WW2 - OverSimplified (Part 1)

Summary

The video script offers a detailed historical account of the rise of fascism in the 20th century, focusing on key figures like Churchill, Mussolini, and Hitler. It explores Mussolini's early life and the development of his fascist ideology, as well as Hitler's post-WW1 political ascent and aggressive expansionist policies. The narrative delves into the strategic alliances and conflicts among Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan, leading to the outbreak of World War II. The script also highlights the Allies' initial complacency and eventual resistance, culminating in the Battle of Britain where the RAF's resilience thwarted Hitler's invasion plans.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Churchill's Versatility - The script highlights Winston Churchill's many talents, including his interest in art, butterflies, and even an unpublished manuscript about aliens, showcasing his insatiable thirst for knowledge.
• 🌐 Skillshare as an Educational Platform - The video emphasizes Skillshare as an online learning community offering over 19,000 classes in various fields like design, business, and technology.
• 👔 Skillshare for Diverse Career Paths - It suggests that Skillshare could have helped Churchill consider a side-career in fashion, demonstrating the platform's versatility for different career aspirations.
• 📚 Quality Education on Skillshare - The speaker's personal experience with Skillshare's animation courses is shared, highlighting the quality and usefulness of the classes taught by experts in their fields.
• 💰 Affordable Learning - Skillshare is presented as an affordable option for learning new skills, with an annual subscription costing under $10 a month and a special offer for the first 1,000 users.
• 🌍 Mussolini's Early Life and Shift to Fascism - The script details Benito Mussolini's initial socialist beliefs, his troubles with the Swiss police, and his eventual shift towards creating 'Fascismo', a nationalist movement aimed at Italian reunification and greatness.
• 🛠️ Post-WW1 Nationalism and Economic Struggles - It outlines the post-WW1 scenario in Italy and Germany, where economic hardships and a sense of national humiliation led to the rise of Mussolini and Hitler, respectively.
• 🤝 The Axis Powers and Their Common Goals - The script describes how Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan, driven by a sense of racial superiority and hostility towards the Allies, formed an alliance with militaristic and expansionist ambitions.
• 🗡️ Hitler's Violation of the Treaty of Versailles - It explains Hitler's actions in rebuilding the German military in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles, setting the stage for further aggression and territorial expansion.
• 🇮🇹 Mussolini's Conquest and the Creation of a Puppet State - The account of Mussolini's conquest of Ethiopia and the establishment of a German puppet state in France to demoralize the UK and secure strategic advantages.
• 🛫 The Battle of Britain and the Failure of Operation Sea Lion - The script concludes with the failed German invasion of Great Britain, known as Operation Sea Lion, due to the resilience of the British people and the superior performance of the RAF during the Battle of Britain.

Q & A

What was Skillshare and how could it have benefited Churchill?

Skillshare is an online learning community offering over 19,000 classes in various fields such as design, business, technology, and more. Churchill, with his diverse interests and thirst for knowledge, could have used Skillshare to pursue a side career or expand his skills in areas like fashion design, app design, photography, or even cooking.

Why did Benito Mussolini move from Italy to Switzerland in 1902?

Benito Mussolini moved from Italy to Switzerland in 1902 to avoid military service. During his time in Switzerland, he became heavily involved in socialism, working for trade unions, writing for socialist newspapers, and advocating for the violent overthrow of European monarchies.

How did Mussolini's political views evolve after World War 1?

Initially an avid socialist and anti-war protester, Mussolini changed his stance after World War 1. He believed the war created a social climate conducive to a socialist revolution and thus became pro-war. However, his new stance led to his expulsion from the socialist party. He then abandoned socialism, proposing a new movement based on national unity called 'Fascismo' aimed at making Italy great like the Roman Empire.

What were the key factors that led to Mussolini's rise to power in Italy?

Mussolini's rise to power was facilitated by Italy's dissatisfaction with the outcomes of World War 1, including the economy and weak governments. Mussolini promised to fix these issues, and his fascist movement gained significant support. In 1922, he pressured the King to make him prime minister, marking the beginning of his dictatorship.

How did Germany's treatment after World War 1 contribute to the rise of Hitler?

