Topic 2: Changing methods of Land Warfare.
- Created by: Rita Ora
- Created on: 12-11-16 13:23
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- Topic 2: Changing Methods of Land Warfare.
- Static trench warfare to war of rapid movement, known as Blitzkrieg.
- Blitzkrieg (Lighting war).
- Based on 2 weapons-aeroplane and tank. Depended on surprise and speed.
- Key Features:
- 1) Bombers would attack enemy airfields and communication centres.
- 2) Parachutists dropped behind enemy lines- capture bridges and other important targets.
- 3) Dive bombers moved ahead of tanks to attack enemy strong points.
- 4) Tanks broke through weak points in enemy lines.
- 5) Motorised infantry mopped up resistance.
- German Successes 1939-40:
- 1) Blitzkrieg proved very successful in the first 2 yrs of WW2.
- 2) 1st September, Poles were defeated in less than 3 weeks....
- 3) ...They had long border-easier for Germans to attack weak points.
- 4) ...Poles were ill-equipped.
- 5) ...Germans destroyed Polish air force on the ground.
- 6) ...Poland got no help from Britain and France.
- 7) These event were followed by the 'Phoney War'- there was no actual fighting.
- 8) 10th May 1940- Blitzkrieg launched again. Low countries attacked, within 5 days Holland was defeated.
- 9) Other German armies attacked the French and began racing for the coast- (reached 20th May).
- Dunkirk:
- 1) BEF and French forced to retreat to Channel port of Dunkirk (27th May - 4 June).
- Was it a success?
- 1) Navy organised it extremely well.
- 2) RAF outfought the Luftwaffe.
- 3) Small boats rescued about 80,000 troops.
- 4) Dunkirk spirit was born-great morale booster.
- 5) British evacuated 380,000 British and French troops
- Was it a military defeat?
- 2) 300,000 allied troops left behind to become prisoners
- 3) Britain left to fight Germany alone.
- Operation Barbarossa.
- 1) 22nd June 1941- Germans invade Soviet Union.
- 2) Blitzkrieg tactics used were successful at the beginning and took Russia by surprise and the Luftwaffe taking control of the air...
- 3) Stalin had seriously weakened the Soviet armed forces...
- 4) he did not prepare for a German invasion despite repeated warnings.
- 5) Russia- short of weapons too.
- 6) In some parts of Russia, Germans were welcomed as liberators.
- 3) Stalin had seriously weakened the Soviet armed forces...
- 7) But..Russians refused to surrender and as they retreated, carried out a 'scorched earth' policy which left the Germans desperately short of supplies.
- 8) Russian weather proved decisive...with the terrible rain of November, followed by severe cold machine-guns and motor engines froze up.
- 9) Hitler made the mistake of launching the attack too late in the year.
- D-day
- 1) Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944 - an amphibious operation.
- 2) General Eisenhower Supreme Commander.
- 3) The Landings...
- 4) Invasion named ' Operation Overlord'.
- 5) Five beaches used: American's chose Utah and Omaha. British & Canadian's chose Gold, Juno & Sword.
- 6) Allied airborne tropes dropped behind enemy lines.
- 7) Navy bombarded coastline to soften up resitance.
- 8) 4 landings went well. Omaha-not as successful.
- Reasons for success...
- 1) Choice of where to land. Normandy chosen due to the lack of defence there.
- 2) 2 artificial harbours -'Mulberries' were used to land trucks, tanks and supplies.
- 3) Training of armed forces.
- 4) Bombing the area south of Normandy to destroy bridges and the delay arrival of German reinforcements.
- 5) Putting together the 700 ships which took part in the invasion.
- 6) Gaining air space over Normandy meant that Germans were slow to send reinforcements.
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