World War Two

The only thing you may need to know is technological developments and the impact on the war

    • Technological advancements: air, naval, and land warfare; impact of developments on the outcome of war

Land

Germany

  • In the interwar years, Germany secretly developed advanced tanks

  • Germany’s tanks were all equipped with radios, allowing them to communicate with other tanks. French tanks were rarely equipped with radios and these often broke

  • German tanks were essential to the Blitzkrieg tactic, allowing Germany to move through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, France, and Russia so easily and quickly

  • These tanks were adaptable to multiple terrains and very efficient, making them a strong opponent to the Allies

  • Panzers (Meaning armor in German) were strong tanks with good armor that could move through enemy positions quickly and were fairly hard to destroy, unless the enemy was using specific weapons

  • Later into the war, the Germans developed their Tiger line of tanks, which were tanks with heavy guns and thick armor

  • Germans utilized automatic machine guns - MG34 and MG42 could fire at rates of 900 and 1200 rounds per minute respectively

  • The Germans developed the first true assault rifle, the StG 44, which combined the range of rifles with the fire rate of submachine guns

  • 88mm Flak gun - Powerful artillery piece that could be used against aircraft and tanks

  • Developed rocket artillery, which were very powerful and mobile pieces of siege artillery

  • Utilized remote-controlled vehicles for safe demolition

  • Blitzkrieg - The aim was to surprise attack aggressively in a concentrated area with motorized or mechanized infantry with the support of artillery and air support

  • This was very effective as it did not give the Allies time to respond quickly and allowed for decisive breakthroughs, contributing to German victory in the Battle of France

  • The Blitzkrieg tactic utilized the power and speed of the tanks effectively

  • Developed armored troop carriers, making deployment of troops faster and safer

British

  • Developed multiple tank models, each with varying success

  • Matilda Mk I was the first of such tanks, it had some success in France but was defeated by German anti-tank guns and due to its design, it would kill the whole crew if hit, meaning the skill and manpower could not be recovered

  • Matilda Mk II was the next tank design, and it had more success as it could largely ignore German gunfire and actually damage German tanks, but it could not defend against the German tactics due to their aggression and the British’s lack of armored support

  • British also developed self-propelled artillery, which was essentially an artillery gun with a tank body. This meant the artillery could be moved faster and more efficiently, being valuable in Allied battles

  • Also developed armored cars to transport troops more safely

  • British utilized tactics similar to the ‘creeping barrage’ from World War One

  • Though their guns were variants of the ones used in the First World War, the British were far more efficient with their guns as they were trained to fire quickly and accurately than the Germans, as their guns were designed poorly and the user had to move their face each time as to not get hit by the bolt, meaning they had to re-aim

    • These guns were eventually replaced with more American-style weapons during the war, the Lee-Enfield

  • British chose .303 of an inch (or .303 caliber) bullets

  • Developed mine-clearing vehicles that were vital during the Normandy invasion

Americans

  • The famous M1 Garand

    • Could not be refilled partway through firing like the British ones could

    • Could possibly crush the user’s thumb

    • Only had 8 rounds per magazine, compared to the British’s 10

    • However, it could be fired rapidly from the hip while running

    • Additionally, it could be fired as quick as the user could pull the trigger, meaning more bullets could be fired more rapidly

    • Many snipers switched from using the M1903 Springfield rifle to the M1 Garand due to its increased rate of fire, though the M1903 was better for sniping

  • American handgun - Colt 1911 - Was the most powerful handgun in the war

  • Submachine gun - The Thompson (Tommy gun) was an effective way to incapacitate the enemy

  • The Americans would fire at an enemy area, then split up to advance. One group would provide cover fire for the other that would advance into the enemy territory. This worked best for the Americans as they had enough materials and resources to produce a large quantity of arms and ammunition

  • The American M4 Sherman, designed in 1940, became a main weapon for the Allies

  • Developed tank destroyers like the M10 Wolverine and the M18 Hellcat to counter German tanks