Germany faced severe penalties after World War 1 as outlined in the Treaty of Versailles. They lost territory, had to demilitarize the Rhineland, reduce their army significantly, and pay large reparations. The economic downturn and national humiliation from these conditions fueled resentment among Germans, which Hitler capitalized on with his promises to restore Germany's pride and power.

What was the significance of the Pact of Steel signed by Germany and Italy?

The Pact of Steel was a military alliance between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, signifying their mutual support and shared goals of territorial expansion and power. It was a key step in the formation of the Axis Powers during World War 2.

How did the Allies respond to Hitler's initial acts of aggression?

Initially, the Allies responded with a policy of appeasement, allowing Hitler to annex Austria and the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia in exchange for promises of peace. However, this policy ultimately emboldened Hitler, and when he invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia and later Poland, it led to the declaration of war by Britain and France.

What was the significance of the Battle of Britain?

The Battle of Britain was a significant air campaign fought between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force (RAF). It marked a turning point in World War 2 as the RAF successfully defended Britain against a German invasion, thus preventing Hitler from achieving air superiority over the British Isles.

What was the impact of the Phony War period on the preparation for actual combat?

The Phony War period, characterized by a lack of significant military action, allowed Hitler to reorganize and strengthen his forces for the upcoming offensives. The Allies, however, did not take full advantage of this time to prepare adequately, which later contributed to their initial setbacks during the German invasions.

What was the significance of the fall of France to Germany during World War 2?

The fall of France was a major victory for Germany and a significant defeat for the Allies. It not only provided Germany with more resources and territory but also removed France from the list of active Allied powers, leaving Britain to face Germany alone. The rapid fall of France also demonstrated the effectiveness of the German Blitzkrieg tactic.

How did the Allies' strategy of appeasement contribute to the escalation of World War 2?

The policy of appeasement allowed Hitler to make significant territorial gains without facing substantial opposition from the Allies. This emboldened him and his regime, leading to further aggression and ultimately the full outbreak of World War 2. The Allies' reluctance to intervene early may have signaled weakness to the Axis Powers, encouraging them to pursue more aggressive expansionist policies.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Diverse Talents and Skillshare Opportunities

The paragraph introduces the concept of Skillshare, an online learning community with over 19,000 classes in various fields such as design, business, and technology. It humorously imagines historical figures like Churchill exploring new interests and careers through Skillshare's extensive course offerings. The paragraph highlights the accessibility and quality of Skillshare's classes, taught by industry experts, and offers a promotional deal for the first 1,000 viewers who use a provided link, allowing them to access Skillshare for a significantly reduced price for their first two months.

05:03

🌍 Rise of Fascism and World War

This paragraph delves into the early 20th-century political landscape, focusing on the rise of fascism through figures like Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. It outlines Mussolini's initial socialist beliefs and his eventual turn towards fascism, leading to his appointment as Italy's prime minister. The narrative then shifts to Germany, detailing the economic and political conditions that facilitated Hitler's rise to power and his establishment of a dictatorship. The paragraph also touches on Japan's militaristic expansion into China and its alignment with the fascist ideologies of Germany and Italy, setting the stage for the formation of the Axis Powers.

10:03

🛡️ The Fall of France and The Battle for Britain

The paragraph describes the strategic military maneuvers and political developments during World War II, particularly focusing on the fall of France and the subsequent Battle of Britain. It details Hitler's Blitzkrieg tactic that led to the rapid defeat of French forces and the hasty retreat of British troops at Dunkirk. Following France's surrender, the paragraph discusses Hitler's attempts to intimidate the United Kingdom into submission, including the occupation of France and strategic bombing campaigns. However, the British public's resilience and the Royal Air Force's successful defense against the Luftwaffe ultimately thwarted Hitler's invasion plans, marking a turning point in the war.

Keywords

💡Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning community platform that offers a wide range of classes in various fields such as design, business, technology, and more. In the context of the video, it is humorously suggested that historical figures like Churchill could have used Skillshare to learn new skills or pursue side careers, highlighting the platform's extensive course offerings and accessibility.

