2. Two Theaters of Fighting
World War II occurred in two primary
theaters (fronts or areas of fighting):
Europe and Asia/Pacific.
3. Blitzkrieg!
The Germans conducted a blitzkrieg or
“lightening war” against Poland – in other
words, without warning, they hit Poland
with all they had!
The Soviets, German allies due to the
Soviet Non-Aggression Pact signed in
1939, attacked Poland from the east.
4. Dominos Falling…..
Denmark and
Norway fell quickly
to Nazi power.
But the biggest
shock was when
France, a major ally
from World War I,
surrendered in
1940!
5. The Battle Over Britain
Having conquered mainland Europe,
Hitler turned to invade Britain.
For an entire year, the German Air Force
bombed Britain.
But the British had superior planes,
pilots, and RADAR to beat back the
Germans.
They also had designed a machine to
break German codes.
6. Winston Churchill
Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
inspired the British
to continue fighting
and to take the war
to Germany by
alternative routes.
7.
8. Other Places to Fight?
Fighting occurred in
North Africa.
Germans there
were led by a man
named Rommel.
The Germans
wanted to control
the Suez Canal and
the Middle East.
By 1941, Germany
had take Yugoslavia
and Greece.
