Western and northern Europe, 1940 and 1941

World War II started with a brutal Nazi war crime. On September 1, 1939, German soldiers began their invasion of Poland, triggering the outbreak of World War II.

BEF arrives The British Expeditionary Force, commanded by General Lord Gort, began arriving in France on 9 September 1939. It spent the next seven months training through a bitter winter in readiness for action. By May 1940, it had been built up to over 390,000 men.

September 7, 1940
On September 7, 1940, 300 German bombers raid London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. This bombing “blitzkrieg” (lightning war) would continue until May 1941.

On September 3, 1939, in response to Hitler’s invasion of Poland, Britain and France, both allies of the overrun nation declare war on Germany.

• Norwegian campaign.
• The Battle of France.
• Opening moves.
• Battle of the Atlantic.
• The Mediterranean.
• Operation Overlord and the Normandy landings.
• The East.
• The Offensive.

July 10, 1940 – October 31, 1940
Battle of Britain/Periods

10 July 1940 The Battle of Britain begins. The German Luftwaffe attack British supply convoys in the English Channel for the first time.

The Battle of Britain took place between July and October 1940. The Germans began by attacking coastal targets and British shipping operating in the English Channel. They launched their main offensive on 13 August. Attacks moved inland, concentrating on airfields and communications centres.

The Royal Air Force began bombing military targets in Germany, such as docks and shipyards, in March 1940, and began targeting Berlin in August 1940. From February 1942 onward, the British bombing campaign against Germany became even less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and civilian areas.

In the event, the battle was won by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command, whose victory not only blocked the possibility of invasion but also created the conditions for Great Britain’s survival, for the extension of the war, and for the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany.

southern England
The Battle of Britain was a major air campaign fought largely over southern England in the summer and autumn of 1940. After the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk and the Fall of France, Germany planned to gain air superiority in preparation for an invasion of Great Britain.

Battle of Britain/Periods

Although the Germans continued to bomb Great Britain for months, by October 1940 it was clear that the British had won and that the Germans were forced to indefinitely postpone their sea invasion. The Battle of Britain was a decisive victory for the British, which was the first time the Germans had faced defeat in World War II.

10 Interesting Facts About The Battle of Britain Adolf Hitler wanted to negotiate a peace treaty with Britain. Battle of Britain got its name before it had begun. The German objective of the campaign was to establish air superiority over RAF. It was the first ever battle which was fought exclusively by air forces. August 15, 1940 is called “The Greatest Day” of the battle.

The battle of Britain happened because Hitler had invaded all of the other parts of Europe and only had Britain to get. So the way to end the war would be to get Britain and get rid of their air force so that Germany could invade and take over.

The Germans deployed 107,000 men to seize Denmark and Norway and suffered total casualties on land of 5,660, (including 1,317 killed on land and 2,375 at sea. The UK, France and Poland forces totaled 80,000 men and suffered total casualties on land of 4,000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR-kHSZoh0M