Campaigns of World War II were the military operations which decided the outcome of the war. Campaigns generally refer to broader strategic operations conducted over a large bit of territory and over a long period of time. Battles generally refer to short periods of intense combat localised to a specific area and over a specific period of time. However, use of the terms in naming such events is not consistent. For example, the Battle of the Atlantic was more or less an entire theatre of war, and the so-called battle lasted for the duration of the entire war. Another misnomer is the Battle of Britain, which by all rights should be considered a campaign, not a mere battle. There are several common types of campaign: For organized efforts, each toward specific political goals, see political campaign. ... The Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler. ... Battle of the Atlantic can refer to either of two naval campaigns, depending on context: World War I - First Battle of the Atlantic World War II - Second Battle of the Atlantic A Third Battle of the Atlantic was envisioned to be be part of any Third World War that arose... A major campaign of World War II, the Battle of Britain is the name for the attempt by Germanys Luftwaffe to gain air superiority of British airspace and destroy the Royal Air Force (RAF). ...

European Theatre

The European Theatre of World War II encompassed a large number of campaigns and many of the war's largest battles. In particular, the Eastern Front was the site of almost constant campaigning and regular battles. Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini // Preceding events Main articles: Events preceding World War II in Europe, Causes of World War II After Germany lost World War I, the Treaty of Versailes placed extremely harsh conditions on Germany, including huge unrealistic reparations and war guilt clauses. ... The Eastern Front was the theatre of combat between Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union during World War II. It was somewhat separate from the other theatres of the war, not only geographically, but also for its scale and ferocity. ...

Polish September Campaign

The Polish September Campaign was fought in Poland between invading German and Soviet forces and defending Polish forces, beginning with the invasion of Poland by Germany under operational plan Fall Weiss on September 1, 1939, and concluding with the surrender of the last Polish military forces on October 6, 1939. Many Polish personnel and forces escaped capture, but the entirety of Poland was captured and the campaign was a success for the invading forces. While France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany over the invasion, they were unable to render significant aid to Poland during the campaign. The Polish Smarch Campaign — also known as Polish-German War of 1939, in Poland often as Wojna obronna 1939 roku (Defensive War of 1939), in Germany as Polish Campaign (Polenfeldzug), codenamed Fall Weiss (Case White) in the German General Staff — was the invasion of Poland by the armies of Nazi... Soviet redirects here. ... Fall Weiss (german spelling Fall Weiß) translates as Case White following the German militarys naming convention. ...

See also: Timeline of the Polish September Campaign September 1: World War II begins with the invasion of Poland by Germany. ...

The Phony War

The Phony War refers to the conduct of the war in Western Europe, primarily along the Franco-German border, between the declaration of war on September 3, 1939, to the invasion of France and the Low Countries by Germany on May 10, 1940. This period is marked by a distinct lack of active combat operations despite the war status. German forces were fighting in Poland and lacked sufficient strength to mount an offensive, while for a number of reasons, the Allies did not exploit this weakness to go on the offensive themselves on this front. Ministry of Home Security Poster The Phony War, or in Winston Churchills words the Twilight War, was the phase of World War II marked by no military operations in Continental Europe, that followed the collapse of Poland. ...

Winter War

The Winter War fought between Finland and the Soviet Union, was a concurrent war to World War II, and thus is covered in its own main article. Jump to: navigation, search The Winter War (also known as the Soviet-Finnish War or the Russo-Finnish War) broke out when the Soviet Union attacked Finland on November 30, 1939, three months after the start of World War II. As a consequence, the Soviet Union was expelled from the...

Norway

The Norwegian Campaign was the battle for control of Norway and its strategic position and influence in regards to mineral resources and access to the Baltic Sea. Both Germany and the Allies planned actions of military intervention, but Germany was first to act, launching their Operation Weserübung on April 9, 1940, ahead of the less well organized Allied campaign in Norway. Part of the campaign was the capture of Denmark by German forces, with Copenhagen falling to Germany within hours. The Norwegian portion of the campaign lasted until June 10, 1940, when the Allied forces completed their withdrawal, allowing Axis occupation of Norway which would last for the remainder of the war. German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign led to the first direct confrontation between the military forces of the Allies — United Kingdom and France against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for Germany seeking the occupation of Norway was Germanys... Operation Weserübung was the German codename for Nazi Germanys assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. ... The Allied campaign in Norway took place from April 1940 until early June 1940. ... Copenhagen (Danish: København) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, and the name of the municipality (Danish, kommune) in which it resides. ...

