U.S. History Jason Saba

CHAPTER 24: “World War Looms” ______________________________________________________Section 2: War in Europe

One Americans Story: [No longer added] Austria and Czechoslovakia Fall1937- Hitler’s plan to absorb Austria and CzechoslovakiaUnion with AustriaAustria became a self-governed country after the warMajority of country were German who favored unification Germany consumes Austria as part of its ownBargaining for the Sudetenland3 million Germans lived in Sudetenland (the western border regions of Czechoslovakia)Mountains region provided for Czech’s major defenseHitler argued that Czechs were abusing the Sudeten Germans = reason for assaultHitler placed troops around the Czech borderNeville Chamberlain: British prime minister who allowed for Hitler’s annexation of the Sudetenland as long as it would be his “last territorial demand”Munich Agreement: Hitler, Chamberlain, and Daladier signed the agreement which turned Sudetenland over to Germany without a single shot being firedWinston Churchill: Chamberlain’s political rival in Great Britain who was against the Munich AgreementAppeasement: giving up principles to pacify an aggressor; Churchill’s beliefs

The German Offensive BeginsHitler broke the pact and expanded his troops into Czechoslovakia land hungry for PolandThe Soviet Union Declares NeutralityHitler charged that Germans in Poland were being mistreated by the PolesPeople thought that he was bluffing b/c attacking Poland would lead to conflicts with the Soviet Union and would likely cause a declaration of war from France and BritainGerman peoples were afraid that Hitler might make the same mistake made in WWINonaggression pact: Signed by Stalin and Hitler, once bitter enemies, which committed never to attack each otherA second pact between Germany & USSR said they would divide Poland between themBlitzkrieg in Poland BEGINNING OF WWII **Luftwaffe: German air force which rained bombs over PolandBlitzkrieg: “lightning war”; made use of advances in military technology to take the enemy by surprise and then quickly crush all opposite with overwhelming force2 days after the attack, Britain and France declared war on GermanyBritain and France were unable to save Poland b/c the blitzkrieg tactics had already taken effect and they were too slow to build up a defenseUSSR attacked Poland from the east and annexed nearly 1/3 of Poland

Notes taken from, The Americans, by McDougal Littel

The Phony WarMaginot Line: a system of fortifications built along France’s eastern borderSitzkrieg: “sitting war”; Germany sat along the western border and France and Britain sat along their eastern borders. Both countries waiting for something to happen. Stalin continued annexing the Baltic states1940- Hitler attacked Denmark and Norway – He planned to strike Great Britain

End of Phony War

France and Britain Fight OnArdennes: a region of wooded ravines in northeast France in which Hitler’s generals sent their tanks throughThe Fall of FranceGermans trapped 400,000 British and French soldiersItaly entered the war on the side of GermanyItaly attacked Paris from the south; Germany from the northHitler gave terms of surrender to French officersMarshall Philippe Petain: headed the Nazi-controlled puppet government in N. FranceCharles De Gaulle: a French general who fled to England after France fell, proclaiming “France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war”The Battle of BritainGermany knew they couldn’t compete with Britain’s naval force so they focused on destroying Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) bombing London for 2 monthsRAF had won the air battles with the help of a new device called radar Hitler called of the invasion of Britain

Notes taken from, The Americans, by McDougal Littel