  • Introduced bazookas to provide portable anti-tank weapons

  • Created self-propelled artillery to compliment mechanized attacks - M7 Priest

  • The Americans excelled with vehicles, employing trucks and jeeps to ensure mobility

  • Implemented radios across the whole army

Soviets

  • T-34 Tank was pivotal to the Soviet war effort as their sloped armor and high mobility made them key parts of Soviet attacks

  • Developed heavy tanks to assist in breakthrough operations

  • PPSh-41 submachine gun became standard issue in the Soviet military, helping them to push the Nazis back

  • Field artillery became vital in attacks

  • The Soviets adapted their designs to be simpler and easy to produce during the war, meaning their industrial output went up and could supply more troops in a shorter timespan

  • Soviet tactics included the coordinated use of infantry, tanks, and artillery in waves of attack to weaken and eventually defeat the enemy

Japan

  • Japan employed light tanks designed for speed

  • Developed submachine guns later in the war

  • Japanese used portable anti-tank weaponry, but these were ineffective compared to Allied anti-tank weapons

  • Primarily used mortars, but their artillery was outdated

  • The Japanese logistics were suffering throughout the war, which did impact the effectiveness of their operations

Italy

  • Italian tanks were underpowered and slow compared to the competition, and tank innovation was limited

  • Rifles worked well but did not include revolutionary features like the other powers’ weapons

  • Italian artillery was fine but not as good as the rest of the involved nations

France

  • French tanks were well armored but suffered from logistics errors and mobility issues

  • Free French forces utilized equipment from other Allies nations

  • French equipment worked well but was outdated compared to German equipment

Sea

Germany

  • The U-Boat submarine fleet was an important part of their navy

    • Early Type VII and Type IX U-Boats were designed for stealth operations in the Atlantic

    • Later into the war, Germany produced Type XXI and XXIII submarines, which were highly advanced due to their snorkels for diesel operations, improved batteries for endurance, and improved speeds

    • Much like World War One, these submarines were important parts of the naval battle

    • Submarines caused severe disruptions to Allied shipping, sinking millions of tons of product

    • Allied anti-sub technologies including sonar and air patrols effectively neutralized the effectiveness of U-Boats by 1943

  • Innovations in tactics such as the wolf pack tactics, where groups of U-Boats made coordinated strikes on Allied vessels

  • Innovated with acoustic torpedoes that could follow an enemy if they moved

  • Hitler’s original focus was on the surface fleet, such as the Bismarck and Tirpitz battleships, designed to project naval power

    • Once these ships were destroyed by the British Royal Navy, Hitler gave more funding to Karl Dönitz, the submarine fleet commander

United States

  • Aircraft Carriers

    • The United States focused on carriers for their battles in the pacific

    • Carriers such as the USS Enterprise, USS Yorktown, and USS Essex were vital in the Pacific Theater

    • Though they were damaged by kamikaze attacks, American aircraft carriers could be repaired quickly, some being back in service within a week after severe damage

    • Essex-class carriers allowed American naval projection across the Pacific at an unprecedented scale

    • Carrier-based attacks became more common, rendering battleships less decisive for battles

  • Battleships

    • Although these were overshadowed by aircraft carriers, these ships were fast and heavily armed - Iowa-class battleships

    • Very good for shore bombardment when invading pacific islands

    • Remained vital for operations like protecting heavier ships and convoys

  • Submarines

    • Subs such as the Gato and Balao class submarines targeted Japanese naval and merchant vessels

    • Stealth submarines fitted with radars devastated Japanese supply lines, which was effective as Japan is an island and had control over many other islands that needed supply

    • Critical to the Allies conquering global supply lines and cutting off the Axis from supplies

  • Amphibious assault ships

    • Allowed large-scale naval invasions such as D-Day and the invasions of Japanese pacific holdings

    • These were very important to offense campaigns

United Kingdom

  • Destroyers and escort ships

    • Britain developed special vessels for convoy defense, such as the Hunt-class destroyers

