Module 7

Global Conflagration

  1. Course of WWII (Allies: GB, SU, US vs. Axis: GR, IT, JP)
    1. Hitler and Nazi Germany invade Poland (1939)
      1. though allied w/ FR and GB, no chance to intervene before broke through Polish Front within days.
      2. Many believe that WWII could have been stopped in Poland if FR and GB had taken the opportunity to attack the German forces in the West while they were occupied in Poland. Did not take it b/c feared deadlocked trenches and denied war’s existence.
      3. By 1940, will to act eroded and called “Sitskrieg” or Phony War for several months, linear and border warfare emerges that is vulnerable to tank attack
    2. France Falls, 1940
      1. Maginot Line never reached indust centers of Belgium and FR though impenetrable along with the dense Ardennes Forest—concentrated forces in N and weak around Ardennes to counter German offensive
      2. Hitler and young generals reversed German offensive goals and hit Ardennes full on then up the Channel
        1. did not have superior force but had tactical advantage but stopped by FR/GB tanks in N Belgium
        2. Germ not invincible but achieved quantative and qualitative superiority through mass control of territory
    3. Tried to push into Channel to get FR/GB troops but evac 250,000 GB, 700,000 FR/Belg (335,000) removed from grasp, unknown why Hitler called halt of Panser tank divisions for follow-up. By June, 1940 France surrenders which was big goal then turns to GB with no real plan for invasion but to sue for peace and coexist
      1. Winston Churchill refuses to abandon FR and chooses to fight (w/o him, GB prob would have made best deal w/ Hitler to avoid war)
      2. BATTLE OF BRITAIN: mass bombing attacks of military targets then accidental bombing of London, RAF retaliates on Berlin—Hitler enraged so concentrates after on cities (beginning of downfall as rouses defenses of common people), efforts to take over GB faltering but dominate rest of E & W Eur
    4. US: wanted to stay out at all costs, said Hitler was not really different in moral quality of aggressors in WWI and wanted to avoid trench deadlock, also some fatalism over German victory but defeat of France gets US aid to GB
      1. Destroyers-Bases Deal (1940)—US bases in Carib for US destroyers to GB
      2. Lend-Lease Act (1941)—agreement with GB and Russia to lend or lease armaments but to be “returned” after war
      3. US role is not neutral as in WWI but direct US gov’t aid, had passed Selective Service Act (1940) so 1.2 mil men in Army by late 1940 and begin staff consultations for joint war plans in mid 1941 before Pearl Harbor w/ antic entry into conflict
    5. Russian people bear brunt ofattack by Germans—over 20 mil killed and twice that wounded.
      1. German 3 pronged attack in N (Leningrad), C (Smolensk), and S (Kiev) to attempt largest mass land invasion since Nap B and almost succeeds because internal Russian probs (unstable milit when Stalin purges 2/3 officer corps in fear of coup, spread out on frontier, untrue belief that Russian troops 2ndrate).
      2. German Mistakes: no victory plan though to go to Moscow later and some might have welcomed Germans as liberators from Stalin, large eradication of the Jews and Slavis peoples provoked partisan bonds (enemies) plus Russian manpower huge vs German (ex. Border fighting 800,000 Germ casualties vs 3 mil Russ cas w/ 1.5 mil POWs yet still held line vs invasion)
      3. By end 1941, Germans virtually annihilated b/c early winter, new Russ troops transferred from E, and Germ society not fully mobilized until 1943 (Albert Spear) so civilian morale behind effort low. Also Hitler overconfident of military strategy/capability—downgrades into skirmish fighting until end 1943. Other events also impact fighting in Atlantic, North Africa, and Pacific.
    6. Atlantic/European Strategy emerges to keep Germany fighting on two fronts so weaken forces in FR for US and GB to overcome while in Pacific its mainly US (w/ help from GB and Australia) vs JP pursuing war of attrition and island-hopping
  2. Issues for debate in WWII
    1. Pinnacle of Racist Ideology
      1. Final Solution: eradication of Jews and other minority groups (gypsies, mentally ill, homosexuals, etc), also their supporters and anyone considered subversive to German national interest; by end, called Holocaust because of mass extermination of human beings—concentration camps, death marches, train cars, gas chambers, work farms
      2. Aryan Race: glorification of ancient German bloodlines, certain facial and body characteristics favored, men and women deliberately chosen to breed new German race (ex. one woman who bore child by man hand-picked for her, she received money and status for her part), regrets over giving child to state to raise and trying to find through extensive German records that were kept
    2. Technology proved means of sparing soldiers but devastating impact on civilian casualties
      1. Strategic bombing of civilian population to undermine morale of people and destroy commercial/industrial centers
      2. Atomic power: development of weapons of mass destruction, see potential; ability of humanity to destroy itself within minutes. BY FAR, THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS RESULT OF WWII and the use of technological warfare. Will issue in a period of the Cold War that will last most of the century and an arms race designed to maintain balance of power but massive effort to control their deployment. Russia and US emerge from WWII as major powers and pursue policy of Cold War—deserve huge amount of credit on both sides that chose caution over attack.

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