See also: Timeline of the Norwegian Campaign January 1940 27: German planners assign the code name Weserübung to the operation. ...

France and the Low Countries

The Battle of France was launched by Germany with the Fall Gelb operation, when German forces invaded France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands on May 10, 1940. A strong British contingent, the British Expeditionary Force, assisted the French and Belgian forces. The Germans were successful in cutting off large portions of the Allied forces in the Low Countries, forcing evacuation by sea, and in driving rapidly through northern France, precipitating the collapse of the French government. On June 22, the French government signs the armistice with Germany to bring an end to the campaign, leaving north and west France, as well as the Low Countries under Axis occupation. Territory is also ceded to Italy in the south. The resulting Vichy France consists of south central France and most of the French colonies. In World War II, Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ... In World War II, Battle of France or Case Yellow (Fall Gelb in German) was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Boer War in case Britain ever...

See also: Timeline of the Battle of France The Timeline of the Battle of France covers the period of time during World War II from the first military actions on the Franco-German frontier to the fall of France in 1940. ...

Strategic campaigns

Battle of the Atlantic

The Second Battle of the Atlantic (named as such to differentiate it from a similar campaign fought during World War I) was a strategic campaign by Germany to enforce a naval siege of the British Isles. The primary German weapon was the submarine (Unterseeboot in German, commonly referred to as a U-Boat), although surface raiders, mine-laying craft, and aircraft also were used to attack Allied shipping and escorts in the Atlantic Ocean. The campaign extended into neighboring seas, such as the Caribbean Sea and North Sea, and even involved the Arctic Ocean and Indian Ocean, although the vast majority of engagements happened within the North Atlantic Ocean. The campaign lasted for the duration of the war, and while Germany never succeeded in fully cutting off enough shipments to bring the United Kingdom into a negotiated settlement, the materiel cost to the Allies of lost shipments and effort exerted in defense of the convoys was significant, and therefore neither side clearly prevailed. HMS Repulse (British battlecruiser, 1916-1941) leading HMS Renown and other ships during maneuvers. ... Jump to: navigation, search World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ... Jump to: navigation, search USS Los Angeles A submarine is a specialized watercraft that can operate underwater. ... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea is a tropical body of water adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... When spelt with a capital A, Allies usually denotes the countries that fought together against the Central Powers in World War I and against the Axis Powers in World War II. For more information, see the related articles: Allies of World War I and Allies of World War II. Other...

See also: Timeline of the Second Battle of the Atlantic 1939 September September 3, 1939 German submarine sinks the SS Athenia. ...

Strategic bombing campaign in Europe

Allied air operations in Europe began as a series of raids by the Royal Air Force (RAF) against German military targets, and eventually escalated into a full-scale day and night campaign of using large forces of heavy bombers to strike all manner of targets throughout Axis-occupied territories in Europe. Heavy losses in early raids led RAF Bomber Command to adopt nighttime attacks as their primary tactic. After the U.S. entry into the war the American forces, seeking increased accuracy possible in daylight, launched major daylight raids. Initially despite flying in tight formations and sacrificing bomb load for armament they too suffered unacceptable losses, but the introduction of the new P-51 Mustang long range fighter allowed them to protect their bombers and eventually gain air superiority over Germany. This combination of campaigns provided an around-the-clock threat to Axis territory. Initially poorly prepared for this campaign, German air defenses were bolstered with innovations including radar-equipped night fighters and rocket interceptors, although they were never able to prevent the increasing size and rate of Allied bomber attacks. Ultimately, Allied attacks caused significant damage to infrastructure and resources, but German improvisations allowed this to be made up for to a significant degree. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The B-52 Stratofortress, a heavy bomber. ... RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAFs bomber forces. ... The North American P-51 Mustang was a successful long range fighter aircraft which entered service in the middle years of World War II. The definitive version of the single-seat fighter was powered by a single supercharged V-12 Merlin engine and armed with six . ...