💡Benito Mussolini

Benito Mussolini was an Italian politician who became the leader of the National Fascist Party and later the Prime Minister of Italy. He is known for establishing a fascist dictatorship and advocating for the unification of Italian peoples under the concept of 'Fascismo'. In the video, Mussolini's journey from a socialist to a fascist dictator is outlined, emphasizing his role in shaping the political landscape of pre-WW2 Europe.

💡Fascism

Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian political ideology characterized by dictatorial power, strong nationalism, and the suppression of political dissent. It is associated with the regimes of Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany. The video explains how Mussolini coined the term 'Fascismo' as a new movement based on unity through nationality, rather than class divisions, and how it led to the establishment of a dictatorship in Italy.

💡Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the Nazi Party. He rose to power as the Chancellor of Germany and later Führer, leading the country through a period of totalitarian rule and initiating World War II and the Holocaust. The video script outlines Hitler's patriotism and dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles, which led to his aggressive actions to undo the treaty's restrictions and expand German territory.

💡Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was the peace treaty signed at the end of World War I between the Allies and Germany, which imposed heavy penalties and restrictions on Germany. It is significant in the video as it is presented as a major factor contributing to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, who sought to overturn the treaty's terms.

💡Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg, meaning 'lightning war' in German, is a military tactic that emphasizes rapid, coordinated attacks intended to quickly overwhelm the enemy. It was a key strategy used by Nazi Germany during World War II, as depicted in the video, where it played a crucial role in the swift defeat of France and other European nations.

💡Appeasement

Appeasement is a policy of making political or material concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid conflict. In the video, it is portrayed as a failed diplomatic strategy employed by the Allies, who repeatedly gave in to Hitler's demands, hoping to prevent war but ultimately enabling Germany's expansion.

💡World War II

World War II was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations. It was characterized by the rise of fascist regimes in Europe and Asia, leading to widespread destruction and the Holocaust. The video provides an overview of the events leading up to the war, including the actions of key fascist leaders and the failures of the Allies to prevent conflict.

💡Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain was a major campaign during World War II where the German Luftwaffe conducted air raids on the United Kingdom to gain air superiority and prepare for a possible invasion. The video highlights the resilience of the British people and the Royal Air Force (RAF), who successfully defended against the German attacks, ultimately preventing an invasion.

💡Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, known for his leadership and determination to fight against Nazi Germany. In the video, Churchill's appointment after Chamberlain's resignation is depicted as a turning point in the British strategy, with a more aggressive stance against the Germans.

💡The Phony War

The Phony War, also known as the 'Sitzkrieg', was a period at the start of World War II where there was a lull in military activities between the Allies and Germany. It was characterized by a lack of significant offensive action, with both sides preparing for the upcoming conflict. The video refers to this period to illustrate the relative inactivity before the German invasion of France and the Battle of Britain.

Highlights

Churchill's multifaceted talents, including his interest in art, butterflies, and even an unpublished manuscript about aliens, showcasing his insatiable thirst for knowledge.

The hypothetical scenario of Churchill utilizing Skillshare, an online learning community, to further his interests and potentially explore new career paths like fashion.

The description of Skillshare's extensive course offerings, covering various fields such as design, business, technology, and more.

The historical account of Benito Mussolini's early life, his move to Switzerland, and his involvement in socialism and trade unions.

Mussolini's initial anti-war stance and subsequent change in position when he saw World War 1 as an opportunity for a socialist revolution.

The formation of Mussolini's Fascist ideology, focused on unity through nationality and the aspiration to conquer the Mediterranean and reunite Italian peoples.

The challenges faced by Italy after World War 1, including a weak economy and dissatisfaction among the populace, which contributed to the rise of Mussolini's fascist movement.

Mussolini's establishment of a dictatorship in Italy, marking the emergence of Europe's first fascist dictator.

The aftermath of World War 1 for Germany, including the harsh penalties imposed by the Treaty of Versailles and the economic and political instability that fueled the rise of Adolf Hitler.

Hitler's transformation from a patriotic soldier to a megalomaniacal dictator, intent on reversing the humiliation of Germany and establishing a dictatorship.

