The War in Europe Hitler Blitzkrieg lightning war

The War in Europe

Hitler � Blitzkrieg – “lightning war” new form of warfare used by Germans to quickly defeat an enemy *Leads to Poland being defeated in a month

1940 � France falls in less than six weeks when the Germans go around the Maginot Line � *goes through Belgium again

Battle of Britain (1940) � First major battle fought in the Air � Britain Air Force defeat German Luftwaffe planes

June 1941 � Hitler begins an invasion of Russia, breaks pact with Stalin

Lend-Lease Act � Lend Lease Act – the U. S. began providing arms and other supplies to non-axis countries

Hitler Declares war on U. S. � Dec 11 th – Hitler declares war on the U. S. after pearl harbor � "Defeat Hitler First" strategy most American military resources were targeted for Europe

War in North Africa � El Alamein – British forces drove the Germans led by General Rommel out of Egypt � George Patton- U. S. General tank commander helps defeat Germans

Battle of Stalingrad � turning point of the war � Hitler sought to take the city and Soviet oil fields � Hitler refuses to surrender loses 300, 000 men

Tehran Conference (1943) � first meeting of the “Big Three” – Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin � Allies agree to an invasion in Western Europe in 1944

June 6 th 1944 (Operation Overlord) � D-Day – 120, 000 troops invaded France in an invasion on Normandy � Dwight D. Eisenhower – American general in command of the Allied invasion

Battle of the Bulge � Hitler makes one last offensive drive to drive the Allies away from the western German border � it fails � largest land battle of World War II

Yalta Conference � Yalta Conference (Feb 1945) – Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt discussed dividing Germany after the war, into four sections

V. E. Day (May 8 th 1945) � “Victory in Europe” as Germany surrenders � the war in Europe is over!