World War II

What do we normally talk about with WWII?

Mein Kampf

• My Struggle• Hitler outlined how he wanted to fight the war

– get a treaty with Brits, fight Russians first.– Equated the Russians and Communism with Jews

and ethnic minorities.

• Brits wouldn’t sign treaty – Stalin did.• Forced Hitler to fight the west first.

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

• Signed in 1939 – Russians signed non-aggression pact.

• As part of secret agreement – they divided Poland after invasion in 1939. Russians also took Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland.

Operation Barbarossa

• By spring of 1940, Hitler Reneges on agreement.– French, Danes, Belgians, Dutch, Poles, Norwegians, all

conquered– Brits disaster: Dunkirk, Bombing of London– US – Still neutral despite Lend Lease

• Turns Blitzkrieg on Russia and decimates them initially, however could not start until June.

• Stalin shocked (thought he had till ‘42)• Germans decimate Russian Red Army – get to

within 19 miles of Moscow

Why it all fell apart…

• 1. German Tanks stopped by mud / cold• 2. Hitler not ready for how large Russia was• 3. Hitler ignored his commanders• 4. Supply lines too long – German soldiers

fighting in summer jackets

German Advance

• Scorched Earth Policy• Russian Civilians frequent casualties• By late 1941 Russians signed non-aggression

pact with Japanese• Russians counter offensive in winter of 1941

pushed the Germans back.

Siege of Leningrad and Stalingrad

• Germans lay siege to Leningrad in the winter of 1941 – Russians hold out for 900 days until reinforcements arrive

• Stalingrad the turning point of the war – Hitler invades Stalingrad in 1942-43 – Caucasian Oil Fields

• Russians hold out despite desperate street fighting.• Each side loses about ½ million soldiers, but

Russians hold the line.

Hitler Repulsed

• Germans attack at Kursk in final desperate offensive – Russians destroy the majority of their Tanks.

• Over the next three years, the Russians slowly push them out

• Hitler – no surrender order – raised casualties• 1944 – Belorussian Offensive.

Battle of Berlin

• Russian surround the city (other allies still pushing there)

• Shell city for days and invade street to street• Both sides lost about 300,000• Germans surrender on May 2nd (April 30th –

Hitler commits suicide)• Russians punish city by destroying it and

raping thousands of women.

The Cost of the War

• Deaths– Germans – 4.9 Million (7 Million total)– Russians – 9.1 Million (19-23 Million total) –

upwards of 10 million civilians were killed in the war including 1 million Russian Jews.• By Comparison

– Poland 6.8 Million– Japan 2 Million– France – 810,000– U.S. – 500,000– U.K. – 388,000

The Reasons Hitler Lost• 1. Not enough materials – oil especially• 2. Allowed the British to escape at Dunkirk• 3. Stopped bombing military institutions, bombed

London in 1940.• 4. Attacked Russia without finishing British.• 5. Made a pact with Japanese – brought the US into the

war.• 6. Attacked Stalingrad without regard for strategy –

ignored generals.• 7. Allies decoded German codes (Enigma)

Russian Expansion

• At Yalta – Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt met• Divided Germany up• Russians gain territory in Poland and

“promise” free elections.• Begin a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe• Eastern Bloc Established of Communist

governments

The Other Side to the Holocaust

• Always mentioned – 6 million Jews killed• Often forgotten – 5 million more people died.– 1 Million Russians– 2.5 Million Poles– ½ Million Gypsies– 200,000 Disabled– 5-15,000 Homosexuals– Unknown number of political opponents

• More than one kind of camp – work camps / death camps / concentration camps / POW camps