Second world war

1. Second World War 1939-45

3. German Blitzkreig

4. Second World War
• September 1939-1945
– Poland Defeated due to German Blitzkrieg (lightning
War) and Luftwaffe (German Air force)
– Poland Divided between USSR and Germany
– The “Phoney” War (Sep 1939- April 1940)
• Russians took over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
• No Offences against Germany
– Denmark and Norway Invaded (April 1940)
• Control of the Ports in Norway which were
important for the German Armament Industry
• Attack Britain’s Trade Routes

5. Continued…
 Hitler Attacks Holland, Belgium and France
– Holland and Belgium annexed
– Paris was Captured in June 1940 and Complete Northern France
came under the Control of Germans
• The Battle of Britain ( Aug- Sep 1940)
– Battle between Luftwaffe and Britain’s LAF
– For the First time, Germans faced reverses in the war
• Mussolini Invades Egypt and Greece
– Forced to retreat by more powerful British Army

6. Axis Offensive (1941-42)
• Hitler’s Involvement in North Africa and Greece (May 1941)
– Occupied Libya, certain parts of Egypt and Greece
– This was important since it delayed his attack on USSR
– If the attack wasn’t delayed, Hitler could have captured USSR
before the winter
• German Invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa)
– 3 Pronged Attack
• North- Leningrad
• Centre- Moscow
• South- Ukraine

7. Continued…
• USA enters the war (Dec 1941)
– Remained neutral earlier, but through passage
of lend-lease act provided massive Financial aid
to Britain
• Entered the War due to Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbour
Need for raw materials in SE
Asia
American Insistence of Japanese withdrawal from both
China and Indo-China
 Brutal Behaviour by Germans and Japanese

8. 1942-43
• Axis forces defeat at Mid Way Island, El Alamein and
Stalingrad
• Mid Way Island
– American’s Offensive on Japanese Carriers and
Strike planes completely weakened Japan
• El Alamien Offensive
– Prevented Egypt and Suez Canal from falling into
hands of Germany
– Complete expulsion of Axis Forces from North Africa
• Germany Failed to Capture Stalingrad due to Extremely
Cold Conditions

9. 1943- 1945
• Fall of Italy
Mussolini and his mistress
Claretta Petacci
• Launch of Operation Overlord, 1944
– Invasion of France ( Second Front)

10. Operation Overload

11. Battle of Bulge

12. Hitler Commits Suicide

13. Defeat of Japan (6th August 1945)

14. Reasons for Loss of Axis Powers
• Shortage of Raw materials
• The Allies learned from their Failures
• The Axis powers took on too Much
• The Combined Resources of USA, Britain and USSR
• Tactical Mistakes by Axis Powers
• Japanese less emphasis on aircraft carriers
• Hitler’s Involvement in North Africa and Greece which led to
delay in attacking USSR