The beginning of WW2

Start of WWII
- August 23rd 1939 - Germany and the Soviet Union
signed a nonaggression pact
- September 1st 1939 - Germany invades Poland to
increase Germany’s “lebensraum” (living space). This
marks the beginning of WWII
- September 3rd 1939 - Britain and France declare war on
Germany
- Therefore who were the allies?

Britain, Poland, France

What is the Blitzkrieg?

“Literally lightning war”

● a swift intensive military attack, esp using tanks

supported by aircraft, designed to defeat the
opposition quickly
Canada - How did they get
involved?
- Canada was deeply divided during the conscription crisis
in WWI
- Prime Minister Mackenzie King feared that a new war
would lose him and the Liberal party the support of
Canadians
- On September 8th 1939, Mackenzie King called a special
session of Parliament to decide Canada’s response to the
war
Canada’s Entrance into the War

- King gave a strong speech of support of joining the war to

parliament
- However, he promised to avoid conscription
- Canada declared war on Germany on September 10th
1939

How was this different than WWI?

WWII continued
Key dates:

● August 23: Germany and the Soviet Union sign the

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
● September 1: Germany invades Poland, starting World
War II.
● September 3: Britain and France declare war on
Germany.
● September: Battle of the Atlantic begins.
Battle of the Atlantic

September 3rd, 1939 - May 8th, 1945

● The longest running battle of WW2

● Germany: U-boats (Submarines), Kriegsmarine (Navy),
Luftwaffe (Airforce)

AGAINST

● Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Navy, United States Navy,

and Allied merchant shipping
1940: What happened next?

The first full year of the war saw Germany invading its
European neighbors:

● Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, and

Romania, and the bombing of Britain lasted for months.
● Royal Air Force undertook nighttime raids against Germany
● Germany, Italy, and Japan signed a joint military economic agreement,
● Italy invaded Egypt
● US became “nonbelligerancy” instead of neutral, therefore, they could
help the allies
 TIMELINE DATES
1940
May:
● Auschwitz is established.
● Germany invades France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
● Evacuation begins of Allied troops from Dunkirk, France.

June/July:
● Italy declares war on France and Great Britain.
● France surrenders to Germany.
● Battle of Britain begins.
1941: What happened next?

● Italy may have been defeated in Greece, but that didn't mean that Germany
wouldn't take the country.
● Then it was on to Yugoslavia and Russia. Germany broke its pact with the
Soviet Union and invaded there, but the winter and Soviet counterattack
killed many German troops.
● The Soviets next joined the Allies. Within a week of the Pearl Harbor attack,
Japan had invaded Burma, Hong Kong (then under British control), and the
Philippines, and the United States was officially in the conflict.
 TIMELINE DATES
1941
June:
● Germany invades the Soviet Union - Operation Barabarossa

December:
● Attack on Pearl Harbour
● Germany and Italy declare war on US and vice versa