Battles of the WW2

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Battles of the WW2
Blitzkrieg
Who?
Germany Lightning War
What?
Fast and open style of warfare through enemy
defensive lines (occurring in a single spot) -
Panzers
When?
First used in Poland True worth France broke
through defensive lines and rushed for the
coast before any counterattack(Dunkirk)
Why?
Aircraft used first (bombing/artillery) This
created PANIC then tanks and motorized infantry
co-ordinated by two-way radio (invention) Strategy
developed as reaction to attrition of trench
warfare (WW1) Small force could destroy a much
larger one through confusion
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Battles of the WW2
Dunkirk
Who? Britain, France and Germany
(Panzers) What? Allies northern/southern
forces separated by German advance
pushed back to Dunkirk (beach on the English
Channel) eventually escape
Where? European Theatre France When? May
26 to June 4 1940 Why? Germanys continued
conquest of Europe Hitler
ordered the attack to stop at Dunkirk He
thought Britain would surrender
This allowed the allies to regroup and strengthen
their defences Outcome? Operation Dynamo
evacuation of 350 000 troops
allowed allies to continue the war
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Battles of the WW2
Battle of Britain
Who? Britain (RAF) vs. Germany
(Luftwaffe) What? Operation Sea Lion
Fought mostly in the air Where?
Began attacks on airfields near coast before
moving inland to London When? July 10 to
October 31, 1940 Why? 1. Luftwaffe was to
gain control of British air space and destroy the
RAF 2. Destroy aircraft
production/intimidation for surrender Invention
of the Dowding system early warning detection
radar Canadian pilots were involved Outcome
First failure of Hitlers war machine
Realized the Allies were better equipped
for the air war
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Battles of the WW2
Pearl Harbor
Who? Imperial Japanese Navy attack on the
American Navy What? Surprise assault on the
American Navy base and Army airfield
Destroyed 6 aircraft carriers, 12 battle
ships and nearly every plane on the ground
2403 Americans lost their lives Where?
Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii Pacific
Theatre When? Morning of December 7,
1941 Why? Japanese wanted to neutralize the
American fleet in the Pacific
Japan needed oil and supplies planned to take
over Asia Japan feared the
Americans because of their presence in
China Outcome - Attack was a success the US
navy was crippled - long term
disaster as US declares war on Japan
- Germany declares war on the US
- Hiroshima and Nagasaki get bombed with an
atomic bomb
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Battles of the WW2
The Dieppe Raid
Who? Canada, Britain, US vs. Germany
5000 out of 6000 were Canadian What?
Diversionary attack on German fortifications
(defences) at Dieppe Where? Theatre France
beaches of Dieppe When? Dawn August 19th,
1942 Why? Diversionary attack used to draw
Hitlers attention back to the West away from
the Soviets and also to get info
for a larger attack (Normandy) Everything went
wrong 1. Bombers were delayed (soften German
forces)
2. Ships delayed so troops ended up landing
in the daylight
3. Troops were quickly pushed
back More Canadian losses on this day than any
other. 1400 dead 2000 captured
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Battles of the WW2
Operation Barbarossa and the Battle of Stalingrad
Who? Hitler vs. Stalin German
army (3 000 000 men and 3400 tanks) march into
Russia What? Germany stormed into Russia with
the largest offensive in history
Germans quickly make it to Moscow
1941 Hitler launched an offensive on Moscow
1942 Hitler attacked Stalingrad
Where ? European theatre Eastern Front
Majority of the battle was in
Stalingrad When ? Operation Barbarossa began in
June 22, 1941 Germans advance
into Stalingrad the summer of 1942 Why ?
Hitler wanted Russia for land and resources
Major victory that saved Russia
turning point of the war
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Battles of the WW2
The Italian Campaign

• Who ? Canada Britain vs. Germany Italy
• What ? Invasion of Italy (Sicily to the main
  land)
• Where ? Theatre Sicily and mainland Italy
• When ? July 1943 (after defeating the Germans
  in North Africa)
• Why ? Allied offensive into Southern Europe
  with important Canadian involvement
• Continued pressure on German defensive positions
  forcing them to give up territory
• Little resistance until German stand in Ortona
• Canadian forces The Vandoos distinguish
  themselves in battle

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Battles of the WW2
D-Day (Operation Overlord)

• Who ? Canada, Britain, US others vs.
  Germany
• What ? Allied assault landings and invasion
  onto mainland Europe.
• Where ? Theatre Beaches of Normandy, France
• When ? Dawn June 6th, 1944
• Why ? Massive offensive by Allies to gain a
  foothold in mainland Europe
• These landings were the beginning
  of the end of the war in Europe.
• -Largest assault landing ever undertaken. Allied
  involvement 180000 men, 5000 ships
• 8000 aircraft, 3200 landing crafts, 3000 heavy
  guns and 1500 tanks
• -Plan Massive aerial and naval bombing,
  paratroopers drop behind enemy lines and then
• the landing of the troops. Set a false attack
  in Calais to deceive the Germans
• Canadians fought with British to take Juno beach
  (1074 casualties and 359 dead)
• Success
• Gave Allies a base from which they could free
  Western Europe. Using this base for
• operations the Allies continued to force the
  germens back to Germany
• - May 1945 Canadians accept the surrender of the
  Nazis in the Netherlands

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