The ideological similarities and alliance between Hitler and Mussolini, both sharing a belief in racial superiority and a desire for militarization and territorial expansion.

Japan's historical isolation, its forced opening by Western powers, and the subsequent military actions to secure resources and expand its influence, including the invasion of China.

The strategic errors and weaknesses of the Allies, including Britain and France, in the lead-up to World War 2, such as their outdated military practices and the policy of appeasement.

The fall of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany, despite promises made during the Munich Agreement, illustrating the failure of appeasement and the aggression of Hitler's regime.

The surprise success of the German military strategy, Blitzkrieg, which led to the rapid defeat of France and the establishment of French puppet state under German control.

The Battle of Britain, where the resilience of the British people and the tenacity of the RAF led to the postponement of Hitler's planned invasion of Great Britain.

The Phony War period, highlighting the inaction and failed strategies of the Allies, which allowed Hitler to strengthen his forces and prepare for further invasions.

The impact of the UK's mining of Norwegian waters and the subsequent German invasion of Norway, which shifted the balance of power and led to the retreat of the Allies.

The appointment of Winston Churchill as Prime Minister of the UK, marking a significant change in leadership and strategy in the face of Nazi aggression.

Transcripts

This video was made possible by Skillshare.

Churchill was a man with many talents.

He was an artist, a butterfly enthusiast, and he had an unpublished manuscript about aliens.

Clearly he was a man with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.

Maybe he could have loaded up his computer,

and logged on to Skillshare.

An online learning community,

with more than 19,000 classes in design,

business, technology and more.

Perhaps he was considering a side-career in fashion.

But didn't know where to start.

On Skillshare, he would've found courses on fashion design,

and garment construction.

Or if he wanted to learn app design,

improve his photography,

or just how to make a really good quesadilla,

He would have found courses for all of these and more,

on Skillshare.

Skillshare gives you access to high-quality classes

taught by genuine experts working in their field.

I work heavily with animation,

and I was genuinely blown away by the number of really useful courses available to me.

Like this class, full of tips and tricks for creating vector art.

Or this one, for creating character walk cycles.

For an annual subscription,

Skillshare is under $10 a month.

And if you'd like to try it out first,

then I've got a deal just for OverSimplified viewers.

The first 1,000 people to use this link,

which can be found in the description,

will get their first 2 months of Skillshare

for just 99¢.

Be sure to try it out using the link in the description, and learn something new today.

Now, without further ado -

It's 1902.

A young man by the name of Benito Mussolini moves from Italy to Switzerland

to avoid military service.

He gets big into socialism,

working for trade unions, writing for socialist newspapers,

advocating a violent overthrow of European monarchies,

the whole shabang.

This gets him in a bit of trouble with the Swiss police.

So he gets arrested,

sent back to Italy,

set free,

returns to Switzerland,

is arrested again,

goes back to Italy again,

completes his military service after previously avoiding it,

and then after a brief stint as an elementary school teacher,

he finally returns to work as an avid socialist.

His speeches and journalistic abilities made him famous among Italian socialists.

He was anti-war,

so when Italy colonised Libya in 1910,

he rioted.

And got arrested.

Then WW1 came along,

and once again, he protested Italy's involvement.

But then he thought, 'Wait a minute.'

'This war could bring about the social climate needed to overthrow European monarchies,

and bring about the socialist revolution everywhere.'

And suddenly he was pro-war.

But his fellow socialists didn't like his new pro-war stance,

so they kicked him out of the party.

So then he said, 'You know what?

I'm done with socialism.

We need something new. Not based on class divisions tearing us apart,

but based on unity through nationality.

We'll conquer the Mediterranean,

and reunite all Italian peoples,

just like the days of the Roman Empire.

I'll call it "Fascismo"

and it will guide the Italian nation to greatness.'

'That's all well and good, Mr Mussolini,

but what kind of haircut am I giving you?'

'Let's go with...

bald.'

♪ Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture ♪

Italy had been on the winners' side in WW1,

and they hoped they were going to get a lot out of it.

But in the end, they only got a little, and they felt cheated.

On top of that, a bad economy,

and weak governments meant that the Italian people were a little unhappy.

