Blitzkrieg and the Battle of Britain
I can explain why the Battle of Britain can be viewed as a turning point in the Second World War.
Blitzkrieg and the Battle of Britain
I can explain why the Battle of Britain can be viewed as a turning point in the Second World War.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Germany deployed a tactic known as Blitzkrieg to rapidly defeat and conquer other European nations.
- The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Luxembourg had all surrendered to the Nazis by 1940.
- In order to conquer Britain, Nazi Germany planned to defeat the RAF before a seaborne invasion.
- This led to the Battle of Britain in which the RAF repulsed the Luftwaffe, preventing invasion.
- Although Nazi Germany then carried out the Blitz, they gave up on their plans to invade Britain.
Common misconception
British troops began fighting against Nazi Germany immediately after war was declared.
For eight months, there was very limited British, French and German military land operation on the Western Front. This became known as the 'Phoney War'
Keywords
Blitzkrieg - or ‘lightning war’, was a new military tactic in which German planes, tanks, and foot soldiers united in a rapid assault to punch a hole through the enemy line
Luftwaffe - the German air force
Allied - the countries, including Britain and France, that fought against the Axis countries, Germany and Italy, in the Second World War
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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