Figure 1.--Hitler launched World War Ii when he ordered the Panzers into Poland (September 1939). A German soldier in a motorized column took this photograph of two rural Polish village boys watching the spectacle of German forces driving ingto their country. Like most other Poles, they had no idea about what the Germans planned for then and their country their country.

The active military phase of World War II began with the NAZI invasion of Poland (1939). The NAZI invasion was followed by a British and French declaration of war, but failure to come to Poland's assistance. Within only a few days, the Soviets joined the NAZIs in invading Poland, followed by a series of other invasions of their own. The Soviet invasions were not as well publicized because the British and French wisely did not declare war. The NAZI success in Poland was the result of a not only a much larger and better equipped military, but the adoption of a tactical doctrine fully utilizing modern weaponry--Blitzkrieg. The success in Poland was followed by a string of startling military successes, especially the invasion and defeat of France (1940). Neither the British or French has perceived the lessons of the Polish campsign and were not prepsred for Blitzkrieg. The NAZI successes were puncutated by the victory of the RAF in the Battle of Britain (1940). The NAZIs in 1940 had victory within their grasp, but allowing the British Army to escape at Dunkirk and the victory of the RAF over Britain meant that Britain could continue the war, especially because President Roosevelt had decided to support Britain. Although not clear at the time, the Anglo-American industrial capacity was already beginning to make itself felt. The Italians joined their Axis partner once the German success was clear. Almost from the beginning, however, the Italians proved more of a drag on the NAZI war effort than an assett. The Germany achieved futher suuceesses in the Balkans (April 1941). The War was tranformed when Hitler ordered the invasion of the Soviet Union. Here the Axis had another opportunity to win the War. The Wehrmact achieved enormous successes at the outset of Barbarossa (June 1941). It seems likely that if the Japanese had attacked the Soviet Far East that the Axis would have prevailed. But rather than a coordinated military beffort, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the forward base of the U.S. Pacific fleet. This with the failure of Barbarossa resulted in an enormous shift in the strategic ballance.

Europe

The active military phase of World War II began with the NAZI invasion of Poland (1939). The NAZI invasion was followed by a British and French declaration of war, but failure to come to Poland's assistance. Within only a few days, the Soviets joined the NAZIs in invading Poland, followed by a series of other invasions of their own. The Soviet invasions were not as well publicized because the British and French wisely did not declare war. The NAZI success in Poland was the result of a not only a much larger and better equipped military, but the adoption of a tactical doctrine fully utilizing modern weaponry--Blitzkrieg. The success in Poland was followed by a string of startling military successes, especially the invasion and defeat of France (1940). Neither the British or French has perceived the lessons of the Polish campsign and were not prepsred for Blitzkrieg. The NAZI successes were puncutated by the victory of the RAF in the Battle of Britain (1940). The NAZIs in 1940 had victory within their grasp, but allowing the British Army to escape at Dunkirk and the victory of the RAF over Britain meant that Britain could continue the war, especially because President Roosevelt had decided to support Britain. Although not clear at the time, the Anglo-American industrial capacity was already beginning to make itself felt. The Italians joined their Axis partner once the German success was clear. Almost from the beginning, however, the Italians proved more of a drag on the NAZI war effort than an assett. The Germany achieved futher suuceesses in the Balkans (April 1941). Germany military operations shifte east, except for the critical U-boat campaign in the North Atlsntic. Here the United States steadily escalated its commitment to Britain. President Roosevelt met off Newfoinfland to cement the greatest war-time alliance in history. The Battle in the North Atlantic was a long-term struggle. The War was tranformed when Hitler ordered the invasion of the Soviet Union, seeking a short-term victory by defearing the Soviet Ybnion in a ligtening summer campaign. Here the Axis had another opportunity to win the War. The Wehrmact achieved enormous successes at the outset of Barbarossa (June 1941). It seems likely that if the Japanese had attacked the Soviet Far East that the Axis would have prevailed. Here while America had not yet entered the War, American diplomacy fundamentally affected the Axis miklitary effort. Rather than a coordinated attack, the Japanese responding tho American diplomatic sctions to aid China, attacked Pearl Harbor--the forward base of the U.S. Pacific fleet. This with the failure of Barbarossa resulted in an enormous shift in the strategic ballance.

Asia

The War in Asian began when Japan invaded China (1937). This was not a carefully planned formal invasion like the German invasion of Poland. An incident at the Marco Polo Bridge escalated when the Chinese KMT Government unlike Manchuria, resisted the Japanese. Local Japanese commanders drew in the Japanese Government in Tokyo. Major battles ensued. After a series of defeats, the Chinese KMT began to withdraw into the remote Chinese interior where Japan found it increasingly difficult to bring the Chinese to battle ahnd strike a decisive blow. So rather than a quick victory allowing Japan to exploit Chinese resources, the Japanese found themselves in guagmire that involved a never ending war and commitment of massive resources. With few exceptions there were no major engagements with the Chinese, but for the Japanese as Europe moved toward there were increasing problems as well as new opportunities. As the War dragged on in China, increasing sympathy for China grew in the West as well as actual support. Supplies from the West could reach China through French Indo-China and British Burma. The growing German threat in Europe meant that neither Britain or France was jn a position to resist Japanese aggression in the Pacific. The Japanese had for years focused on the resources of Soviet Siberia and cionsidered another war with Russia inevitable not only over resources but because they considered Communism a threat. With the Imperial Army do deeply involved in China, however, a war with the Soviet Union seemed unlikely. Early diplomatic contacts with NAZI Germany were primarily focused on the perceived Soviet menance. The Strike North Faction in the Japanese military lost its internal battle in 1939. First a border war with the Soviets left a sibering impsct with Japanese generals (July 1939). Then the Germsns without consulting the Japanese signed a Non-Aggression Pact with the Soviets (August 1939). And with escalating American diplomatic pressure, the Strike South Fashion grew in influence. America was critical to the Japanese war effort in China. American scrap iron was important, but absolutely critical was American oil. Japan had no oil resources of any significance. Thus Japan had to make a fundamental decesion, either end the war in China or go to war to seize the resources it needed to obtain the needed resources to continue the War. This meant the Southern Resource Zone, esoecually the oil fields of the Dutch West Indies and Brituish Borneo. The German victories in Europe left France and the Dutch defeated abd occupied (June 1940) and the British unable to transfer significant miklitary forces east. All that stood in the path of the Japanese was the American controlled Philippine Islands and the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Japan formally entered the Axis alliance (September 1940). Japan calculated that the war in Europe would fully absorb the limited American military capabilities. And with the early successes of Barbarossa (June 1941), Japanese military leaders believed that the nallance of power had permantely shifted to the Axis. Thus when the United States refused to give them a free hand in China and end trade restrictions, the fatefull decesion was made to go to war against America, beginning the active military phase of thec Pacific War.

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