    • These boats had anti-submarine warfare technology that was critical countering German U-boats

  • Aircraft carriers

    • Pioneered armored-deck ships, which had greater defense against kamikaze attacks and airstrikes

    • Carrier-based aircraft were vital to naval success, such as the Fairey Swordfish. These helped destroy the German battleship Bismarck

  • Battleships and battlecruisers

    • The King George V-class battleships combined heavy armor with firepower, contributing to naval victories

    • Heavy cruisers were important in maintaining control of overseas territories and securing trade routes

Soviet Union

  • Submarines

    • Developed large fleets of small submarines primarily for defense and coastal patrol

  • Surface fleet

    • Focus on smaller ships such as frigades, destroyers, and patrol boats for operation in the Baltic and Black Seas

    • Heavily reliant on lend-lease naval supplies from the Allies, such as British destroyers and American escort ships

  • Impact

    • Soviet Navy primarily played a defensive role, protecting supply lines in the arctic

    • Soviet marines were important for naval landings

Japan

  • Aircraft carriers

    • Japan started the war with the most advanced carrier fleet

    • Carrier-based aircraft excelled in the beginning due to their range and agility

    • Loss of important aircraft carriers in battles such as Midway marked the decline in Japanese naval dominance

  • Battleships

    • Though Japan built some of the most heavily armed battleships ever, their effectiveness was limited by the rise in carrier-based naval battles

    • The Japanese stuck with their Decisive Battle Doctrine, which proved outdated in decisive battles

  • Submarines

    • Japanese submarines were innovative but underused

  • Amphibious operations

    • Japan developed advanced landing craft and techniques for naval invasions but ultimately struggled to defend against Allied attacks and were unable to break the Allies defenses

Italy

  • Surface fleet

    • Focus on powerful surface fleet with advanced battleships and fast cruisers

    • Aim to dominate the Mediterranean

  • Innovative craft

    • Italy innovated with manned torpedoes and small assault craft, which were effective in damaging British ships during raids

  • Impact

    • Italy’s navy was effectively useless due to a lack of fuel, poor coordination, and British naval dominance in the Mediterranean

    • Fleet was very vulnerable to air attacks, as demonstrated in the Battle of Taranto

Air

Germany

  • German fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 were advanced fighters that boasted excellent speed and agility, air superiority played a decisive role quick territorial gains

  • Bombers such as the Heinkel He 111 were strong parts of the Luftwaffe’s bomber fleet, devastating towns and intimidating the enemy

  • Messerschmitt Me 262 - The first real jet-powered aircraft was created during the war, though it was deployed too late to impact the outcome of the war

  • V-1 and V-2 were guided missiles first used during the war that intimidated the British. They were produced in too few numbers to make a real impact

  • The Luftwaffe relied on the close air support that came with the Blitzkrieg theory

  • Strategic bombing was limited, as Germany lacked long-range heavy bombers

United States

  • Multiple long-range escort fighter models such as the P-38 Lightning were important to assist heavy bombers on their missions

  • Heavy bombers such as the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator were important to bombing raids over Europe. Later in the war, American air superiority was vital to crippling German industry and transport networks

  • the B-29 was deployed in 1943 and was feared for its long-range and high-altitude bombing capabilities. This model is notable as it was the plane that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan

  • Produced aircraft carrier planes such as the Grumman F6F Hellcat that were decisive for naval battles

  • Survivorship bias theory - When planes came back from missions, they usually had many bullet holes, so the Americans decided to reinforce the areas with the most holes. Statistician Abraham Wald pointed out that they’re only able to study the planes that came back, meaning the ones that got hit in the other areas crashed. The Americans reinforced the areas with the least bullet holes, leading to less aircraft losses.

