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→War in Europe 1939-1941: Expansion
==War in Europe 1939-1941==
==War in Europe 1939-1941==
The War in Europe was initially slow, leading US commentators to dub it the Phoney War. The collapse and occupation of France, together with Germany's alliance with the Soviet Union, fascist Italy, benevolent neutrality of fascist Spain, with little of Europe outside of Axis hands led many to assume that the United Kingdom had been defeated.
The French and British were initially reluctant to honour promises to the Polish government, avoiding serious consideration of an invasion of Germany. The British failed send land forces in time to support the Poles (see [[Western betrayal]]). The French mobilized slowly and then launched a token offensive in the Saar. The Meanwhile, on September 8, the Germans reached Warsaw, having slashed through the Polish defenses.
Indeed it would appear that the, seemingly foolish, descision of the relativly weak United Kingdom to continue the war took the Axis powers off guard. This desicion ensured the remaining British Empire was still involved in the war, with Japan threatening many British possessions in Asia.
Following the completion of the invasion of Poland, German forces regrouped and Allied forces remained defensive, leading US commentators to dub it the [[Phoney War]]. This perception was not shared in [[Finland]], which fought a Soviet invasion start on 30 November 1939. Despite the overwhelming numbers of the [[Red Army]], the Finnish resistance was strong and the battle was hard fought before the Soviet army took control.
May 10 1940 marked the end of any accustion of a phoney war, with the invasion of France by Germany, via [[The Netherlands]], [[Luxenbourg]] and [[Beligium]]. Resistance by the British armies and French armies proved weak and the occupation of France began. British troops were able to evacuate mainland Europe at Dunkirk. France was divided into the northern [[Occupied France]] and the collaborationist [[Vichy regime]]in the south of France, including [[Corsica]].
The collapse and occupation of France, together with Germany's alliance with the Soviet Union, fascist Italy, benevolent neutrality of fascist Spain and Portugal, with little of Europe outside of Axis hands led many to assume that the United Kingdom had been defeated. Indeed it would appear that the, seemingly foolish, descision of the relativly weak United Kingdom to continue the war took the Axis powers off guard. This desicion ensured the remaining British Empire was still involved in the war, with Japan threatening many British possessions in Asia.
In 1940 [[Denmark]] and [[Norway]] were invaded by German forces, apparently taking the British by surprise as they had intended to occupy Norway to protect it and its ports from German occupation. Norway also contained a source of [[Heavy water]], possibly crucial in the construction of an atomic weapon.
With Britain and [[Iceland]] the sole opposing nations (the invasion of [[Denmark]] by German forces marks the start of an independent Iceland), the [[Battle of Britain]] commenced. The [[luftwaffe]] attempted to achieve aerial dominance over the south of Britain, in order to allow a sea based invasion of Britain to proceed. For many months the [[Royal Air Force]] and Lufewaffe fought for dominance, with the resiliance of the RAF, with British, Canadian and Polish pilots forced a rethink of [[Nazi]] tactics. The period that followed is known as the [[Blitz]], where the RAF and Luftwaffe attempted to undermine the infastrucutre of the opposing country. This was a period of great economic deveastation, which took both countries a considerable period to recover from. More seriously it led to huge numbers of civilian deaths.
With Britain and [[Iceland]] the sole opposing nations (the invasion of [[Denmark]] by German forces marks the start of an independent Iceland), the [[Battle of Britain]] commenced. The [[luftwaffe]] attempted to achieve aerial dominance over the south of Britain, in order to allow a sea based invasion of Britain to proceed. For many months the [[Royal Air Force]] and Lufewaffe fought for dominance, with the resiliance of the RAF, with British, Canadian and Polish pilots forced a rethink of [[Nazi]] tactics. The period that followed is known as the [[Blitz]], where the RAF and Luftwaffe attempted to undermine the infastrucutre of the opposing country. This was a period of great economic deveastation, which took both countries a considerable period to recover from. More seriously it led to huge numbers of civilian deaths.