The Conduct Of A Second Global War

The Conduct Of A Second Global War

The Conduct of a Second Global War
          a. Introduction

                i. Hitler's victories stunningly fast

                      1. West's reluctance to arm/react decisively

              ii. War shifts once Germans get stuck in Russian winter

                      1. Anglo-American, Soviet alliance has more #s, industry, technology

          b. Nazi Blitzkrieg, Stalemate, and the Long Retreat

                i. Blitzkrieg - lightning fast war

                      1. Coordinate tanks, mechanized troop carriers, fighter aircraft/bombers

                      2. Penetrate deep into nation - hit capital hard

                      3. Severely punished civilian population that didn't surrender

                      4. In months, French defeated, British pushed back across the Channel

              ii. Why did France lose so quickly?

                      1. Gov't couldn't agree on what to do - left vs. right argued

                      2. Weapons painfully outdated

                      3. Civilian population demoralized

                      4. Only Vichy France in South exists - puppet government

              iii. Turns to invasion of Britain - strong air force + growingly powerful army

                      1. Battle of Britain - Britain actually holds off

                            a. Strong leadership of Churchill/war cabinet

                            b. Radar detection discovered Nazi flight plans

                            c. Bravery of Britain's royal family

                            d. High morale of citizens

                      2. Land invasion called off, can't fight off British Navy

              iv. But Germany had taken over W. Europe, Scandinavia, Mediterrenean, N. Africa

                      1. Conguered areas must provide

                            a. War materials, soldiers, slave labor

          c. Hitler turns on Soviet union...