3.2 Europe at War (lesson II)

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3.2 Europe at war (lesson II)

The Second World War

Time of World Wars 1900-1950

Lesson goals

- To gain insight in the middle and second part of World War II

- To be able to draw conclusions from the overview of the war

what part of the assignment was hard to do/ section hard to study?

Homework

Study 64-65

Do 3 and 6

In the last lesson we discussed what a Dutch Jew or German mother might think about the situation around Christmas 1940. What is your opinion? (discuss first with your neighbour and both send in a different answer)

Operation Barbarossa

June - December 1941

• Disregarding the Nonagression Pact signed in 1939, the Nazi's attack the Soviet Union
• At first, it seems to be great success

• The Germans treat the population of the Soviet Union with great disrespect. They consider them Untermensch, hardly worthy of living. 
• In WWII, more than 20 million (!) will die (military and civilian deaths)

If you base your opinion solely on the map, how would you descripe the German war effort?

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

7 December 1941

• 
  
• Japan attacks the American marine base of Pearl Harbor. 
• The American fleet is largely destroyed: the Japanese have free range in Asia

Together with your neighbour: (in one word) describe the Japanese plan

The Axis powers stick together: Germany also declares war on the US.

Considering the map: why did the Germans/Japanese loose the war?

Japan occupies the Dutch East Indies 

March 1942

Battle of Stalingrad

August 1942 - February 1943

• The Germans loose. Hitler underestimated the climate, length of time it would take to beat the SU and the will power of Stalin and others.
  
• This is the turning point in the war in Europe: the Soviet Union starts to push the German army back to the west.

Lets say you would make a practical assignment about world war II. Which of the topics discussed so far would you like to work on? What question would you work on?

D-Day

6 June 1944

• With the landing of allied forces in Normandy (France), the Germans are attacked from the west as well as the east
• D-Day means Decision Day.

Why is 'Stalingrad' more important in the defeat of the Nazi's than 'D-Day'?

Market Garden/Battle of Arnhem

September 1944

• The Allies want to cross the Rhine to liberate the rest of the Netherlands, but more importantly, to enter Germany (Ruhr area: industrial heart of Germany.
• The attack fails: the Germans are stronger than expected. 
• It was, literally, a Bridge to Far

Would you want to go and see this movie?

1. For sure
2. Absolutely not
3. I would definitely consider it
4. Probably not

Conference of Yalta

February 1945

• The Allies meet in Yalta (Soviet Union) to discuss post-war issues concerning Europe: e.g. what to do with Germany. 
• The Big Three present: Churchill (GB), Roosevelt (VS) and Stalin (Soviet Union). 
  

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

President of the United States

Joseph Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of Great Brittain

Hitler defeated 

April 1945

• In April the Red Army (of the Soviet Union) attacks Berlin, Hitler's capital.
  
• Hitler commits suicide
  

If you were a German in May 1945, how would you look at the future?

Homework

study 3.2, do 8 + 9