So when Mussolini came along,

and said that he could fix everything,

his fascist movement gained a lot of support.

In 1922, he went to the King and said, 'Make me prime minister, or I'll make me prime minister.'

And the King said, 'You and what army?'

'This army.'

'Fair enough.'

Then he went about establishing a dictatorship

with himself at its centre.

Europe had its first fascist dictator.

Next up: Germany.

Germany had been on the losers' side,

and they got absolutely wrecked

by the Treaty of Versailles.

They lost territory,

had to demilitarise the Rhineland,

had to reduce their army to just 100,000 men,

couldn't have an airforce,

had to pay the Allies a huge amount of money that it didn't have,

and a new rule was established that every Englishman witheld the right

to walk into the center of Berlin,

pick out any German they wanted,

and spank the hell out of them.

I made that last one up,

but it helps you understand how all of this felt to Germans.

On top of that, a bad economy and weak governments

meant that when a small, angry man with a silly moustache came along

and said that he could fix everything,

the German people loved it.

Hitler had been a soldier during WW1,

and he was crazy patriotic.

And nobody was madder than him about Germany's humiliation.

He helped start a new political party,

and in 1923,

attempted a march on Munich with his boys.

And then he got arrested.

But his popularity grew and grew,

and in 1933, the President made him Chancellor.

He believed he was Germany's great destined saviour,

and he went full megalomaniac,

establishing a dictatorship with himself at its center.

Europe had Fascist Dictator No. 2.

Hitler and Mussolini had a lot of the same ideas.

But more importantly,

they had the same enemies.

And they started to get along.

'Anyone else wanna be friends?

Franco?

No?

You good?'

'I do.'

'Who's that?'

It's Japan.

And they've taken over northern China.

Let's rewind a bit -

Japan had isolated itself from the rest of the world for over 200 years.

Until the Americans showed up and said, 'You're going to trade with us, and you're going to like it.'

Then the Western powers imposed a bunch of 'Unequal Treaties'.

Meaning Japan's economy was bust.

They also had no natural resources.

So they decided to go get some.

They went to war with China to gain a sphere of influence over Korea,

and they took a bunch of China's stuff.

But then the West said, 'Hey!

Cut that out.'

And since Japan couldn't take on the West,

They said, 'Okay, I guess we'll just go home -

Wait a minute!

What are you doing?'

'Taking advantage of a weakened China and setting up spheres of influence.'

'But I was the one who weakened them.'

'We know.'

'And you guys didn't let me have anything.'

'We know.'

'That seems unfair.'

'We don't think so.

Okay. See ya.'

So Japan thought, 'Screw this!'

and went to war with Russia,

and stunned everyone by actually winning.

Then they fully annexed Korea,

but they didn't stop there.

In WW1, they took Germany's colonies and islands in Asia.

And then in an incident that was maybe staged by the Japanese army,

a bomb blew up a Japanese train in Manchuria,

giving them an excuse to launch an invasion and take over.

So, here's the situation:

Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and Japan,

all believe they're racially superior.

All feel hostility towards the Allies,

and all want to militarise and take over more stuff.

And so they did.

Let's start with Germany.

Hitler hated the Treaty of Versailles,

and now he was ready to begin undoing it.

In complete violation of the treaty,

the first Luftwaffe squadrons were set up,

conscription was introduced,

and he pimped up his army.

The Allies did nothing.

Then Hitler sent his army back into the demilitarised Rhineland,

giving orders to immediately retreat if the Allies showed up.

The Allies did nothing.

With his military restrengthened, he could now move on to Step 2.

He wanted to rapidly increase the Aryan population.

And to do so, he needed lebensraum,

or in other words, he would have to take over the world.

But for now, a good portion of Europe would do.

And he began eyeing up his neighbours.

The Allies finally started to get worried,

so they implemented a fairly useless diplomatic strategy called appeasement.

And it went a little something like this:

Hitler would say, 'I want that thing.'

And the Allies would say, 'You can't have that thing -

Okay you can have that thing but no more.'

'I want that thing.'

And repeat.

In 1938,

Hitler's army marched into Austria,

and just took it,

with no resistance.

