WWII Battles Study Guide: European Theatre

Battle of Stalingrad: What was the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad on World War II? How was it perceived by the Allies?

Allied Powers Perspective- Germany's loss showed that Hitler's forces were not invincible, therefore giving the Allies the reassurance they needed as they continued on in World War II. Significance- The Battle of Stalingrad was significant to World War II because it marked a major turning point in the war due to the confidence it gave the Allies as they pushed on in order to defeat the weakened Axis alliance.

Battle of the Atlantic: What is the significance of the six-year span of the Battle?

Because the course of the battle spanned nearly that of the whole war in Europe, it affected in some way not only all the events of the Western front, but also the Eastern, as the Soviets would not have been able to make the rapid gains that they made against the Germans from 1943-45 without supplies and munitions from the United States. It goes without saying that Operation Overlord could not have happened without the allies being able to transport troops across the Atlantic safely.

Battle of Kursk: How was technology used in the Battle of Kursk, and how successful was it?

Lots of tanks (around 6000 used), 2,000,000 soldiers, 4000 aircraft. Germany delayed the battle so they could use the latest tank technology. But this gave USSR time to prepare their own defenses so that both sides were heavily equipped in the battle. Blitzkrieg (lightning war) was the German tactic of attacking quickly and aggressively to catch their opponent by surprise.

Battle of Britain: How was radar used by the British to win the Battle of Britain?

Radar was used by the British to detect incoming German air forces from extremely far away. This gave pilots more effective time in the air because they no longer needed to search the skies for enemy planes, they could now detect them. Additionally, they were able to eliminate enemy planes before they reached London due to the advantage radar gave them.

Battle of France: Define and give the significance of blitzkrieg.

The Allied forces were not prepared to counter blitzkrieg during the Battle of France. The strategy involved infantry and air support working together and it greatly helped German forces push into enemy territory and beat down enemy forces.

Battle of the Bulge: To what extent was the conditions and landscape responsible for German failure?

To a large extent, since Germany hoped that the bad terrain and weather would help them by disheartening the Allied soldiers, but it did not play out that way. On the contrary, it backfired and it weakened the German Military since they weren't able to steadily resist an Allied offensive.

Operation Overlord: To what extent did the dummy army play a role in weakening the German forces in Normandy?

To a large extent, the dummy army played a role in the weakening of the German forces in Normandy. This was because the rouse was meant to make Hitler believe that the invasion was coming towards Calais, therefore, shifting his men to Calais and keeping only a small force on Normandy.

Battle of the Atlantic: Why was the German strategy focused on convoy raiding and not direct confrontation?

The germans hoped to take advantage of their U-boats, to avoid direct confrontation while still frustrating the Allied powers with the threat of war. Winston Churchill believed that this battle was Germany's best chance to defeat the western powers. Their ability to navigate the seas using U-Boats was a stealthy advantage over the western powers that allowed them to avoid direct confrontation.

Battle of Kursk: How did Operation Barbarossa and the Battle of Stalingrad influence the Battle of Kursk?

Operation Citadel, the Battle of Kursk, was Hitler's response to the German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad against the Soviet army.

Battle of Berlin: What was the significance of the Battle of Berlin?

The Battle of Berlin was the concluding major battle of the Second World War. Not only was the German army forced to surrender unconditionally, but it pushed Hitler to commit suicide. Additionally, the battle caused the divided future of Berlin and the eventual Cold War. It played both a significant role in ending the second world war, and setting up the eventual Cold War.

Battle of Britain: For what purpose did Hitler launch the Luftwaffe bombings that were the Battle of Britain?

The Luftwaffe had been ordered to achieve air superiority over the English Channel by destroying RAF bases. The aim of the repeated attacks was to eliminate the air force so that Germany could launch an assault across the English Channel and invade the British Isles.

Battle of France: How effective was the Maginot line in the defense of France?

The Maginot line was completely ineffective in the defense of France. It had two major shortcomings, the first being that it was immobile, and the second was that it was not prepared to defend against Germany's blitzkrieg tactics. This resulted in the eventual Battle of Dunkirk and the need for the evacuation of British, French, and Belgian troops.

Battle of Berlin: What were the Soviet Union's intentions when they raced the Allies to Berlin?

The Soviet Union's real intentions behind racing the allies to Berlin was to get the information Germans had on nuclear advancements. The Soviet Union was eager to reach the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute before the Allies to be able to find out what the Germans had come up with. This is due to how the Soviet Union was behind in their own nuclear advancements.

Battle of Stalingrad: Within the battle, how did Russian troops push back against the Germans when German troops entered Stalingrad?

The German army was at the tip of Stalingrad, so a few Soviet generals called for Operation Uranus. They surprise attacked the German troops and it served as an important Soviet victory that turned the tide of the battle.

Operation Overlord: What was the advantage of the Higgins boats versus using other landing craft or destroyers/cruisers?

The advantage of the Higgins Boats because they could go to shore on very shallow land. This is where destroyers and cruisers could not get close enough to but were still too far our in water where soldiers could not walk on the shore. As well, they are able to transport jeeps and tanks to the shore. Additionally, because of their small size, they were a much smaller target.

Battle of the Bulge: To what extent do you agree with the following statement? "The battle of the Bulge was the turning point in WW2 for the European theatre?"

The battle of the Bulge was to a large extent the turning point in WW2 for the European theatre because of the impact it had on the Axis powers and the power it gave the Allies. The German army sustained significant losses that could not be replenished before the end of the war, which did not allow them to Attack and in turn weakened them. Additionally, the Allied powers gained powers as they were able to replenish and go with the offensive as Germany could not do. The Allies used the victory to their advantage and gained the upper hand.