Blitzkrieg
It starts with the invasion of Poland in 1939 by Germany. Then immediately after Britian and France declare war on Germany. However, at first they underestimated Germany and its power. Due to the humiliation they suffered during World War I, Hitler improved his army and supplies and prepared well for this war. After invading Poland, Hitler divides the country with Stalin, head of the Soviet Union. A series of battles follow after. Blitzkrieg, also known as lightning war, was a very important strategy the Germans used. This helped them take on their enemy by surprise. Using this tactic Hitler then invades Denmark and Norway. His next move was to capture France and Britian. France falls and surrenders to the Germans on June 22, 1940. However, Hitler failed in invading Great Britain. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister was firmly against Hitler and knew his motives from the beginning. Soon, Hitler moves forward attacking the countries of southeastern Europe: the Balkans. A key region that Hitler invades after is the Soviet Union.Hitler and Stalin formed a nonaggression pact that specifically states both would not attack each other. Then under Operation Barbossa, this pact gets violated. The U.S. intended on staying out of the war. However, a German U-boat attacked on a U.S. destroyer in the Atlantic, which urges U.S. to declare war. An interesting point is that the boat came from Japan. In conclusion, Germany starts World War II, due to being humiliated and not agreeing with the standards and terms of World War I. Stronger, faster, well equipped, and new tactics were the key components that helped Hitler take over.
Ten Best Articles
It starts with the invasion of Poland in 1939 by Germany. Then immediately after Britian and France declare war on Germany. However, at first they underestimated Germany and its power. Due to the humiliation they suffered during World War I, Hitler improved his army and supplies and prepared well for this war. After invading Poland, Hitler divides the country with Stalin, head of the Soviet Union. A series of battles follow after. Blitzkrieg, also known as lightning war, was a very important strategy the Germans used. This helped them take on their enemy by surprise. Using this tactic Hitler then invades Denmark and Norway. His next move was to capture France and Britian. France falls and surrenders to the Germans on June 22, 1940. However, Hitler failed in invading Great Britain. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister was firmly against Hitler and knew his motives from the beginning. Soon, Hitler moves forward attacking the countries of southeastern Europe: the Balkans. A key region that Hitler invades after is the Soviet Union.Hitler and Stalin formed a nonaggression pact that specifically states both would not attack each other. Then under Operation Barbossa, this pact gets violated. The U.S. intended on staying out of the war. However, a German U-boat attacked on a U.S. destroyer in the Atlantic, which urges U.S. to declare war. An interesting point is that the boat came from Japan. In conclusion, Germany starts World War II, due to being humiliated and not agreeing with the standards and terms of World War I. Stronger, faster, well equipped, and new tactics were the key components that helped Hitler take over.
Ten Best Articles
- Blitzkrieg (Lightning War): Written by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, this article summarizes the German military strategy "blitzkrieg", and how well it caused chaos among the army defenses. Germany was able to use this tactic successfully against many countries. However, surprisingly "the Soviet Union launched a counteroffensive in November 1942, trapping and destroying an entire German army at Stalingrad".
- Blitzkrieg: This article is written by Robert T Foley, giving a detailed description of how weak the German army was during World War I, and how strong it emerged in World War II due to their new technique Blitzkrieg. Shocked by the victory of Germany against allied forces, " Across the English Chanel a stunned British military establishment struggled to determine how it was that events has so quickly gone so horribly wrong". This article well highlights how Germany's army, Wehrmacht, managed to improve itself tremendously from World War
- Invasion of Poland: Written by Bradley Lightbody, Invasion of Poland states the strategies and steps that Hitler took in order to take over Poland sufficiently and bring into play World War II. Confident that the Anglo- Polish treaty was nothing but an empty gesture, the German army under Hitler, " Bombed all road and rail junctions, and concentrations of Polish troops. Towns and villages were deliberately bombed to create a fleeing mass of terror-stricken civilians to block the roads and hamper the flow of reinforcements to the front". Western military, still utilizing World War I strategies, are now realizing how unprepared they were and how much they underestimated Hitler's ideas.
- Paris Falls to the Germans: Detailed article written by the Guardian on Saturday 15, June 1940 (the day after Paris had fallen under German control). It starts out talking about how Hitler's army used blitzkrieg to to enter the capital, and how Paris realizing its weakness against Germany decided to "sacrifice itself". Giving vivid details of the scene in Paris, it mentions, "It was a strangely empty Paris that awaited the arrival of the Germans... Only a few police were to be seen in the streets. A handful of soldiers and some civilians wandered about aimlessly".
- Battle of Britain: Despite entering the battle "with around 1300 bombers and dive- bombers, and about 900 single-engined bombers 300 twin-engined fighter", Germany lost against Great Britain. Bruce Robinson talks about the failed plan, Operation Sealion, and the successful as well as unsuccessful strategies used to win. This war proved to be significant, cause it indicated that Hitler's plans can be stopped.
- Operation Barbarossa: Written by John Graham Royde- Smith, this article deeply digs into the miscalculations by Germany and the factors that led to their loss in the war. Underestimating the Soviet Union, "(Germany) believed that with 3 to 6 months of their invasion, the Soviet regime would collapse from lack of domestic support".Smith also talks about the courage and stubbornness that the Soviets showed while the French lacked it.
- Blitzkrieg: The main element involved in the blitzkrieg tactic was that it was a surprise attack. Written by Henry J. Reilly, this article talks about the components involved in blitzkrieg and the similarities between other allied strategies. Reilly mentions that the blitzkrieg strategy was so strong, " No nation in Central Europe or the Balkans is armed and equipped, anymore than was Poland, to withstand a blitzkrieg attack".
