European Theater
German offensive begins
Aggression in europe
Bargaining for the sudentenland
Munich Pact
Germany remiliatrizes and sends trooops to rhineland
Austria and Czechoslovakia fall
1938- germany marches into austria
wanted to invade because the "master race" need more living space
austria and czechoslovakia had german speaking populations
at the end of world war I the sudetenland became a part of czechoslovakia.
France and britain promise to protect sudetenland from german invasion
Treaty of versailles set up leauge of nations
Winston churchill opposed the munich pact
churchill belives it encouraged hitlers agression
Neville chamberlin and the french premier agreed to turn over the sudetenland to germany as long as hitler promises that it is his last act of agression.
Contrary to his promise hitler was not done expanding germanys territory.
Poland had a larger german speaking popultion
hitler claims the germans were being mistreated by the poles.
hitler is worried about a soviet counterattack
Non-aggression pact
stalin decides he has more to loose than gain
August 23rd 1939 the soviet union and germany sign a non aggression pact aggreeing to not fight eachother.
they also signed a second secret pact to divide poland after germany invades.
Invasion of poland
Germanys use of the war tactic "Blitzkreig"
Invasion of poland starts WW2
"Phony war" after invasion of poland troops on both sides sit idle for a couple months before fighting really begins
Allied powers: great britain and france, and later the USSR
Axis powers: germany, italy,japan
France falls
June 1940 france falls to hitler
Germans would occupy the northern part of france and a nazi controlled puppet government would be set up.