    • They couldn’t reinforce the whole aircraft because that much armor was too heavy

United Kingdom

  • Fighter models such as the Supermarine Spitfire were vital for winning the Battle for Britain against the Luftwaffe, due to their agility and firepower

  • Long-range bomber aircraft such as the Handley Page Halifax were important to destroying German industry

  • Created a model of plane called the Havilland Mosquito, which was made of wood and could perform multiple tasks from reconnaissance to bombing due to its speed and agility

  • British air defenses prevented a full German invasion during the Battle of Britain

  • Though it cost many crew members, British bombing raids were vital to disrupting German industrial output

Soviet Union

  • Produced reliable fighters such as the Yak-3 and La-5 that performed well against the Luftwaffe

  • Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik - Heavily armored aircraft used for close air support and anti-tank missions

  • The Soviets produced a large number of rugged aircraft that could operate in harsh environments such as the weather of western Russia, aiding in their air victories

  • Soviet air forces contributed to the defense of Moscow, Stalingrad, and other key battles, eventually allowing them to gain air superiority and turn the tides of war

Japan

  • In the beginning of the war, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero was unmatched in its speed and agility, though it was soon overtaken by Allied aircraft

  • Mitsubishi G4M was effective in early bombing campaigns

  • Japan employed kamikaze tactics, crashing planes with the pilots still inside into enemy naval vessels, in an attempt to damage them or take them out of service

  • The Japanese focused on speed and agility, leading to their planes lacking important armor

  • Lack of radar advancements significantly hindered Japan’s capabilities

  • Early successes in the pacific were made possible by the advanced aircraft and trained pilots

  • Japan couldn’t sustain the losses of experienced pilots, and this weakened them

Italy

  • Produced aircraft such as the Macchi C.202, which worked well individually but weren’t produced in large enough quantities to be effective

  • Bombers such as the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 were effective but didn’t have a long enough range and weren’t durable enough to compare to Allied bombers

  • Italy’s airpower was hindered by their outdated designs, limited production, and a lack of strategic vision

  • The outdated aircraft were important as they couldn’t compete against Allied aircraft as the Allies moved up Italy, allowing the Allies to move a lot faster

  • After Italy surrendered in 1943, many Italian planes were used by the Allies or scrapped

Science

Cavity Magnetron

  • Generates microwaves that are reflected by metal but also heat food

    • The science is now used in common household microwave machines

  • Used for improving on radars

    • The microwaves were more accurate and could be used over greater distances

    • The use of microwaves in radar was crucial as it allowed the Allies to detect enemy ships and planes much sooner and quicker

  • Invented by a German scientist in Berlin, but the Nazis believed it wouldn’t do what they wanted it to

  • A prototype was created in the UK and quickly improved upon, allowing for the enhanced microwave technology used in radars

Radar

  • Though it was invented in the late 19th century by a German scientist, the Allies during World War Two improved upon it and made it suitable for combat

    • The government believed it was useless, though it could have served a purpose in the First World War

  • 2 US navy researchers discovered it could be used to detect ships in low visibility from far away in 1922

  • Radar was installed on ships starting in 1935

  • Used during World War Two in the USA as a air defence mechanism after the attacks on Pearl Harbor

  • Radar technology was further developed at MIT between 1941-1945

  • Had developments during the war to make it smaller and more portable, allowing it to work on ships and aircraft

  • The importance was it allowed Allies to detect enemy aircraft and ships, meaning this technology did determine many air and naval battles

  • Aircraft and ships could be much safer, as there was a higher chance of winning battles, meaning there was a lower loss of manpower and assets

  • Radar could also be used to predict weather, making planning attacks easier

Computers

  • Not invented during the war, but highly utilized

  • The United States designed a computer called the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) for military purposes, but never ended up using it during the war as it was finished in 1945

    • This computer could do thousands of calculations per second

    • It was designed to calculate trajectories for artillery fire, which did lead the way for other machines

  • Computers were used to do highly advanced mathematical equations quickly, making battle planning easier and making

    • Machines were used to keep track of troops, supplies, and equipment, making it easier to manage logistics and reduced the number of errors

