Germany quickly overran much of Europe and was victorious for more than two years.Germany defeated and occupied Poland (attacked in September 1939), Denmark (April 1940), Norway (April 1940), Belgium (May 1940), the Netherlands (May 1940), Luxembourg (May 1940), France (May 1940), Yugoslavia (April 1941), and Greece (April 1941).Yet Germany did not defeat Great Britain, which was protected from German ground attack by the English Channel and the Royal Navy.On June 22, 1941, German forces suddenly invaded the Soviet Union.
But Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States turned the tide of battle and ultimately defeated Germany in May 1945. Bitterness at the defeat of 1918, together with twisted ideas about racial purity and German destiny, led Adolf Hitler to seek domination of Europe. Photo: Bundesarchiv, Billd 146-1971-011-27 Bttner CC-BY-SA 3.0. In both World Wars, the fighting in the West began with a German invasion of Belgium. Why German strategy in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries was based on the assumption that, in the event of a war with Russia, Germany would also have to fight France. The result was the Schlieffen Plan, a strategy to knock France out of the war before taking on Russia. Since losing to Germany in the Franco-Prussian war, the French had been preparing for such an event. They had built sturdy fortifications along their frontier with Germany and had plenty of troops. The Germans would quickly overcome the weaker Belgians, swing around the flank of the French armies, surround them and force them to surrender. German troops marching through the Belgian capital, Brussels, in 1914. How The plan relied on fast movement and good timing. Swift mobilization and Germanys efficient railways would get troops to the front quickly. Of seven German armies on the Western Front at the start of the war, five were committed to the move through Belgium. German Invasions Ww2 Series Of ConcreteTo ensure the surrender of the Belgians, they had to destroy a series of concrete fortifications surrounding major cities. They attacked under cover of darkness, trying to break through the ring of forts, but were repulsed. When they reached the city a few days later, the forts still held out. The Germans brought up heavy artillery, including their Big Bertha supergun and heavy Skoda howitzers borrowed from their Austro-Hungarian allies. The Belgians, led by King Albert, withdrew to the defenses around Antwerp, where they hoped to hold on. In the face of the massed German armies and their superguns, it was a futile hope. The German-constructed Wire of Death along the Belgian-Dutch border. Outcome By the end of August, most of Belgium had been conquered. Due to the superguns, the Germans had achieved a relatively swift advance. It allowed them to carry on into France, following the broad outline of the Schlieffen Plan. ![]() The advance slowed down as French and British forces rushed to stop the flanking maneuver. A planned advance toward Paris instead swung south before reaching the city. Imprisonment, hostage-taking, and executions were used against anyone who resisted. The Germans took rolling stock, food, and raw materials to feed their war machine. Belgian soldier at the front line, 1918. Why The strategic reasons for the 1940 invasion were remarkably similar to those of 1914. ![]()
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