happened at Dunkirk?
380, 000 soldiers were trapped at Dunkirk. They had run out of land and if they hadn’t been rescued the would have become prisoners of war and left Britain defenceless.
How many men were rescued at Dunkirk?
340,000 men were rescued at Dunkirk.
How were the men were rescued at Dunkirk?
By a mixture of Royal Navy boats and private boats (canal boats, fishing boats,pleasure boat etc). The Navy and Government realised that they did not have enough boats, so they asked people to lend them boats.
Although 340,00 men were rescued , what things were lost?
474 tanks, 1000 heavy guns and 400 anti-tank guns were abandoned. The French were left to fight alone with 1 million soldiers captured and 75,000 vehicles abandoned.
Why was the Battle of Britain needed?
The Battle of Britain was needed because there was trouble getting troops across the water as Britain is an island.
What did the Luftwaffe (German Airforce) do in the Battle of Britain?
They attacked our ships in the Channel and they need to knock out the RAF so that they could control the skies.
What did the Luftwaffe target during the Battle of Britain?
They targeted sector and radar stations to stop the British communicating with each other.
What else did the Luftwaffe target during the Battle of Britain?
They attacked RAF bases and bombed planes on the ground and runways to stop them even taking off.
What were the reasons for winning the Battle of Britain?
- The RAF had the Hurricane and the Spitfire which were much better the the German Messerschmidt in dog-fights. 2. The fighting took place over Britain so pilots that survived being shot down could be sent back into combat. 3. The British had ‘Ultra’, they key to German radio codes.
What was the German Enigma machine?
The German Enigma machine enabled its operator to type a message then ‘scramble’ it using a letter substitution system.
Which places were attacked during the Blitz?
Sunderland, Coventry, London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Hull, Plymouth, Bristol, Manchester, Cardiff, Swansea and Kent.
How many civilians died during the Blitz?
32,000
What were the number of injuries during the Blitz?
87,000
How many bombs were dropped during the Blitz?
9,250
