The Second World War 1939-45
Significant events of the Second World War
The war broke out when Hitler invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Britain declared war two days later, on 3 September.
At first there was a 'Phoney War' – Britain and France was not directly threatened – but in 1940 the Germans attacked. Their Blitzkreig tactics quickly destroyed the Allied forces. France was defeated and the British army was evacuated from Dunkirk. For a while, Britain and the empire faced the Germans alone, and had to survive the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.
Blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg, which means “lightning war” in German, utilised the “concentration principle;” the idea that concentrating forces against an enemy, and making a single blow against a carefully chosen target.
German forces employed Blitzkrieg tactics during the invasion of Poland in 1939, including combined air-ground attacks and the use of Panzer tank divisions to quickly crush the poorly equipped Polish troops. Then in April 1940, Germany invaded neutral Norway, seizing the capital, Oslo, and the country’s main ports with a series of surprise attacks.
In May 1940 came Germany’s invasion of Belgium, the Netherlands and France, during which the Wehrmacht (German army) used the combined force of tanks, mobile infantry and artillery troops to drive through the Ardennes Forest and quickly penetrated the Allied defences.
With close air support from the Luftwaffe (German air force) and the benefit of radio communications to aid in coordinating strategy, the Germans blazed through northern France and toward the English Channel, pushing the British Expeditionary Force into a pocket around Dunkirk. By the end of June, the French army had collapsed.
Dunkirk Evacuation
Dunkirk is a small town on the coast of France that was the scene of a massive military campaign during World War II. During the Battle of Dunkirk from May 26 to June 4, 1940, some 338,226 British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and other Allied troops were evacuated from Dunkirk to England as German forces closed in on them. The codename for this was: Operation Dynamo. The massive operation, involving hundreds of naval and civilian vessels, became known as the “Miracle of Dunkirk” and served as a turning point for the Allied war effort.
On 4th June, 1940, Winston Churchill delivered one of the most famous speeches of all time to the House of Commons in Westminster. In it, he warned about the possibility of a German invasion of Britain and said to the inspiration of many: "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."
Germany had hoped defeat at Dunkirk would lead Britain to negotiate a speedy exit from the conflict. Instead, the “Miracle at Dunkirk” became a rallying cry for the duration of the war, and an iconic symbol of the British spirit, leaving a cultural legacy of pride and perseverance that endures nearly eight decades later.
What was the Battle of Britain?
The Battle of Britain in World War II was between Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Luftwaffe, Nazi Germany’s air force, and was the first battle in history fought solely in the air. From July 10 through October 31, 1940, pilots and support crews on both sides took to the skies and battled for control of airspace over Great Britain, Germany and the English Channel. The powerful, combat-experienced Luftwaffe hoped to conquer Britain easily, but the RAF proved a formidable enemy.
Who won the Battle of Britain?
By the end of October 1940, Hitler called off his planned invasion of Britain and the Battle of Britain ended. Both sides suffered enormous loss of life and aircraft. Britain lost 1,000 planes and Germany lost 1,800. Still, Britain weakened the Luftwaffe and prevented Germany from achieving air superiority. It was the first major defeat of the war for Hitler.
The British won the Battle of Britain due to a confluence of factors. They were defending their home territory, so were more motivated to succeed, and also knew the local geography better than the invaders. Another major factor was the Dowding System’s pioneering use of radar (which could warn the RAF of enemy attacks), aircraft and ground defence gave Great Britain a competitive advantage.
What was the significance of the Battle?
The Battle of Britain was a turning point in World War II; if the RAF had not held off the Luftwaffe, Hitler would have likely moved forward with his Operation Sea Lion invasion of the British Isles. This would have been devastating to the British people and all efforts to stem Hitler’s rise to power. Germany needed to control the English Channel to invade Britain, and the battle prevented them from gaining that valuable control.
D-Day
During World War II (1939-1945), the Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle began on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.
The end of the war
The German surrender
After D-Day on 6 June 1944, Germany was gradually driven back in Western Europe by the British, Americans and their allies.
The Americans and British continued the strategic bombing campaign on German cities.
The Russians advanced in Eastern Europe and in April they reached Berlin. Hitler committed suicide.
Germany surrendered and war came to an end in Europe shortly afterwards and VE Day was announced on 8 May 1945. Winston Churchill announced this with caution: We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing; but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead. He was speaking of Japan, where the war would continue for three months more.