Boom.

This is Germany now.

Next, he demanded to be given the Sudetenland,

an area of Czechoslovakia with many ethnic Germans.

The Allies held a meeting with Hitler in Munich and said,

'Look, we're going to give you wha -'

'HANG ON.

This meeting is about my territory, shouldn't I come to the meeting too?'

'Anyway, we're going to give you what you want.'

'Really?'

'Yeah.'

'Just like that?'

'Yep.'

'What's the catch?'

'Just sign this piece of paper promising you won't invade the rest of Czechoslovakia.'

'Okay.'

Then Chamberlain returned home victorious, waving his signed piece of paper in the air,

declaring crisis to be averted,

and the continuation of World Peace,

and we built a statue of Chamberlain in his honour

and every day on the 30th of September we celebrate Chamberlain Day -

'Hitler's invading the rest of Czechoslovakia.'

'What?'

'He's invading the rest of Czechoslovakia.'

'Oh.

You lied to me.'

'What do you expect?

I'm Hitler.'

Not to be outdone, Mussolini also wanted to get in on the action.

He thought to himself,

'Isn't there a not-yet-colonised nation somewhere

which is so underdeveloped

that the people would be defending themselves against our tanks with literal bows and arrows

and wooden spears?

Oh there is?

Fantastic!'

And so he took it.

Italy also wanted to control the entrance to the Adriatic Sea.

So they occupied Albania.

Then, in another incident that was maybe staged by the Japanese,

gunfire was exchanged by Japanese and Chinese troops at the Marco Polo Bridge.

And the Japanese launched yet another invasion against China.

They swept through Beijing and Shanghai,

and then advanced through the Yangtze Valley to China's then-capital, Nanking.

It was here that saw the worst of Japan's shocking atrocities

committed against the Chinese people.

Back in Europe, Germany and Italy made their relationship status official

by signing the Pact of Steel.

Then, Hitler turned his eyes towards Poland,

and the hated Polish Corridor splitting Germany in two.

At this point, the Allies really had to put their foot down.

And they warned him that an invasion of Poland

would mean war.

Hitler had planned to continue his advance eastward,

but he didn't want to end up fighting a war on two fronts.

So for now he made an alliance with Stalin, saying,

'How about we both invade Poland and split it between the two of us,

and I definitely won't not refrain from not betraying you sometime in the future.'

'Sounds...

good.'

This new alliance stunned the West.

On the 1st of September 1939,

German troops entered Poland,

and Britain and France declared war on Germany.

The Poles fought hard,

but they were no match for the two giants crashing down on them from either side.

Then came a period known as 'The Phony War',

where everyone just sort of sat around not doing much.

The French had launched a small invasion into the Saar Land,

but they maintained mostly defensive positions,

and after a while decided to just turn around and call it a day.

Speaking of France,

the French were still super proud of their victory in WW1.

And they hadn't really moved on from it.

They still used horses,

they dispatched messages by motorbike instead of using the radio,

orders from the commander-in-chief were usually pretty vague,

and the troops were rarely inspected.

They built a line of defenses along their German border,

but didn't bother extending it all the way to the Channel,

and they wouldn't launch artillery strikes against Germany

out of fear of being retaliated against.

In a war.

They didn't want to attack the enemy.

And at first, the UK wasn't much better.

Chamberlain still naively hoped that the war could be ended diplomatically.

Instead of bombing raids, the RAF dropped propaganda leaflets over German cities,

which one air marshall said likely did nothing but provide the continent with toilet paper

for the duration of the war.

They also only sent 200,000 men to France,

while the French had mobilised millions.

Both Britain and France wanted to avoid a repeat of the First World War,

and so they wanted to keep the war as far from home as possible.

So they turned their eyes north,

towards Norway.

Neutral Sweden was exporting iron ore to Germany,

through neutral Norway.

So the Allies asked them if they could please stop exporting iron ore to Germany.

But this request was refused.

Then, the Soviet Union attacked Finland.

So the Allies said, 'How about we land troops in Norway

and move them across Sweden to go help out your good pal Finland?

And then along the way maybe take control of all your iron fields.'

