Second World War 1939-45

German Blitzkreig

Second World War• September 1939-1945

– Poland Defeated due to German Blitzkrieg (lightning War) and Luftwaffe (German Air force)

– Poland Divided between USSR and Germany

– The “Phoney” War (Sep 1939- April 1940)• Russians took over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania• No Offences against Germany

– Denmark and Norway Invaded (April 1940)• Control of the Ports in Norway which were

important for the German Armament Industry• Attack Britain’s Trade Routes

Continued… Hitler Attacks Holland, Belgium and France

– Holland and Belgium annexed– Paris was Captured in June 1940 and Complete Northern France

came under the Control of Germans

• The Battle of Britain ( Aug- Sep 1940)– Battle between Luftwaffe and Britain’s LAF– For the First time, Germans faced reverses in the war

• Mussolini Invades Egypt and Greece– Forced to retreat by more powerful British Army

Axis Offensive (1941-42)• Hitler’s Involvement in North Africa and Greece (May 1941)

– Occupied Libya, certain parts of Egypt and Greece– This was important since it delayed his attack on USSR– If the attack wasn’t delayed, Hitler could have captured USSR

before the winter

• German Invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa)– 3 Pronged Attack

• North- Leningrad• Centre- Moscow• South- Ukraine

Continued…• USA enters the war (Dec 1941)

– Remained neutral earlier, but through passage of lend-lease act provided massive Financial aid to Britain• Entered the War due to Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour

Need for raw materials in SE AsiaAmerican Insistence of Japanese withdrawal from both

China and Indo-China

Brutal Behaviour by Germans and Japanese

1942-43• Axis forces defeat at Mid Way Island, El Alamein and

Stalingrad

• Mid Way Island– American’s Offensive on Japanese Carriers and Strike

planes completely weakened Japan

• El Alamien Offensive– Prevented Egypt and Suez Canal from falling into

hands of Germany– Complete expulsion of Axis Forces from North Africa

• Germany Failed to Capture Stalingrad due to Extremely Cold Conditions

1943- 1945• Fall of Italy

Mussolini and his mistressClaretta Petacci

• Launch of Operation Overlord, 1944– Invasion of France ( Second Front)

Operation Overload

Battle of Bulge

Hitler Commits Suicide

Defeat of Japan (6th August 1945)

Reasons for Loss of Axis Powers• Shortage of Raw materials

• The Allies learned from their Failures

• The Axis powers took on too Much

• The Combined Resources of USA, Britain and USSR

• Tactical Mistakes by Axis Powers• Japanese less emphasis on aircraft carriers• Hitler’s Involvement in North Africa and Greece which led to

delay in attacking USSR