    • Also used in targeting fire

  • The Nazis used computers to encrypt and decrypt the famous Enigma code, using a machine called Enigma to send codes to the Nazi high command without fear of being intercepted

  • Computers were also used in the British effort to decrypt the Enigma code

    • The British machine was called Bombe, the British built over 200 of these machines to intercept and decrypt 5,000 messages per day

    • The effect of this is that the British and the Allies could now predict Nazi attacks and exploit weaknesses based off Nazi messages

  • Computer research was vital to other forms of research later in the war, such as von Neumann who worked on the Manhattan Project

    • Another example: Mark I made by Harvard University and IBM could perform a series of calculations very quickly and without error, also contributing to the Manhattan Project

  • Machines were vital to the Manhattan Project

Medicine

  • The need to treat millions of soldiers led to advancements in medicinal techniques and treatments

  • The development of skin grafts, blood transfusions, and trauma treatment meant that the number of soldiers who died later of wounds fell from 24% to just 4%

  • The advances in medicine meant the soldiers could recover quickly and be used again or sent back home to do work in factories

  • Much less loss of human capital

  • Though Penicillin was discovered in 1928, it was not widely produced until the start of World War Two

    • 2.3 million doses of penicillin were produced to support the invasion of Normandy in 1944

Atomic Bomb

  • Manhattan Project

  • First bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6 1945 and second on Nagasaki on August 9 1945

  • Japanese surrender was announced on August 15 1945

  • Killed between 150,000-250,000 people, flattened most of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki

  • What effect did nuclear bombs have on Japanese surrender?

    • The Japanese Navy was already nonfunctional and an American invasion of mainland Japan was coming close

    • The Japanese were already making peace negotiations with the Soviets that would favor the Japanese, but these were private

    • The Japanese military announced plans to fight to the bitter end after the Potsdam Declaration on July 26 1945 called for their unconditional surrender

    • Soviets were preparing to attack Japanese forces in Manchukuo and Korea, and did launch their attack soon after midnight on August 9 after declaring war on August 8

    • Japan could not handle the fight in the Pacific, on the territories they had conquered, and in northern China and Korea

    • Emperor Hirohito demanded the Japanese Supreme Council accept the surrender terms of the Potsdam Declaration

    • The bombing caused much disagreement within the Cabinet, with the foreign minister declaring Japan must surrender immediately while the military leaders, who underestimated the extent of the attack, believed they should still fight

    • Truman stated that America would continue bombing Japan’s war industries if Japan did not surrender immediately, and that it would kill many civilians

      • “The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. That was because we wished in this first attack to avoid, insofar as possible, the killing of civilians. But that attack is only a warning of things to come. If Japan does not surrender, bombs will have to be dropped on her war industries and, unfortunately, thousands of civilian lives will be lost. I urge Japanese civilians to leave industrial cities immediately, and save themselves from destruction.” - Harry Truman, 1945

    • Under interrogation, a captured P-51 pilot stated that America had 100 atom bombs and Tokyo and Kyoto “would be destroyed” in the next few days if Japan didn’t surrender - In reality, the United States detonated the only two atom bombs they had, but Japan didn’t know this

    • “I have given serious thought to the situation prevailing at home and abroad and have concluded that continuing the war can only mean destruction for the nation and prolongation of bloodshed and cruelty in the world. I cannot bear to see my innocent people suffer any longer. ... I swallow my tears and give my sanction to the proposal to accept the Allied proclamation on the basis outlined by [Tōgō,] the Foreign Minister.” - Emperor Hirohito, 1945

    • After the atomic bombings, the Japanese took 6 days to reply. During that time, the Allies dropped leaflets on Japan detailing the attacks and responses, which was important to swaying public and military opinion. Additionally, the Americans used over 1000 bombers on August 14 with no losses to continue bombing Japan to send a message, which resulted in the last functional oil refinery in mainland Japan, which produced 2/3 of their oil, being destroyed

    • America was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Tokyo, and the Japanese knew this from the interrogation with the captured pilot