- "The Phony War" October 1939- April 1940: Imagine a war with the lack of any activity and not much movement. Well, that is exactly what the "Phony War", having taken place on December 1939, came to be. Jason McDonald writes about the unexpected Phony war that happens after the initial terror of the Polish campaign. He also talks about all the opportunities that the French lost to secure themselves and keep Germany from attacking. McDonald mentions, " Many in Great Britain expected a major calamity – but the title ‘Phoney War’ summarizes what happened in Western Europe – near enough nothing".
- The U.S. Army vs. The Maginot Line: "As originally constructed, the Maginot Line was one of the most powerful and extensive fortification systems ever built". Bryan J. Dickerson writes about the Maginot line located along France's border with Germany. This is where the Phony War took place. He goes in depth about the strength of the Maginot Line and how not even a single American Weapon could destroy the line alone.
- The True Strategy of Blitzkrieg: Florian Waitl gives a detailed description of the components involved that made blitzkrieg a successful strategy in the war. He gives insight on the misconceptions of blitzkrieg and how exactly it took form. By breaking down the three main levels of blitzkrieg and the factors that make it effective, he mentions, " there are three factors which form the basis for an offensive action. They are surprise, speed, and superiority in material or firepower".
- "The Finest Hour"- Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, was a strong leader that defended his country at any cost. He was firmly against Hitler and his plans to invade Europe. Here is a recording of the speech that Churchill made on June 18, 1940 in which he talked about how important it is to keep Hitler from taking over Britain.
- Adolf Hitler Explains His Reasons for Invading the Soviet Union- On June 2, 1941 Hitler's army attacked the Soviet Union by surprise. This violated the 10 year non aggression pact that Hitler signed with Stalin. Here is a speech that Hitler gave (translation in English) to justify his actions. He mentions how he felt that they were advancing against Germany, and he needed to defend his country. Listen to how well Hitler gave his speech and the clever lies that he used to persuade Germans into following him.
- Blitzkrieg Tactic: Here is a video that gives a detailed description as well as visual on how the strategy played out on the war fields. It also shows live footage of the tanks and planes used during the war.
- France Surrenders, 1940: William Shirer, a news reporter for CBS News, was present at the time of the armistice between Germany and France, which took place at Compiegne (a forest north of Paris). This was the exact place where the Germans had signed an armistice ending World War I. Shirer recalls, "... It is a grave hour in the life of France. The Frenchmen keep their eyes straight ahead. Their faces are solemn, drawn. They are the picture of tragic dignity. They walk stiffly to the car, where they are met by two German officers, Lieutenant-General Tippelskirch, Quartermaster General, and Colonel Thomas, chief of the Fuhrer's headquarters. The Germans salute. The French salute. The atmosphere is what Europeans call "correct." There are salutes, but no handshakes".
- Proclamation by Adolf Hitler, September 1, 1939: Hitler talks to his army about the invasion of Poland. Notice the words and the way he phrases his speech. His speeches, like this one, cause Germany to be very nationalistic. Also, his style of talking makes it seem as if he is doing this to defend his country and he has no other choice. Basically, his speech portrays him as someone who he isn't. Here is the proclamation: "The Polish State has refused the peaceful settlement of relations which I desired, and has appealed to arms. Germans in Poland are persecuted with bloody terror and driven from their houses. A series of violations of the frontier, intolerable to a great Power, prove that Poland is no longer willing to respect the frontier of the Reich. In order to put an end to this lunacy, I have no other choice than to meet force with force from now on. The German Army will fight the battle for the honor and the vital rights of reborn Germany with hard determination. I expect that every soldier, mindful of the great traditions of eternal German soldiery, will ever remain conscious that he is a representative of the National-Socialist Greater Germany. Long live our people and our Reich!"
- Franco-German Armistice: June 25, 1940: This is the document highlighting all the restrictions that Germany put on France after they surrendered under Germany. It talks about the demobilization of the French army, territories under German control, and much more.
This map clearly shows the areas that Germany tries to conquest from 1939-1942. German air attacks, London and Greece. It takes over Poland in 1939 which ultimately started the war involving France and Great Britain. France eventually surrender's to Germany. However, due to the advantage of the English Chanel that separates London, Germany was unable to take over. Then around early 1941, Hitler invades in the Balkans.
Hitler invades the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. He names the plan Operation Barbossa, and it violated the nonaggression pact signed in 1939. This map shows the routes that Germany took to invade. He first attempted to take over Leningrad but failed. Then he tried to take over Moscow, which is the capital of the Soviet Union, but the Soviets fought hard and saved Moscow. From the map you can tell that from 1939-1941 Hitler's empire is much greater and it didn't take too much time for him to expand. This indicates that Germany's army was well prepared and also much more stronger than they were in World War II, which is why the allied forces underestimated them.
When Hitler tried to invade France, they formed the Maginot line (green) which was supposed to protect them from surprise attacks, or give them time to get ready for a known attack. The Germans had the Siegfried line (red) that bordered them. Both armies waited on their lines to attack, and it ended up being known as the "Phony War". Soon, however Hitler's army ended up squeezing through the Maginot line and entering France.
This map shows the division of Poland between Germany and Soviet Union. This was secretly planned when the nonaggression pact was signed. Germany invades the western part and Soviets take the eastern part. Finland resisted at first but then eventually surrendered to the Soviets. Also Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia was given to the Soviets.
In 1940, Germany launched a surprise invasion of Denmark and Norway. He did this in order to build bases along Noway since it is easier to strike at Britain from there. They both surrendered and were under the control of Germany. The map shows the areas the German invaded and the routes they took.