Chapter 32.1 - Hitler's Lightning War

What was Hitler's plan to invade the USSR called?

Operation Barbarossa

Who was Charles de Gaulle?

-French General that fled to London -leader of the Free French -committed to taking back France from the Germans

What happened when Germany invaded Frances?

-French and British troops were quickly overrun -Allied forces got trapped in Northern France and retreated to Dunkirk

What happened soon after Dunkirk?

-French resistance crumbled -France surrendered

What happened when Germany invaded the USSR?

-German's were very successful at the beginning -almost reached Moscow (the capitol) -invasion eventually stalled out -many, many Germans and Soviets died

What was the nonaggression pact?

-Secret agreement between Hitler and Stalin in 1939 not to attack one another -agreed to: -divide Poland -USSR could take Finland and other Baltic countries

What was the Phony War

-after the fall of Poland, the Allies prepared and waited for Germans to attack France -nothing happened

Why were the Balkan's significant to Hitler's plans?

-he wanted to build bases there from which he could attack the USSR -he was successful in either invading these countries or convincing them to join the Axis powers

What was the Battle of Britain?

-massive air war against Great Britain -nightly bombings of Britain between summer of 1940 and summer of 1941 -Britain fought alone and never gave up

What was the US's position during this time?

-official position was neutral -but they sold/lended weapons and supplies to the allies

Why did Germany send forces into North Africa?

-to help the Italians, who were losing the fight in North Africa to the British

Who controlled France after it surrendered?

1) Germany controlled the north 2) Vichy government in the south

What was Germany's strategy against Britain?

1) they would first destroy the Royal Air Force 2) then land German troops on England's shores

What was Churchill's attitude or policy towards Germany?

Britain would fight and never surrender

What was the name of the German general who led Hitler's forces in North Africa?

Erwin Rommel

Who were the Free French?

French military force led by de Gaulle that fought against the Nazi's until France was liberated in 1944

What was blitzkrieg?

German tactic during World War II -means "lightning war" -quick moving, hard hitting drives into enemy territory -used airplanes, tanks and infantry to overwhelm defenders

From where (or which directions did) Germany invade France?

Germany attacked France by going through Belgium and the Ardennes

How did the Battle of Britain end?

Germany called off its attacks and decided to focus on the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe

After the fall of France, which country stood alone against Germany?

Great Britain

What ended the Phony War?

Hitler launched a surprise invasion of Denmark and Norway on April 9th 1940

Atlantic Charter

The joint declaration, in August 1941, by Roosevelt and Churchill, stating common principles for the free world: self-determination, free choice of government, equal opportunities for all nations for trade, permanent system of general security and disarmament.

Who was the new Prime Minister of Great Britain?

Winston Churchill

What was the fighting tactic used that Germany used for the first time against Poland?

blitzkrieg

How did France and Britain respond to Germany's invasion of Poland?

declared war on Germany, but they could not help Poland in time

What was the Vichy government?

puppet government that controlled southern France

What did Germans call the Phony War?

sitzkrieg

What happened at Dunkirk?

the trapped Allied troops were rescued and carried to safety in Britain

What did the USSR do after Germany took the Western half of Poland?

took over Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland