History Paper 2 Practices of WW2

‣More fluid and rapid than WW1 ‣Air warfare and tank warfare more significant. ‣Strong industrial base was crucial. ‣Civilians were targeted in WW2. ◦Racially fueled.

1. Blitzkrieg and Rapid Advances 1939-1942 2. Counter Attacks from 1942 3. Late War and Heavy Cost Fighting

‣Made by Heinz Guderian; ◦Incorporated elements of stormtroopers from 1918 and elements of Allied successful coordinated attacks 1918.

1. Fast moving tanks and vehicles push far into lines. 2. Air attacks follow. 3. Infantry piles in. 4. Supporting artillery fire provided. ‣Create as much chaos as possible. ◦False rumours, kill innocents, radio messages....

‣1-17 September, Russia and Germany took Poland. ◦Lack of help from Britain and France meant no hope for Poland. ‣German troops well trained , even a middle rank soldier could take command. ◦Operating very independently, local commanders.

‣1940, France relied on the Maginot Line to defend them. ‣The line did not spread into Belgium, and so Belgium was heavily guarded by Britain and France. ‣Germany diverted all Allied Forces to Belgium while launching an ambush attack from the rear. ‣Germans walked through Paris, attacking the Maginot Line from behind. ◦Almost all the British Army was obliterated, and France fell. ‣Luckily tanks were halted on 15 May, allowing British to retreat to Dunkirk. ◦British survived, but lost many troops/weapons. ‣France signed armistice in June 1940.

1914: ‣Belgian and British resistance. ‣Russians deployed in the East. ‣Tired infantry due to long marches from railway. ‣France's air surveillance. 1940: ‣British attempts were weak. ‣Russia helped to supply Germany. ‣Quick motorised vehicles.

‣Expert planning, ‣Blitzkrieg worked well, only 1 front. ‣Britain and France not cooperating. ‣Allied forces were only defense ready not attack. ‣Allies had nothing to gain, just status quo. ‣Poland was unsuspecting. ‣Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939 big surprise.

‣Japan also acted quick on weak enemy. ◦Took out American main naval base with Pearl Harbour Attacks 1941. ◦Then went on to take out colonies. ‣Japan had a small fighting force, but used amphibious landings to take British strongpoints Malaya and Singapore. ◦They took the Philippines ‣Their fighting style relied on spontaneously projecting men onto land from boats- amphibious landings.

‣Refusal to lose and survival of 300,000 men at Dunkirk. ‣Forced Germany to fight on 2 fronts. ‣Churchill was a good wartime leader.

‣Aided Britain by sending conveys. ◦↑Vulnerable to attacks by U-Boats, but Germany was unsuspecting. ‣1940 Roosevelt called America the \"arsenal of democracy\" ‣1941 US Congress passes the Lend-Lease Act.

‣Operation Barbarossa launched to take out Russia in 1941. ◦Successful everywhere else, so why not. ‣Attacked Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev. ◦Stalin disappeared for 2 weeks. ‣Attacked due to hatred of Slavs, lack of war failures and fear of Stalins' 5 Year Plan. ‣By late 1941, 90 million Russia ruled by Germany. ◦They choose to take Kiev, meaning by 1942 Russia was making comeback with winter on their side. ‣1942: Germany fighting against Russia, Britain in Africa, USA+Britain in seas.

‣\"the day of infamy\" rallied American troops. ‣Pacific war dominated by aircraft, and both American aircraft carriers unaffected. ◦Japan underestimated industrial capacity of USA. ‣Made rapid recovery. ‣Turning point in Pacific War, Battle of Midway 1942. ‣USA defeats Japan's navy.

‣Germany going well till Russian comeback in 1942 and they were raided with bombs. ‣Germany was looting and destroying, becoming economically more tough to sustain as pace slowed.

‣Hoped to have victories like Germany. ‣Lost land in Ethiopia and Somaliland. ‣No hope for swift victories by 1942

1. Japan loss in 1942 Battle of Midland. 2. Germans defeated in Al Alamein, North Africa to Britain. 3. Russian victory in the 1943 Battle of Stalingrad.

‣1942 was a stalemate sort of year on Eastern Front. ◦Germany launched sieges against Leningrad and Moscow. ◦‣Russia countered using scorched earth and relocation of industry. ◦The Allies battered Germany's homefront with air raids. ‣Germany wanted to launch a war on Stalingrad, as it would open path to the Middle East. ◦Germany was spread thin and industry was under pressure from bombings. ‣Russia lost many, but had huge population and was fighting close to home. ‣Encircled Germany surrendered in 1943. ◦Hitler responded by sending tons of tanks, against command, to Russian Front. ◦Battle of Kursk, largest tank battle ever, and Russia won.

