Starter quiz
- When Britain declared war on Germany, they dispatched the British Army to...
- 'France' ✓
- The Nazi invasion of ______ led to the resignation of Neville Chamberlain as prime minister.
- 'Norway' ✓
- Which of these were features of Blitzkrieg?
- Aeroplanes were used to launch surprise assaults to take out military targets. ✓
- It began with long periods of heavy artillery bombardment.
- Tanks and foot soldiers punched a hole through enemy lines. ✓
- Numerous trenches were dug to create defensive positions.
-
- When Germany invaded France the majority of the British Expeditionary Force became trapped at...
- 'Dunkirk' ✓
- Radar helped to defeat the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain because...
- it detected the positions of incoming German planes. ✓
- it prevented German planes from knowing where British planes were.
- it allowed Britain to bomb German cities.
- it prevented Germany from bombing British cities.
-
- When did Hitler order the bombing campaign known as the Blitz?
- before the Battle of Britain
- during the 'phoney war'
- after the Battle of Britain ✓
- during the Battle of Britain
-
Exit quiz
- In 1941, Hitler launched an invasion of...
- the Soviet Union ✓
- Britain
- France
- Norway
-
- Which of these are reasons why Hitler ordered Operation Barbarossa?
- He had always wanted to destroy communism. ✓
- Hitler believed the racially-superior German people deserved more living space. ✓
- The Soviet Union had attacked Germany.
- the Soviet Union was rich in resources which were needed by Germany. ✓
-
- Which of these are reasons why the Soviet Union was able to absorb Nazi Germany's blitzkrieg tactics?
- a population of 200 million ✓
- superior tanks and equipment
- a superior air force
- its geographical size ✓
- the war efforts of ordinary Soviet civilians ✓
-
- Which southern Russian city did the German army attempt to capture, leading to its defeat and retreat?
- Moscow
- Leningrad
- Stalingrad ✓
-
- The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour brought which nation into WW2?
- Britain
- the USA ✓
- the Soviet Union
- Nazi Germany
-
- With Japan having entered the war, which nation's Asian colonies did they almost entirely overrun?
- Britain's ✓
- the USA's
- the Soviet Union's
-
Worksheet
Loading worksheet ...
Presentation
Loading presentation ...
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- In June 1941 Hitler launched an invasion of the Soviet Union, seeking to increase German territory to its east.
- At first Nazi Germany was successful, taking control of much of the western parts of the Soviet Union.
- In December 1941 Japan attacked the USA at Pearl Harbour, leading to them declaring war on both Japan and Nazi Germany.
- The Nazis attempted to take Stalingrad in 1942 but were ultimately unsuccessful after 5 months of fighting.
- The period 1941-2 was a turning point as it weakened Nazi Germany and led to the entry of the USA into the war.
Common misconception
That the sole turning point of the Second World War was due to America being brought into the conflict.
America's entry into the conflict was an important turning point, however, another significant turning point occurred with the first defeat of the Nazi army in the Soviet Union.
Keywords
Lebensraum - the concept of 'living space' used by the Nazis to justify invading other countries
Siege - the surrounding of a place by an armed force, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling those inside to surrender
+