World War II
The Treaty of Versailles was written and signed by
Germany and France at the end of World War I.
The Paris Peace Conference was dominated by three
men:
French Prime Minster: Georges Clemenceau
American President: Woodrow Wilson
British Prime Minster: David Lloyd George
Clemenceau planned to make the Germans pay for
the French lives and industries they had destroyed.
The Peace Treaty stated that Germany was entirely
to blame for the war and it’s terrible results.
Germany had to pay up to 132 Billion Gold Marks to
pay for damages they inflicted during the war.
March 12, 1938- Germany occupies Austria.
October 1, 1938 Nazi Troops occupy Sudetenland of the
Czech Rep.
March ,1939 The Nazi troops occupy other areas of
Czechoslovakia
In May, 1939 Germany and Italy signed a Military Alliance
known as the Pact of Steel:
The countries guaranteed to help defend each other in
case of attack. j
August, 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union signed
the Nazi-Soviet Pact agreeing not to fight each other.
Europe begins to Form Alliances (soon to become
the “Allies”) against the Germans
Britain – France – Holland
September 1, 1939 Nazi’s invade Poland
on
Britain and France declare war two days later.
April 9, 1940 Nazi’s invade Denmark and Norway
Hitler wanted to invade Norway to establish
Naval and Air bases and to secure the sea
routes to Sweden.
The Madness Continues
Fall Gelb (Case Yellow)
May 10, 1940 Germans invade Belgium, Holland,
and Luxemburg.
May 14,1940 Belgians were forced to retreat and
the Dutch (Holland) surrendered on.
Germans began their drive into France
Allies retreated to the Channel coast in England
On May 26, 1940 Operation, Dynamo, the evacuation of
British, French and Belgium from the beaches of Dunkirk
(France) began.
10 days-340,000 soldiers ferried across the English
Channel to safety.
Paris fell on June 14, 1940 and an Armistice was signed
eight days later.
July 10, 1940 Luftwaffe (Germany’s Air Force) began
to bomb towns and ships along England’s South Coast
The Battle of Britain had began.
The German’s aim was to seize control of British Air
Space so that their ships could cross the Channel in
safety.
The Luftwaffe made steady progress, but Hitler
wanted quick results, so he identified a new target London.
However, the Luftwaffe was unable to secure a
victory against the RAF (Britain’s Royal Air Force), so
“Sea Lion” was called off on September 17. Germany’s
new goal was to wipe out Military bases and factories.
The Battle of the Atlantic lasted from 1939-1945
It was a contest between Britain (US later on) and
Germany for the control of the Atlantic Sea Routes
The Atlantic Ocean became a battle zone after the
fall of Norway and France.
Now that Germany took over Norway and France
German shipping could operate from more ports
over a wider area.
U-Boats (submarines) attacked ships in “Wolf Pack”
groups, and received support from German Aircraft.
Britain fought back with more air support and
better escort ships for convoys.
In March 1941- Lend-Lease act was issued.
Arranged for the loan of money and equipment from the
United States to it’s allies.
Later on the US Navy began to escort shipping in the
western Atlantic.
On the American east coast, during the first 6 months of
1942, the Germans sank 492 vessels.
The U-boats sank almost 300,000 tons of Allied Shipping.
German U-Boat
An American Vessel
Italy did not declare war on the Allies until June 10,
1940
Before World War II Italy already had occupied several
African Colonies including Libya.
 In 1935 Mussolini (Italian Leader) occupied
Abyssinia (Now Ethiopia) in northern Africa.
 In 1940 the Italians invaded Egypt from Libya with
a large number of troops (250,000 Soldiers)
However, Italians were forced to retreat after
advancing just 50 miles (80km) after the British
Infantry and tanks stormed them into Libya.
In February of 1941 Hitler sent the Afrika Korps,
under the command of Erwin Rommel, to the aid of
the Italians. Rommel began a counter attack, forcing
On October 23, 1942 General Montgomery
and the British 8th Army attacked Rommel at El
Alamein (Egypt).
Rommel retreated 12 days later. Allies won
their first major victory of the war against the
Germans and Italians.
November 8,1942 Allies began Operation Torch,
landing American and British troops in North Africa
at Morocco and Algeria.
By 1943 they were fighting Rommel's retreating
groups and on May 13 the Axis powers in Africa
surrendered.
June 22,1941 Germans start the invasion of Russia.
Largest ground attack ever seen, involving 3,500,000 men.
Germans were divided into 3 Groups.
Army Group
Army
Army Group
North
Group
South
Headed for
Center
headed for
Leningrad
headed for
Kiev.
Moscow.
German attack on Stalingrad in southwestern
Russia began August 19,1942
Soviet counterstrike(Operation Uranus) tanks
encircled Stalingrad and Luftwaffe could not fly
in enough supplies.
300,000 Germans trapped in Stalingrad began
to starve.
Nazi’s withdrawal January 31,1943
This was one of the bloodiest battles in the
history of warfare
Late 19th century Japan began a process of rapid
modernization. Japan built up its empire, and
started a period of aggressive expansion.
1904-1905 Japan defeated the Russians, forcing
them out of Manchuria in northern China.
1910- Occupied Korea.
1931 Japan invaded and occupied all of
Manchuria.
1933 left League of Nations
PEARL HARBOR
After it’s success in China, Japan’s ambitions grew.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt realized new
problems were on the horizon and decided to stop Japans
empire building by imposing economic sanctions
July 1941, Japan annexed all of Indochina
Roosevelt ended all trade with the Japanese and denied
them access to oil money an possessions in the U.S
December 7,1941- Japanese bombers attacked the
American fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
•8 battle ships were sunk
•More than 2,400 sailors killed.
December 8 U.S. declared war on Japan
December 11 Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.
1945- Iwo Jima and Okinawa were taken in early Spring
by the Americans
July 27-President Truman demanded surrender or
threatening to use the Atomic Bomb
-Message was ignored
August 6, 1945- The first Atomic Bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima(80,000 were killed). The Japanese
government did not surrender.
August 9,1945- Second Atomic Bomb was dropped on
Nagasaki; emperor Hirohito announces Japan’s
surrender.
Before
After
Hiroshima
Before
After
Nagasaki
Adolf Hitler commits suicide- April 30,1945
Berlin Surrenders to the Soviets on May 2,1945
Germans signed a full unconditional surrender on May
7,1945.
VE Day(Allies victorious in Europe)- May 8, 1945
VJ Day(Allies victorious in Japan)- Aug. 15, 1945
68,000,000-75,000,000 people were killed during World
War II