World War II: Road to War and Invasion of Poland

• During the 1930s, Hitler prepared for war while publicly claiming Germany sought peace.
• Britain and France's appeasement policy encouraged Hitler.
• Hitler's targets included the Rhineland, Austria, the Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia, and then the Polish Corridor.
• Britain and France pledged to defend Poland, realizing appeasement had failed.
• Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in August 1939, a ten-year non-aggression pact with a secret clause.
• The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact divided Eastern Europe, with Germany controlling most of Poland and the Soviet Union taking Eastern Poland, the Baltic states, and Finland.
• This pact shocked the world because fascism and communism were considered enemies.

The Invasion of Poland

• Germany initiated an undeclared war against Poland on September 1, 1939.
• German bombers quickly destroyed Polish airfields, neutralizing the Polish air force within 48 hours
• German forces utilized Blitzkrieg tactics, overwhelming Polish defenses with over a million soldiers, tanks, and troop carriers.
• Poland's army was swiftly defeated, leading to the government's exile in Britain.
• The Soviet Union attacked Eastern Poland in mid-September.
• The Soviets executed over 4,000 Polish officers and captured more than 200,000 soldiers.

The ‘Phoney War’

• After Poland's fall, a period of inactivity known as the "Phoney War" occurred.
• Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, but neither initiated attacks.
• In 1939, the Soviets invaded the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), compelling them to allow Soviet military bases on their soil.
• In 1940, Soviet troops invaded the Baltic states, installed puppet governments, and orchestrated their admission into the Soviet Union.
• Stalin demanded territories from Finland, leading to the Winter War in November 1939.
• By March 1940, Finland ceded territories to the Soviet Union due to fierce resistance.
• In 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to prevent a British naval attack, demanding German protection.
• A puppet government led by the Norwegian Fascist Party was established after Norway fell to German forces, while Denmark quickly surrendered.

The Fall of France

• France anticipated a defensive war, similar to World War I.
• The French had built the Maginot Line, fortifications along the German border.
• Germany bypassed the Maginot Line and attacked from the north, starting an undeclared war against the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg in May 1940.
• German forces swiftly overwhelmed these countries using Blitzkrieg tactics.
• Allied troops retreated to Dunkirk port on the English Channel where The Battle of Dunkirk took place between May 26 and June 4 1940.
• Approximately 300,000 British, French, and Belgian troops were saved during a massive evacuation.
• German forces entered Paris in June 1940.
• The French government fled and Paris was declared an open city.
• France formally surrendered to Germany on June 22, 1940.
• The country was split into two zones: German-occupied (two-thirds of France, including the coastline) and the Vichy regime, a government led by Marshal Pétain that collaborated with the Nazis which occupied the southeastern region.

The Battle of Britain

• After France's defeat, Hitler's next target was Britain.
• Winston Churchill was appointed Prime Minister.
• Germany planned Operation Sea Lion, a naval attack against Britain.
• The Luftwaffe was sent to destroy Britain's defenses, particularly the Royal Air Force (RAF).
• The RAF's advantages included the radar system and a decoding machine.
• The Battle of Britain (August-September 1940) involved the Luftwaffe bombing key targets in Britain.
• RAF pilots defended Britain with resilience, flying multiple missions daily.
• Hitler abandoned Operation Sea Lion as the Luftwaffe failed to defeat the RAF, marking Germany’s first significant defeat.

American Aid to the Allies

• At the war's onset, the U.S. adopted a policy of isolationism.
• President Roosevelt advocated for supporting the Allies, especially Britain.
• Roosevelt persuaded Congress to enact the cash-and-carry policy, enabling the U.S. to sell arms to countries fighting Nazi Germany, provided they paid in cash and handled transportation.
• This policy bypassed Neutrality Acts, aiding the British without direct U.S. involvement.
• Roosevelt won re-election in 1940 and introduced the Lend-Lease Act, allowing the U.S. to lend and lease supplies to countries fighting aggressors.
• Germany, Italy, and Japan formalized the Axis alliance with the Tripartite Pact in September 1941, dividing the world into spheres of influence.
• Japan acknowledged German and Italian dominance in Europe, while Germany and Italy recognized Japan's right to expand in Asia.