Britain Topic 2: Britain Alone

Front 1

Britain going to war

Back 1

• Who: Britain (Winston Churchill) against Germany
  
• What: British solders, the British Expeditionary Force, were sent to the French border to prepare for a German assault. However the Germans attacked through Belgium, and took over France with remarkable speed
• When: 1st September 1939
• Why: Germany invaded Poland and it was thought that Germany would invade France soon

Front 2

Blitzcreig

Back 2

• Who: Used by the Germans in WW2
• What: A fast tactic to occupy territory. German planes would bomb and area, then tanks would move in, followed by soldiers and then the planes and tanks would move on, leaving the soldiers to guard the area
• When: From the 19th of May 1940
• Why: It was fast and often caught armies by surprise, allowing for takeovers and causing them to retreat

Front 3

The Evacuation of Dunkirk

Back 3

• Who: The BEF and other allied forces retreating from Dunkirk in France to Britain
• What: Named Operation Dynamo. The British navy and many other people with boats sailed over to Dunkirk from Britain and collected allied soldiers, before returning them to British shores. 338,000 were returned home, exceeding government expectations. Morale was raised and the Dunkirk Spirit became a symbol of success in the face of impossibility
• When: 26th May to 4th of June 1940
• Why: Save the BEF to fight another day, improve morale, inspired people to fight against Germany

Front 4

Initial 4 stages in the first Luftwaffe attack on Britain

Back 4

• 10th July - 7th August: Luftwaffe attacks the British coast, particularly radar stations
• 8th August - 6th September: Luftwaffe attacks airfields
• 7th September - 15th September: Hitler attacks London (Blitz), thinking he has defeated the RAF
• 17th September: Luftwaffe defeated. They launched a final attack on airfields, losing 60 planes. Hitler called off Operation Sealion

Front 5

Reasons for British success in The Battle of Britiain (4)

Back 5

• Radar was invented in 1935 and detected incoming German planes
• The RAF and well made spitfires and fighter planes
• British factories replaced destroyed planes much faster then the Germans did
• The Dunkirk Spirit kept morale high

Front 6

D-Day

Back 6

• Who: British and American Soldiers against Germany
  
• What: Soldiers were landed on the beaches of France in order to try and regain control of it. Careful planning was needed, false information was leaked to divert German soldiers.
  
• When: Changed multiple times, but finally set for the 6th of June 1944
• Why: Regain control of France, destroy the Luftwaffe, weaken Germany

Front 7

Why did D-Day Succeed? (5 Reasons)

Back 7

• German radar was destroyed
• Coded false messages were leaked to deceive the Germans (Suggested in would be near Calais)
• The Pluto fuel pipeline, carring soldiers and supplies once the invasion began allowed for easier invasion
• Parachute troops captured inland areas
• Germany had just lost Rome, and were organising a counter-attack

Front 8

The Defeat of Germany

Back 8

• Who: The USA, Britain and the Soviet Union
• What: Industry, the military and cities were bombed, radar helped clear the seas, rail and road links were sabotaged.
• When: April 1945
• Why: Soviet troops were closing in, the German's counter attacks failed, Germany was running short of soldiers and resources