Year 9 - History
Blitzkrieg and the Battle of Britain
WW2: which events turned the tide in the story of the Second World War?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about the rise of fascism in Europe and how this helped to bring about the Second World War. They examine key turning points in the conflict, including the Battle of Britain, the siege of Stalingrad, the D-Day landings and the use of atomic weapons in 1945.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain why the Battle of Britain can be viewed as a turning point in the Second World War.
Key Notes
- Germany deployed a tactic known as Blitzkrieg to rapidly defeat and conquer other European nations.
- The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Luxembourg had all surrendered to the Nazis by 1940.
- In order to conquer Britain, Nazi Germany planned to defeat the RAF before a seaborne invasion.
- This led to the Battle of Britain in which the RAF repulsed the Luftwaffe, preventing invasion.
- Although Nazi Germany then carried out the Blitz, they gave up on their plans to invade Britain.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Blitzkrieg: or 'lightning war', was a new military tactic in which German planes, tanks, and foot soldiers united in a rapid assault to punch a hole through the enemy line
- Luftwaffe: the German air force
- Allied: the countries, including Britain and France, that fought against the Axis countries, Germany and Italy, in the Second World War
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- British troops began fighting against Nazi Germany immediately after war was declared.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Germany deployed a tactic known as Blitzkrieg to rapidly defeat and conquer other European nations. The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Luxembourg had all surrendered to the Nazis by 1940.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'Blitzkrieg'
or 'lightning war', was a new military tactic in which German planes, tanks, and foot soldiers united in a rapid assault to punch a hole through the enemy line.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: British troops began fighting against Nazi Germany immediately after war was declared. Correction: For eight months, there was very limited British, French and German military land operation on the Western Front. This became known as the 'Phoney War'.
More Lessons In This Unit
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