d6 nsc 311 les 32 wwii overview

The Evolution of Warfare: 

The Evolution of Warfare The Second World War: An Overview Major Joel B. Turk MOI

Learning Objectives: 

Learning Objectives Know and identify the causes of the Second World War Understand the four “wars” of the Second World War as presented in class

WWII: Four “Wars”: 

WWII: Four “Wars” Hitler’s War - the Anglo-German War (1939 - 1945) The Crusade - the Russo-German War (1941 - 1945) Sino-Japanese - the China War (1931 - 1941) The Pacific War - Japanese-American War (1941 - 1945)

Profound Change in Character of War: 

Profound Change in Character of War Military Sense Novel weapons (Tank, Airplane, Submarine) Still heavily reliant on horse-drawn transport Political Sense - New ideological struggles Democratic - Peace an end in itself (cessation of war) Marx - peace yet another form of war National Socialists (Fascism) - peace a time to incubate or prepare for war

Hitler’s War - Poland: 

Hitler’s War - Poland 12 September 1939 - Hitler invaded Poland War actually declared 3 Sep, but England and France were not prepared to fight Germany “Blitzkreig” was born Theory of strategic paralysis Brainchild of Fuller and Hart Hitler: fully understood - no political attack, but conquer nation from within itself “Fifth Columns” were propaganda, etc.

Components of Blitzkreig: 

Components of Blitzkreig Concept - paralyze C2 Command and Control Offensive Mass Weak Spots or Gaps Exploit Unlimited Objectives (Mission Type Orders) Infantry Formations Flexibility (keep enemy off guard) Command structure demoralized and destroyed Resistance minimized

Poland: 

Poland Conquered in 3 weeks Russian invasion from East a major factor Showed power of offensive Balanced combination of motorized infantry, armor, and air under a single commander

Denmark and Norway: 

Denmark and Norway Denmark fell on 9 April 1940 to forces who merely walked up to palace gates and took power Norway Masterpiece of unorthodox warfare (Zook) Importance: Access to Swiss Iron/flank British Swiftly carried out on 9 April Showed importance of tactical air power when used as part of naval warfare

Hitler Takes France: 

Hitler Takes France German Plan - Three Groups (A, B, C) May of 1940 - Group B took Holland/Belgium Group A Attacked France through Ardennes while Allied Forces were aiding Belgium Group C held French defense at bay along Rhine Allied Plan - purely defensive in nature Dunkirk - Luftwaffe unsuccessful against RAF June - Germans conquered France

Battle of Britain: 

Battle of Britain Germans needed to control air due to lack of sea power (lack of landing craft) 3,000 German airplanes to 1,200 RAF, but RAF bombing Berlin caused strategy shift Operation Sea Lion (Hitler’s invasion plan) cancelled on 17 Sep 1940

Britain’s Air Victory: 

Britain’s Air Victory Britain’s incredible desire to win Britain’s employment of RADAR Britain’s effective Ground Control German Blunder - dispersing effort

Air Doctrine: 

Air Doctrine Poor Air Doctrine cost Germany war in West Germany attacked Russia with enemy to rear Gave U.S. place to establish itself U.S. entered war in 1941 - Extremely close alliance and cooperation with Britain

U.S. and Britain Disagreement: 

U.S. and Britain Disagreement Churchill - wanted to attack “soft underbelly” through Mediteranean The U.S. wanted immediate and direct invasion of Europe Casablanca Conference in 1943 U.S. agreed not to cross channel until 1944 Britain agreed not to accept anything less than “unconditional surrender”

Invasion: 

Invasion Allied success in North Africa, late 1942 From Africa, invaded Sicily, then Italy, defeating Mussolini German U-boat commerce raiding successful until 1943 when allied antisubmarine warfare had progressed 1944: Beginning of end; Allied bombing 6 June 1944 - Normandy landing

The Crusade-Russo-German War1941 - 1945: 

The Crusade-Russo-German War 1941 - 1945 The Russo-German Treaty of 1939 Hitler’s Enemy to the East Four to Five Months Hitler’s Strategy Moscow A Strategy of Attrition

Sino-Japanese War - The China War1931 - 1941: 

Sino-Japanese War - The China War 1931 - 1941 13 September 1931 1932 From 1933 - 1937 The “China Incident”

Summary: 

Summary Technological Developments Strategies Tactics

Next Session Learning Objectives: 

Next Session Learning Objectives know and summarize the key events of German political-military expansion in the Rhineland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia comprehend the importance of the Nazi-Soviet nonaggression pact know and explain the failure of the Western Allies to respond militarily to the invasion of Poland and the subsequent “Phoney War” know and explain the rapid victory by Germany in Western Europe know and discuss German naval strategy, with emphasis on the Battle of the Atlantic