Pearson Baccalaureate – World History:
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Chapter 8: Cross-regional war: World War Two – Practices (p. 165-197)
The war in Europe
Blitzkrieg - the invasion of Poland:
The Nazi’s tanks, supported by the Luftwaffe, smashed over Poland’s border and overran the
Polish heroic, but futile defences. = BLITZKRIEG
29. September: Poland was split up between the Nazis and the Soviets who had invaded from
the east, as secretly agreed in the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
The Phoney War
Very little happened in the next 5 months. Sta invaded Finland and took over Estonia, Latvia
and Lithuania in the ‘Winter War’. Meanwhile, the French manned the ‘Maginot Line’.
The invasion of Denmark and Norway (April 1940)
Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway as Denmark was strategically important for German access
to Swedish iron ore, vital for the armament industry. → downfall of Chamberlain = coalition
government under Winston Churchill.
The invasion of Holland, Belgium and France (May-June 1940)
After invading Holland and Belgium, the Nazis broke through the frontier between Belgium and
France. (France had though the Ardennes to be a strong enough barrier.) Hitler’s victories were
swift, using his blitzkrieg tactics. The Germans also invaded most of the English Channel, which
dealt a serious blow for the allies which had been driven off from the European mainland.
Paris was captured on the 14 of June and Pétain, leader of the government, requested an
armistice. All of the country except the south-eastern part was demilitarized and occupied →
German access to submarine bases. Unoccupied France was allowed its own government under
Marshal Pétain, who actually collaborated with the Germans and had no real independence.
→ By the end of June 1940: Germany dominated Western, Central and Northern Europe, Italy
joined the war and Germans was allied to the USSR and Spain.
The Battle of Britain (1940)
Hitler had hoped for a peace agreement rather than an invasion of Britain but Churchill refused
any negotiations. Even though Britain had no air force to oppose the Luftwaffe, leaving Britain
totally exposed to a German invasion, the Battle of Britain began in July of 1940. The Luftwaffe
bombed London and other cities in order to destroy British morale but failed to do so. Three
reasons for British survival:
1. German air fighters didn’t have enough fuel while the British ones did.
2. New warning system: radar
3. Instead of concentrating on destroying RAF airfield, Hitler switched to bomb the cities,
which allowed the RAF to recover.
That’s why the invasion of Britain was put off indefinitely and in 1941, Hitler turned his
attention to his main priority: the conquest of the Soviet Union.
Entry of Italy → The Mediterranean and the Balkans (1940-41)
, Italy invaded Egypt and Greece but failed. → brought Hitler into North Africa and the Balkans:
German troops overran Yugoslavia and Greece, drove the British out of Libya, the Greek
surrendered and the British evacuated. Significant because:
• Setbacks for the Allies
• British troops in North Africa had to be moved to Greece → weakened the British in
North Africa at a time when Britain needed its strength to deal with the threat from
Rommel
• In having to assist Mussolini, the invasion of the Soviet Union was delayed by a crucial 6
weeks, which had an impact on the chanced of the German reaching Moscow before the
harsh Russian winter.
Operation Barbarossa (22 June 1941)
Attacking Soviet Union → lebensraum, vast resources, BUT the invasion was mainly ideological:
Hitler was impatient to finally destroy a country of Slavs and especially communist, who were
seen as the biggest threats to German society and culture. Attacking the SU had always been
Hitler’s goal even while being in an alliance with the Soviets.
→ Operation Barbarossa: three-pronged attack, Blitzkrieg attack.
Even though the Soviets had a greater number of men, tanks and aircraft, the Germans took
advantage of the Soviets and Stalin not believing in Germany breaking the alliance and attacking
them. Also: The army was still recovering from its war with Finland and from the impact of
Stalin’s purges. → Germany was able to secure dramatic successes in the first months of the war,
yet they failed to take Leningrad and Moscow being held back by the heavy rains of October and
the harsh Russian winter. The Germans had planned to be victorious before the outbreak of
winter, but as they didn’t, suffered terribly. = First time Blitzkrieg tactic had failed.
In 1942: Hitler launched a massive offensive capturing most of Stalingrad. Yet, the Soviets didn’t
surrender and launched a successful counter-offensive surrounding the Germans who were
suffering from food- and ammunition-shortages → surrendered in 1943. = turning point.
Hitler launched a last offensive but failed and for the rest of the war the Germans were in
retreat. The Soviets finally reached Berlin on 2 May 1945.
Why were the Soviets able to defeat the German army?
German mistakes:
• Not prepared for a long war and lacked supplies
• Inadequate equipment to face the Russian Winter
• Russian resistance was made stronger because the Germans carried out brutal attacks
against the civilian population.
• German supply lines became overstretched
• German army faced continual losses that could not be replaced.
Soviet tactics:
• Soviet army’s structure was reorganized
• Improve in communication system = installation of radios
• Stalin withdrew from military responsibility and let his top commanders conduct the war.