‣Russia won because of: 1. The winter, 2. Russian industry + numbers, 3. War in Alamein, 4. German homefront 5. New territory, France and Europe, to defend.

‣1942 victory in Al Alamein meant Germany in the backfoot. ◦Especially when combined with their 1943 loss at Stalingrad and Kursk. ‣1943 the Allies were ready to counter attack Italy. ‣1942: Battle of Midland showed USA naval superiority.

‣Germany was losing to Russia. ‣France was main occupation Germany. ‣Total victory or total loss necessary needed to end war due to nationalism. ‣USA and Britain gained ground. ‣Axis being bombed. ‣USA industry was too powerful. ‣Bushido attitude of Japan made them never give up. ◦Only successful goal was holocaust. ‣War continued in 1943 beyond sense.

‣New Allied counterattacks not seen in WW1.

‣Amphibious landings is the dispersal of men from boats, only used in Galipoli WW1 ◦1942 Operation Torch USA successful amphibious landings in North Africa. ◦Precursor to many more amphibious landings. ‣Biggest amphibious landing was the 1944 D-Day Invasion of Normandy. ‣Island hopping used on Japanese possessions. ◦Eventually on Japan in 1945. ◦Island hopping is seaborne attacks, not pinning soldiers down.

‣Anglo-American air forces increased for end of war. ‣Inflicted horrible damage onto German cities. ‣Bombers and fighters developed during war. ‣Developed RADAR technology, important in the long air Battle of Britain. ‣Axis powers developed rockets, too late to do much. ‣Atomic development was most important.

‣Germany tried to bully Britain into signing a peace treaty after beating France. ◦Britain's RADAR technology helped them WIN the long air battle. ‣They lived to fight another day.

‣Tanks used a lot, eg: Kursk. ‣Tanks use post invasion of Normandy. ‣Also small groups used with independent command. ‣Radio contact made this possible.

‣1943 Italy fell easily. ‣Germany and Japan were bound to lose but still fought. ◦Germany had victories, eg: Operation Market Garden 1944. ◦The Allies during this op failed to parachute well. ‣Japan had lost to America in Iwo Jima 1945, but still continued. ‣Used kamikazi planes during Battle of Okinawa. ◦America more inclined to use nukes.

‣Submarines used by Axis Germany starved Britain. ‣Britain reliant on USA for food. ‣Germany had food surplus due to new land. ‣1943 Britain used \"ultra\" to break \"enigma\" and gather food.

‣Air support was crucial in covering ships. ‣Air support could take off from ships. ‣1944 Invasion of France and Italy aided by ships and planes.

‣Russians occupied Berlin 1945. ◦Placed a flag on Reichstag, and cities were in ruins from raids. ◦Soviet troops performed mass rapes. ‣Hitler commits suicide on 8 May 1945. ‣No decision like WW1, it was OVER.

‣Japan surrendered on 2 September 1945. ◦Endured two atomic bombs. ◦Americans offered an ultimatum. ‣Russia occupied Manchuria and Korea. ‣No HOPE for victory.

‣Weaker industrially, ‣Fought multi-fronted war. ‣Didn't win decisively. ‣USSR and USA had unheard of production power. ‣Smart decisions and Britain not losing 1940. ‣Hitler's belief that not destroying Britain meant they'd sign a peace deal.

1. Propaganda ‣Goebbels used propaganda to rally people even after 1943 Stalingrad defeat. ‣Americans used hollywood. ‣USSR used motherland and Stalin hero. 2. Growth of Government Influence: ‣Germany and Japan already controlled by Gestapo and Kempatai before 1939. ‣USA and Britain began to censor and punish . ‣Political life continued normally however. 3. Dissent: ‣Conscientious objectors not bullied as hard due to new war attitudes. 4. Mass destruction: ‣100 Chinese sword kill games. ‣1937 Rape of Nanjing. ‣1941 Final Solution. ‣Russian Revenge in 1945 (Berlin)

‣Moreso part than WW1. ‣Nazi's abandoned 3 K's, ‣Women worked factories and concentration camps. ‣USA + Britain: pilots and drivers. ‣Women could be conscripted as well. ‣Used in USSR guerilla warfare and industry. ‣\"Women hold up half the sky\" -Mao. ‣Cheap meals and child care for women working.

‣Made Asian cities harder to control. ‣1943 Mussolini removed. ‣1944 attempts to kill Hitler. ‣1944 Warsaw Rebellions. ‣Yugoslavia many revolts.