Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Second World War - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - "Towards a Nazi Europe?"


The first fase of the Second World War, from 1939 to 1941, was denominated by "Lightening War" (Blitzkrieg), in wich the Germany had many advantages: good Generals, a carismatic leader next to the people, a great propaganda and an army well trained and equiped that launched great lighting attacks, through tanks and airplanes. This "blitzkrieg" was the air bombardement of the target, followed by a quickly advance of the infantry, protected by the fast and effective armoured divisions Panzers.

France still used old tactics and don't had available a powerfull pedestrian army and the airplanes where worst than those of Germany and because of that it was no force that could repel a nazy attack... In the 1st of September 1939, Poland is invaded and reparted beetween Germany and URSS, having France no time to react. In the same moment, URSS attacked Finland, wich was impossible to conquer. Now the attentions were turned to the Scandinavia.

In the Spring of 1940, the germans conquered Denmark (in only one day!!!) and in April they invaded Norway, making its enemies retreat in June. With those tactics, they colsed the Atlantic Nort and the Baltic Sea to the English and to the Soviets and passed to have a direct acess to the nordic iron, wich was very important to the industry of war...

The germans had only a big problem to face if they invaded France: The Maginot Line. It was a group of fortifications placed in the frontier beetween France and Germany. The Line was almost invencible, and the germans knew that. So they advanced trought the low countries (Netherlands and Luxembourg), hoping that with this strategy they could also cut the support of the Great Britain to France.

At 14 June of 1940, Paris fall to the hands of the mighty german army and the Govern of Pétain wasked for Armistice, that was signed in 22 June of 1940. According to this, three-fifths of the national territory were delivered to Germany and almost 2 milion solders delivered to the Axis and taked to Fields of Concentration. Only Southern France (except Aquitania) was free of the Nazis, but it remain under the eyes of the germans.

After the fall of France, England became even more isolated. However, the resistance was rising. This benefited of one defeat that consisted in the retreat of Dunkirk, that seemed to have been a disaster for the Allies, but allowed the reorganization of troops on British soil. This withdrawal by sea, the vast operation Dinamo, which had the full support of the English nation, where it were used all ships possible.

Hitler could not invade the island, but tried to lower the morale of British through bombardments.

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