A time between crisis: Western Front

Relation between the USSR and Germany during the invasion of Poland

From Hitler's rise to power, German foreign policy was characterized by aggression and expansionism. Western democratic countries responded with a policy of appeasement, which was interpreted as weakness by Hitler, so Hitler believe he had a free hand to continue to expand at the expense of their neighbors.
One of the hidden goals of foreign policy was Nazi invasion of Poland. To achieve that goal, Germany came a nonaggression agreement with the Soviet Union, the German-Soviet Pact of August 1939. In this agreement both countries agreed through a secret protocol, the partition of Poland
Germany decided to negotiate with Stalin to be hands free and make war against Poland with a single front. Germany left the Russians free hand in Finland, Latvia and Estonia, and both countries were divided Poland. The pact allowed Stalin to win precious time and territories deemed necessary for his defense. Hitler made the decision because he expected that, once defeated France and England, could do the same with the Russians.

‘’In the event of certain changes in the political-territorial belonging territories of the Polish state, the boundary of the spheres of influence of Germany and the Soviet Union will be roughly marked by the rivers Narew, Vistula and San. The issue that both parties decide to maintain a sovereign Polish state, and which should be their limits in such cases shall be determined in accordance with the development of future events. In any event both Governments will resolve this issue through friendly discussion.’’

Clause of the secret protocol of the Nazi-Soviet pact
Moscow, August 23, 1939

On September 1939, Germany invaded Poland on the grounds of his sovereignty over the Free State of Danzig. Hitler thought that European democracies would simply issue a formal protest. However, because of international partnerships in Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Were formed and two allies (UK, France and Poland). Subsequently new countries joined either side. Under the secret protocol of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, the German invasion of Poland was supported by the Soviet Union. The country was divided.
But in June 1941, Hitler broke his pact with the Soviet Union and the attacked. At first the German offensive was brilliant and the Nazi army stood just 40 km from Moscow. Leningrad's resistance and the inability to take Moscow Nazi marked stagnation. The onset of winter forced them to stop the advance until the spring of 1942 to give Russia time to reorganize

Bibliography

benton, w. (1970). encyclopedia barsa 2 and 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Union

Battle of France

At the Western Front, emerged several months of calm, in which the Allies expected Germany to come to negotiate under the threat of war. However in 1940 the German troops launched a powerful offensive and invaded Norway and Denmark, two neutral countries and in May the German army advanced on France through Belgium and Holland

The German strategy was to attack a point of Franco-British defense by using massive armored vehicles and aircraft (lightning war). But before I try lazarse protect their positions in the north. In April the British had laid mines in Norwegian waters to prevent access of the German ships. This measure was delayed because many ships Nazis were already in Norwegian ports and was full of soldiers and war equipment.

On April 9, German troops invaded Denmark and conquered it in 24 hours. Then, the German soldiers who had been hidden which had been hidden in the boats occupied all major Norwegian ports. German planes landed in Oslo transportation, and his troops quickly occupied the capital. The Nazi fifth column collaborated in the betrayal. Its leader Vidkun Quisling, achievement paralyzes resistance Norwegian army by erroneous orders.

The allied forces came very quickly the help of Norwegian. The English navy defeated the German destroyers in Narvik harbor, and Anglo-French troops landed on the Peninsula. Hitler was forced to send large reinforcements that finally ended the Allied resistance. On June 10, Allied troops had to leave Norway abandoned.

Without waiting to conclude the Norwegian campaign, Hitler was available to perform its major offensive on France. As indicated, the Allied depended almost exclusively defense lines. Germany was to resist, behind the Maginot Line, and expected the naval blockade exhausted the population. The memory of the victory of 1918 still lingered in the French high command. The Maginot Line stretched along the German border, but did not reach the sea.

The French thought that Germany would violate the neutrality of Belgium and also had dense forests that exist in the Belgian border. The German strategy was to deliver a frontal attack on the French lines as he did in 1914. Defense plans allies resulted in failure, the British troops were isolated and extremely dangerous position, the French army was in a desperate situation. New tactics needed motorized divisions and aircraft, and France did not have them in large numbers. On June 10 Mussolini entered the war alongside the Germans and the French command had to send troops to the Italian border, it became more difficult to organize the defense. On June 14 the Germans took Paris and the French resistance was completely demoralized. A group of politicians and army officer’s fascistic tendencies formed a new government and called for a truce, an armistice was signed on June 22 in the town of Vichy.