International response to German and Italian aggression (1938-40)

Invasion of Poland

• September 1939 – Nazi invades Poland
  • Divided between Germany and USSR
  • Destroyed Polish railways and airforce through blitzkreig

Response of US

• US lifted embargo
• Modified Neutrality Act to allow war-fighting nations to buy weapons from the US

Europe

• Stalin took over Baltic States and Finland
• Germany took over Denmark and Norway and Belgium and France
  • Chamberlain resigned as PM → Churchill went into power
    • No negotiating with Hitler
• Fall of France
  • June 1940
  • Puppet government run by the Nazis
  • Shocked Maginot line → went through a forest
  • 300k troops had to be rescued in Dunkirk

Italy

• June 1940 – when GM about to win, declares war
• Sept 1940 – invades Greece _ Egypt = and failed
  • Germany has to step in

Britain

• Battle of Britain – July and Sept 1940
• Tried to destroy GB airfields and bases
  • But did not damage moral/capacity/infrastructure
  • Turning point defeat for Hitler