WWII: European Theater
During a time of war, the military uses the term “theaters” to refer to a specific geographical area.
WWII had two theaters: European and Pacific. The European Theater was broken up into the
Western and Eastern Front because the European Theater was so big.
Battle/Date
What happened?
Importance
Germany invades Poland,
Sept. 1, 1939
-1st use of “Blitzkreig”
Beginning of WWII
-Polish Army defeat in a matter of
weeks
-Britain and France declared War
on Germany to honor their
agreement to protect Poland’s
borders
Germany invades France,
May 10-22, 1940
-3 days after Germany invades
Britain is now the only
France, the Germans break
member of the Allies in
through the lines of defense
Europe and the invasion also
-German Army captures Paris
helped strengthen the Nazi
-French government agrees to
hold over Europe
disband Army and turn over all
Jews to Germany
Battle of Britain, July 1940
-Air Raids by Germany against
London & other major cities
First defeat of Hitler’s
-Germany wanted to destroy the
military forces
Royal Air Force(RAF) & force
Great Britain to surrender
-Germany believed they couldn’t
carry out an assault on Great
Britain until the RAF was taken
down