But Norway and Sweden still said no.

So the UK mined the waters around Norway

to force any transport ships into international waters,

and they also attacked a German tanker they found in the area.

Hitler realised what the Allies were up to,

and he quickly moved to secure his supply of iron ore.

He launched an invasion through Denmark into Norway.

The Allies rushed to land troops at quay ports along the coast,

but Germany had taken control of Norway's airfields,

and their air superiority decided to fight.

The Allies had to retreat.

After this slightly embarrassing failure,

Chamberlain resigned.

And was replaced with Winston Churchill,

who had a slightly different approach to dealing with the Germans.

Hitler's overall strategy was similar to Germany's WW1 strategy.

Attack France, defeat France, knocking out the UK in the process,

then turn on the Soviet Union and win the war.

During the Phony War, the Allies had given Hitler enough time to prepare his forces.

Now, he was ready to attack.

The Allies had wanted to place troops in Belgium,

but Belgium had refused.

And in a move that surprised pretty much no one,

Hitler launched an invasion to get around France's defenses.

The Allies charged into Belgium at full speed,

to meet the German invasion head-on,

and it looked like a repeat of the First World War was coming.

But this time, Hitler had a trick up his sleeve.

Blitzkrieg.

As the Germans advanced, they sent thousands of refugees westward,

slowing down the Allies.

Then, to the south,

the French had left the Ardennes, an area filled with hills and forests,

pretty under-defended,

because they thought it was naturally impenetrable.

Well, the Germans were about to penetrate it with everything they had.

They smashed 50 Wehrmacht divisions through,

and encircled the Allied armies at lightning speed.

The best of the Allied forces were now trapped.

The Germans squeezed in from all sides,

taking out France's best armies,

and nearly wiping out the British, too.

But they managed to make a desperate last-minute escape at Dunkirk,

with British civilian ships even making the perilous journey to bring their young men home.

With most of the French forces depleted,

the Germans breezed through,

taking Paris, and France fell.

What the Germans couldn't do in WW1,

Hitler had done just like that.

Hitler hoped that with the fall of France,

the UK would also lose hope and sue for peace.

But quite annoyingly, it didn't.

And he needed to secure the Western Front.

So he tried to force them into submission,

with mind games.

The UK were now all alone and Hitler wanted to emphasise that.

First of all, just before France fell,

Italy finally declared war on the Allies,

making the UK's situation even worse.

Next, instead of just occupying all of France,

Hitler occupied the coastal areas for defense,

but allowed France to continue its existence as a German puppet state.

This way, it looked like the UK's old ally had decided to switch sides.

Hitler also hoped that the UK wouldn't attack

any of her old ally's navy bases or colonies in Africa,

giving Hitler an extra line of defense to the south.

But the UK made sure to respond to this by sailing down to France's navy base in Algeria

and wrecking a bunch of ships.

So, have at it.

Hitler then began laying down plans for an invasion of Great Britain.

Before German troops could land on British soil, he would first need air and naval superiority

across the Channel.

Waves of German bombers came,

while the completely outnumbered RAF worked bravely around the clock

in an attempt to quell the German attacks.

At first, the Luftwaffe targeted British ports and coastal facilities,

then it attacked RAF bases,

crippling the RAF's ability to defend the nation.

And it looked like Hitler's great British invasion was coming.

But then, Churchill ordered a small, pretty insignificant bombing raid over Berlin.

It didn't do much damage,

but Hitler was furious,

and he immediately ordered the Luftwaffe

to refocus its attacks on civilian targets in London.

Children were sent off to the countryside,

away from their parents,

to avoid danger.

And frequent trips to air-raid shelters became a daily occurrence.

But British morale held firm.

Smiling, knitting, lounging casually,

these people have balls of steel.

This refocusing on London also gave the RAF

breathing space to reorganise.

So Hitler kind of shot himself in the foot there.

Just the foot for now.

Finally, the Luftwaffe sent one massive all-out attack on London,

and the RAF successfully repelled it,

destroying many of the German aircraft,

and placing air superiority firmly in British hands.

Hitler's invasion had to be postponed,

but the bombing of British cities continued for some time.