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The Second World War in Europe and the Asia-Pacific

Quick questions on Blitzkrieg and German conquest in Europe explained: N(A)-Level History

4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.

What is the fall of Poland?
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The first victim of blitzkrieg was Poland, invaded in 1939. German tanks and aircraft struck swiftly and drove deep into the country, while the Polish forces, with older equipment and slower tactics, could not cope with the speed of the attack. To make matters worse for Poland, the Soviet Union invaded from the other side, as the two had secretly agreed. Poland was overrun in a matter of weeks.
What is the fall of France?
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The most stunning success came in 1940 with the fall of France. France had strong defences and a large army, and many expected a long war. But the Germans attacked through an area the French thought was too difficult for tanks, taking them by surprise. The fast-moving German forces broke through, raced behind the main French and British armies, and threw the defence into chaos.
What is the Battle of Britain?
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After France fell, Britain stood alone against Germany. To invade Britain, Germany first needed to defeat the British air force and control the skies. This led to the Battle of Britain in 1940, fought in the air between the German and British air forces. The British, helped by radar that gave early warning of attacks and by skilled pilots defending their home, held off the German air force.
What are only describing events?
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Explain why the tactics worked, surprise, speed and confusion, rather than only listing the conquests.

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