The History Book

291

was the first real check on Hitler’s

progress, but Britain alone could not

fight a power that now had control

of almost the entire continent.

The world at war

What started as a European war

gradually became a world war. In

June 1940, Italy, emboldened by

German successes, declared war

on Britain and France, fulfilling

the terms of the Axis agreement

made between Hitler and Mussolini

on May 22, 1939. But Italy’s failures

in Greece and North Africa

forced Hitler to send German

armies into these areas, as well

as Yugoslavia.

On September 7, 1940 Germany

began its first major air raid on

London. The Blitz, as the bombing of

the English capital became known,

thrust civilians into the war and put

relentless pressure on industry, ports,

and British morale. With men joining

the army, women were required to

work in factories and on farms.

Food rationing was introduced in

Britain in January 1940, and

people were urged to grow their

own food. Nazi-occupied Europe

also experienced food shortages,

which weighed most heavily on

the conquered populations.

Collaboration or exile

In some locations, the Germans

worked with existing governments

and fully supported puppet

administrations, such as the pro-

Nazi Vidkun Quisling in Norway

and the Vichy regime in southern

France. Led by Marshal Philippe

Pétain, Vichy was officially neutral,

but it collaborated closely with

Germany, fighting the French

resistance, and implementing

anti-Semitic legislation.

Germany had total control in

Poland and eventual control of the

Baltic states. Monarchs and

politicians of more than a dozen

occupied countries escaped to

Britain. Polish ministers set up

headquarters in London, and

Belgium’s government operations

were transferred there. The

Dutch royal family, under Queen

THE MODERN WORLD

Wilhelmina, also sought refuge

in London. When France fell to

Germany, Charles de Gaulle,

who opposed the newly installed

Vichy government, became the

voice of French opposition to the

Nazi occupation.

In 1940 the biggest threat

facing Britain was from German

U-boats. As an island, Britain was

dependent on its merchant ships to

bring in vital supplies but also to

export equipment to its fighting

forces abroad, and German U-boats

were sinking dozens of Allied

ships each month. Merchant ships

traveled in convoy to increase

the chances of supplies getting

through on each journey, but

casualties were high.

Fighting the USSR

In June 1941, Britain gained a

new ally when Germany invaded

the USSR in Operation Barbarossa.

Hitler had looked to the Soviet Union

for new territory for the German

people. It would also remove any

future threat from the east but ❯❯

Declarations of war against

Germany began right after the

invasion of Poland and carried

on until the end of World War II.

Some nations (such as those

asterisked) switched sides

late in the conflict.

Netherlands

Dec. 8, 1941

Finland*

April 3, 1945

France

Sept. 3, 1939

UK

Sept. 3, 1939

Italy*

Oct. 13, 1943

Canada

Sept. 10, 1939

Turkey

Feb. 23, 1945

USA

Dec. 8, 1941

Egypt

Feb. 24, 1945

Nicaragua

Dec. 8, 1941

China

Dec. 8, 1941

Mexico

May 22, 1942

Brazil

Aug. 22, 1942

Australia

South Africa Sept. 3, 1939

Sept. 6, 1939

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