Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France fall to Hitler and Germany

1
Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and France
fall to Hitler and Germany

• Raihana Patel
• Sukhman Boparai
• Raisa Alam

2
Timeline

• April 9, 1940 Nazis invaded Denmark and Norway.
• May 10, 1940 Nazis invaded France and Belgium.
• May 15, 1940 Holland surrendered to the Nazis.

3
What you need to knowbeforehand

• Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) was
  economically important to Germany
• Germany relied on iron ore from Sweden (shipped
  through Norway) to its industries
• Britain and France viewed the relationship
  dangerous because of potential war
• Britain and France discussed sending troops to
  occupy Denmark and Norway
• Hitler viewed it as a direct threat to Germanys
  economy and decided to act

4
Operation Weserübung (Weser Exercise) April 9,
1940

• Code name for Nazi Germanys invasion of Denmark
  and Norway

5
FALL OF DENMARK (1940)
6
Hitler in Denmark
7
Germans wanted to occupy Denmark for these
reasons

• It would secure communication lines to Norway
  during operation.
• Would provide naval bases
• Would protect supply of iron-ore from Sweden,
  coming into Germany.
• German air forces (Luftwaffe) could use land for
  training.

8
How Germany went about their plan

• The small Danish army was to be overrun by two
  infantry divisions (the 170th and 198th) and the
  11th rifle brigade.
• A small naval expedition entered Copenhagen
  (Capital of Denmark) harbor on April 9, and
  landed troops
• Land invasion began. There was some fighting, but
  the defenders of the Danish border were quickly
  overrun.
• Any further resistance was pointless, so the
  Danish government was forced to agree to a German
  ultimatum to end the fighting.
• Germanys plan worked out perfectly
• Denmark was to be occupied by the Germans until
  the end of the war.

9
FALL OF NORWAY(1940)
10
Germans wanted to occupy Norway for these reasons

• Control of Norways coasts would be beneficial
  for reign over battles in the North Sea.
• Would make easier passage for German U-Boats and
  ships into Atlantic
• Would ease iron-ore swiftly into Germany so that
  Germany could obtain the supply of iron they
  needed for the war effort

11
How Germany went about their plan

• Plan was to take major cities, secure them, and
  then flee from each city so that each force
  joined up together at the same point
• Operation depended on enemy to be surprised and
  quickly surrender, as interference from other
  allies would destroy the invasion, and lead to
  the destruction of Krieg marine (German Navy)
• Norway wasnt able to fight against Germany, as
  Germanys army was too large and superior,
  leading to Norways surrender
• Operation Weserübung was over, Germany was
  victorious

12
FALL OF HOLLAND(1940)
13
How Germany went about their plan

• The invasion, based on blitzkrieg, was swift and
  devastating. Holland surrendered six days later
  as her military had been unable to cope with the
  speed of blitzkrieg
• The target was Waalhaven airfield to the south of
  Rotterdam (largest port in Europe)
• Holland was an irritation in the great scheme of
  the attack on France. The sooner the Germans
  could take out Holland, the sooner they could
  concentrate all their resources on France. For
  this reason, they wanted to shock the politicians
  of Holland into surrendering. Rotterdam was the
  pay the price for this. The Germans decided to
  launch a ferocious attack on Rotterdam that would
  have such an impact, that the government of
  Holland would call a surrender.
• Over the next two days, the Germans conquered the
  rest of Holland. However, the Germans did meet
  with resistance especially at the Ypenburg and
  Ockenburg air bases
• Holland surrendered- Germany was victorious

14
FALL OF BELGIUM
15

• " Dutch and Belgian air bases must be
  occupied.... Declarations of neutrality must be
  ignored." Hitler

16

• -was a neutral country until Germany decided to
  invade it
• -air raids from the German Luftwaffe gt bombs in
  cities
• -Captured fortress Eban Emael-Belgian army
  fought but sadly surrendered when it became
  overwhelming to compete with German tactics
• -didnt want French or British troops occupying
  Belgium and turning armies against Germany
• -acted quickly and took it as their own
• -British and French had wanted to send troops to
  Belgium to defend in case of an attack
• -German divisions, paratroopers, air gliders and
  soldiers overran Belgium

17
Prior to the war, there was a certain balance in
Europe but with the fall of France in 1940 to
Hitler and Nazi Germany, this balance shifted

• FALL OF FRANCE

18
Hitler in Paris, France after its capture.
19
Maginot Line

• After high causalities of WW1,France decided to
  take the defensive
• A new defence was built The Maginot Line
• Concrete forts with machine gun posts, tank and
  artillery that were set up to protect and defend
  France from Germany in case of an attack

20
(No Transcript)
21
Why was it built?A defense line built for

• To avoid surprise attacks
• to hold up enemy while waiting for backup
• Covered France so that they could mobilize
  troops

22
But

• Although built strategically to avoid a direct
  attack
• Was useless, as it didnt cover Belgian border
• Covered French German front but not French
  Belgian front.
• German troops could march through Belgium to get
  to France.

23
MAGINOT LINE
24
Why invade France?

• Invaded for a number of reasons
• 1) For Germanys defeat in the First World War.
• 2) To get revenge for being humiliated by the
  Treaty of Versailles-land taken away3) In way
  of European domination (along with Britain).
• - Wanted to take over European countries but
  France made that hard as they were one of the
  most powerful.

25
What happens?

• Germany invaded Belgium on May 10
• Main attack on France happened in the Ardennes
  (between German-Belgian-French border) on May 13.
  
• Attacked at Sedan, which was on the northern end
  of the Line.
• trapped French soldiers with no place to run.
• On June 14, 1940 Nazis went into Paris gt On
  June 17, 1940 France surrendered.

26
France Surrenders.
27

• Significance
• with countries quickly falling into Nazi hands,
  neutral countries (Canada, U.S.A) were pulled
  into war after the fall of France in order to
  help out Britain
• a wall was built to keep Britain out of Germany
  (Nazi occupied countries)
•       Britain couldnt penetrate through the wall
•       Canada became one of Britains strongest
  allies as France fell away from power
•       All of these events proved that Germany was
  becoming ruthless and would stop at nothing to
  achieve its goals

28
Bibliography

• Aitken, B. Canada A Nation Unfolding Toronto,
  Ontario. McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. 2000. 
• Richard, Jenkins. "German invasion of Denmark, 9
  April 1940 ." History of War. Web. 1 Dec 2009.
  lthttp//www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_denmar
  k_1940.htmlgt.
• Trueman, Chris. "The Invasion of Norway 1940."
  History Learning Site.
• historylearningsite.co.uk, Web. 1 Dec 2009.
  lthttp//www.historylearningsite.co.uk/invasion_o
  f_norway_1940.h
• tmgt.
•  
• Trueman, Chris. "The German Invasion of Holland."
  History Learning Site. historylearningsite.co.uk,
  Web. 1 Dec 2009. lthttp//www.historylearningsite
  .co.uk/german_invasion_of_hollan d.htmgt.
•  
• "World War Two in Europe Timeline." The History
  Place, Web. 1 Dec 2009. lthttp//www.historyplace
  .com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htmgt.
•  
• "Denmark." Holocaust Encyclopedia. May 4, 2009.
  Holocaust Memorial Museum, Web. 1 Dec 2009.
  lthttp//www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?ModuleId1
  0005209gt.

29
THE ENDThank you ?