World War II -- The Greatest Event in Human History Somewhere between 50 - 80 million people died because of World War II. This includes soldiers as well as civilians that were affected by the war. Millions of civilians were murdered, starved, and/or worked to death during the war. The death toll from World War I (1914 -1918) was around 20 Million -- twice the population of North Carolina today. World War II more than doubled the death toll of World War I, causing immense and immeasurable pain and suffering to the world. 50 - 80 Million = 5 to 8 Populations of North Carolina Today! Why? Adolf Hitler took power of Germany in 1933 and began rapidly expanding his military potential (militarism). The Treaty of Versailles that had ended World War I in 1918 forbid Germany to rebuild its’ military -- but Hitler did not care. Hitler and the Nazi’s also annexed, or took control of, the country of Austria in 1938 and then a piece of the country of Czechoslovakia as well. As we have learned, Britain and France practiced appeasement with Hitler, giving him what he wanted in an attempt to avoid war. The people of Great Britain and France remembered the devastation of World War I and wanted to avoid a second great war at all costs. Unlike Italy and Germany who had dictators, France and Britain were Democratic Republics and had to listen to the will of the voters in their countries. Britain and France finally put their foot down and told Hitler and the Nazis that any more expansion would mean war. On September 1st 1939, Hitler invaded Poland -- France and Britain declared war shortly after. Despite Hitler and Joseph Stalin of The Soviet Union’s pact of non-aggression, Hitler invaded The Soviet Union in 1941, bringing The Soviet Union to the side of the allied forces (see below…) Nazi Germany learned from the mistakes that the German army made during World War I (1914 - 1918). World War I saw trench warfare -- with no side gaining much ground and a general stalemate on the battlefront. To avoid this happening again, Hitler and his military generals decided to do the exact opposite. Known as blitzkrieg, or ‘lightning warfare’, Hitler and the Nazis used tanks, airplanes, and motorized vehicles to rush into enemy territory as quickly as possible -- not letting their enemies take time and get prepared. This tactic proved extremely effective in the beginning of the war with the Nazis gaining more and more territory. Fast Moving ‘Panzer’ German Tanks Using Blitzkrieg Warfare The Nazi’s tactics and powerful military that had been built up throughout the 1930’s defeated France by the end of 1940. With The United States not yet joining the war, this left Great Britain alone against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Hitler and his armies met their first challenge during their operation ‘sealion.’ Hitler wanted to invade the island of The United Kingdom and knock them out of the war. If he and the Nazis were successful, there would be almost nothing stopping them from total domination of Europe. The Battle of Britain 1940 In 1940 Hitler’s air force -- the luftwaffe -- began to continuously bomb the capital of The United Kingdom in London. Thanks to the bravery and skill of British fighter pilots, The United Kingdom was able to prevent the Nazi’s from controlling the skies over London. This was the first big blow to Hitler’s aspirations of European domination. Hitler begrudgingly turned his attention away from The United Kingdom, realizing that he would not be able to defeat them as quickly as he had hoped. Nazi Operation Barbarossa Hitler now turned his attention to the east. In June of 1941, Hitler went back on his non-aggression pact with Joseph Stalin and The Soviet Union. In what was called operation ‘Barborossa’ -- the Nazi’s raced into the massive Soviet Union in their Blitzkrieg style. Hitler believed he would be able to knock The Soviet Union out of the war quickly and have his troops fully supplied well before winter came -- he was wrong. Stalin and his armies played a game of ‘cat and mouse’ with the advancing Nazi military. Rather than fight them head on, the Soviets retreated further and further into Russia, forcing the Nazis to try and keep up. Summer soon turned to winter, and German troops had almost none of the supplies necessary to fight in the freezing cold temperatures that are normal in Russia. Soviet Union troops were well adjusted to the freezing winters of the ‘motherland’ however. The Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad took place within the Soviet Union between Nazi forces and Soviet forces. It was the bloodiest battle of the war, and is thought of as the turning point of the war. Up until the Battle of Stalingrad, Hitler and his Nazi troops had seen very little defeat. After months of fighting in freezing cold temperatures, eating almost nothing, and death being more common than survival for most men, the Soviet Union was able to defeat the Nazis at Stalingrad -- a huge blow to Nazi morale and military power. (And yes, Stalin named a city after himself…) Hitler was a fierce social darwinist and he believed that only the strong should survive. Despite the pleas of Hitler’s generals at Stalingrad to surrender, Hitler would not allow it. He ordered his troops to fight until the death. Finally after seeing no other options, Hitler’s generals surrendered anyway in 1943. Of the 100,000 German soldiers taken prisoner by Stalin and The Soviet Union at Stalingrad, only 5,000 survived until the end of the war -- starvation, brutal treatment, and hypothermia would ensure the rest never made it home. The United States Joins the War Just like in World War I, The United States did not join the war at first. It wouldn’t be until 2 years after the invasion of Poland that The United States would join the side of the allies. This was because of a Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1941. Once again the industrial powerhouse that was The United States was dragged into a war it didn’t want any part of at first. At first the United States and their popular President Franklin Roosevelt only declared war on Japan. However, Hitler would soon declare war on The United States and a great global divide between the forces of democracy and capitalism would be going head to head with Fascism and totalitarianism. Questions… 1) How many populations of North Carolina today died in World War II? 2) How did Hitler eventually break his deal with Joseph Stalin and The Soviet Union? 3) Explain in your own words the military tactics the Nazis used in during the beginning of World War II? 4) What would likely have happened if Hitler and the Nazis were able to take over The United Kingdom? 5) Why did HItler not allow his starving and freezing troops to surrender at Stalingrad? 6) How many Nazi troops that were captured at Stalingrad survived the war? 7) What event dragged The United States into World War II? .