(unlike Hitler → failure)
• Patriotism spurred on by German atrocities. Russian population was united in a way not
seen since the Revolution
• Soviets managed to out-produce the Germans in guns and tanks and aircraft by moving
huge quantities of industrial equipment east of the Ural Mountains during the German
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Chapter 8: Cross-regional war: World War Two – Practices (p. 165-197)
The war in Europe
Blitzkrieg - the invasion of Poland:
The Nazi’s tanks, supported by the Luftwaffe, smashed over Poland’s border and overran the
Polish heroic, but futile defences. = BLITZKRIEG
29. September: Poland was split up between the Nazis and the Soviets who had invaded from
the east, as secretly agreed in the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
The Phoney War
Very little happened in the next 5 months. Sta invaded Finland and took over Estonia, Latvia
and Lithuania in the ‘Winter War’. Meanwhile, the French manned the ‘Maginot Line’.
The invasion of Denmark and Norway (April 1940)
Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway as Denmark was strategically important for German access
to Swedish iron ore, vital for the armament industry. → downfall of Chamberlain = coalition
government under Winston Churchill.
The invasion of Holland, Belgium and France (May-June 1940)
After invading Holland and Belgium, the Nazis broke through the frontier between Belgium and
France. (France had though the Ardennes to be a strong enough barrier.) Hitler’s victories were
swift, using his blitzkrieg tactics. The Germans also invaded most of the English Channel, which
dealt a serious blow for the allies which had been driven off from the European mainland.
Paris was captured on the 14 of June and Pétain, leader of the government, requested an
armistice. All of the country except the south-eastern part was demilitarized and occupied →
German access to submarine bases. Unoccupied France was allowed its own government under
Marshal Pétain, who actually collaborated with the Germans and had no real independence.
→ By the end of June 1940: Germany dominated Western, Central and Northern Europe, Italy
joined the war and Germans was allied to the USSR and Spain.
The Battle of Britain (1940)
Hitler had hoped for a peace agreement rather than an invasion of Britain but Churchill refused
any negotiations. Even though Britain had no air force to oppose the Luftwaffe, leaving Britain
totally exposed to a German invasion, the Battle of Britain began in July of 1940. The Luftwaffe
bombed London and other cities in order to destroy British morale but failed to do so. Three
reasons for British survival:
1. German air fighters didn’t have enough fuel while the British ones did.
2. New warning system: radar
3. Instead of concentrating on destroying RAF airfield, Hitler switched to bomb the cities,
which allowed the RAF to recover.
That’s why the invasion of Britain was put off indefinitely and in 1941, Hitler turned his
attention to his main priority: the conquest of the Soviet Union.
Entry of Italy → The Mediterranean and the Balkans (1940-41)
, Italy invaded Egypt and Greece but failed. → brought Hitler into North Africa and the Balkans:
German troops overran Yugoslavia and Greece, drove the British out of Libya, the Greek
surrendered and the British evacuated. Significant because:
• Setbacks for the Allies
• British troops in North Africa had to be moved to Greece → weakened the British in
North Africa at a time when Britain needed its strength to deal with the threat from
Rommel
• In having to assist Mussolini, the invasion of the Soviet Union was delayed by a crucial 6
weeks, which had an impact on the chanced of the German reaching Moscow before the
harsh Russian winter.
Operation Barbarossa (22 June 1941)
Attacking Soviet Union → lebensraum, vast resources, BUT the invasion was mainly ideological:
Hitler was impatient to finally destroy a country of Slavs and especially communist, who were
seen as the biggest threats to German society and culture. Attacking the SU had always been
Hitler’s goal even while being in an alliance with the Soviets.
→ Operation Barbarossa: three-pronged attack, Blitzkrieg attack.
Even though the Soviets had a greater number of men, tanks and aircraft, the Germans took
advantage of the Soviets and Stalin not believing in Germany breaking the alliance and attacking
them. Also: The army was still recovering from its war with Finland and from the impact of
Stalin’s purges. → Germany was able to secure dramatic successes in the first months of the war,
yet they failed to take Leningrad and Moscow being held back by the heavy rains of October and
the harsh Russian winter. The Germans had planned to be victorious before the outbreak of
winter, but as they didn’t, suffered terribly. = First time Blitzkrieg tactic had failed.
In 1942: Hitler launched a massive offensive capturing most of Stalingrad. Yet, the Soviets didn’t
surrender and launched a successful counter-offensive surrounding the Germans who were
suffering from food- and ammunition-shortages → surrendered in 1943. = turning point.
Hitler launched a last offensive but failed and for the rest of the war the Germans were in
retreat. The Soviets finally reached Berlin on 2 May 1945.
Why were the Soviets able to defeat the German army?
German mistakes:
• Not prepared for a long war and lacked supplies
• Inadequate equipment to face the Russian Winter
• Russian resistance was made stronger because the Germans carried out brutal attacks
against the civilian population.
• German supply lines became overstretched
• German army faced continual losses that could not be replaced.
Soviet tactics:
• Soviet army’s structure was reorganized
• Improve in communication system = installation of radios
• Stalin withdrew from military responsibility and let his top commanders conduct the war.
(unlike Hitler → failure)
• Patriotism spurred on by German atrocities. Russian population was united in a way not
seen since the Revolution
• Soviets managed to out-produce the Germans in guns and tanks and aircraft by moving
huge quantities of industrial equipment east of the Ural Mountains during the German