See also: Timeline of the strategic bombing campaign in Europe

Bombing of Dresden

Main article: Bombing of Dresden in World War II The bombing of Dresden by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) between February 13 and February 15, 1945 remains one of the more controversial events of World War II. According to British historian Frederick Taylor: The destruction of Dresden has an epically...

See also

• List of military engagements of World War II
• Bomber Command

German soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad. ... Bomber Command is an organizational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. ...

Jump to: navigation, search World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb . Known in the USSR as: the Great Patriotic War World War II, also known as the Second... Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini // Preceding events Main articles: Events preceding World War II in Europe, Causes of World War II After Germany lost World War I, the Treaty of Versailes placed extremely harsh conditions on Germany, including huge unrealistic reparations and war guilt clauses. ... Ministry of Home Security Poster The Phony War, or in Winston Churchills words the Twilight War, was the phase of World War II marked by no military operations in Continental Europe, that followed the collapse of Poland. ... German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign led to the first direct confrontation between the military forces of the Allies — United Kingdom and France against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for Germany seeking the occupation of Norway was Germanys... In World War II, Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Eastern Front of World War II was the theatre of war covering the conflict in eastern Europe, notorious for its unprecedented ferocity. ... The Continuation War was fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II; from the Soviet bombing attacks on June 25, 1941, to cease-fire September 4, 1944 (on the Finnish side) and September 5 (on the Soviet side). ... During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemberg, and Denmark. ... US landings in the Pacific, 1942–1945 The Pacific War, which is known in Japan as the Greater East Asia War, occurred in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in Asia. ... The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. ... This article deals with the military command/theatre known as the South West Pacific Area. ... Operation August Storm was the codename for the Soviet invasion of Manchukuo, Mengjiang, Korea, the southern portion of Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Hokkaido. ... Jump to: navigation, search The term fire balloon can mean a small unmanned hot air balloon for festivities; this is also called a sky lantern. ... The Mediterranean region. ... The name African Theatres of World War II encompasses actions which took place in World War II between Allied forces and Axis forces, between 1940 and 1943 both on the African mainland and in nearby waters and islands. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II Command Structure main article Middle East Command The British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility not just for British Empire and Dominions ( British Commonwealth) operations in the Middle East and North Africa, but also East Africa, Persia, and the... Battle of Mediterranean Conflict World War II Date Place Mediterranean Sea Result Allied victory The Naval Battle of the Mediterranean was waged during World War II, to attack and keep open the respective supply lines of Allied and Axis armies, and to destroy the opposing sides ability to wage... The East African Campaign refers to the battles fought between British Empire and Commonwealth forces and Italy in Italian East Africa during World War II. This campaign is often seen as part of the North African Campaign. ... The North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, of World War II took place in the North African desert during 1940-1943. ... The name West African campaign refers to two battles during World War II, the Battle of Dakar (also known as Operation Menace) and the Battle of Gabon, both of which were in late 1940. ... The Balkans Campaign was the Italian and German invasion of the Yugoslavia and Greece during the Second World War. ... The Middle East Campaign was a part of the Middle East Theatre of World War II. // Overview This campaign included: The British police actions in Palestine. ... Strategic Bombing during World War II was unlike anything the world had previously witnessed. ... German soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad. ... The Chinese Civil War was a conflict in China between the Kuomintang (The Nationalist Party; The Nationalists; KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC). ... The Second Sino-Japanese War was a major invasion of eastern China by Japan preceding and during World War II. It ended with the surrender of Japan in 1945. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Winter War (also known as the Soviet-Finnish War or the Russo-Finnish War) broke out when the Soviet Union attacked Finland on November 30, 1939, three months after the start of World War II. As a consequence, the Soviet Union was expelled from the... The Anglo-Iraqi War was a short war fought between the United Kingdom and the Iraqi nationalist government, from April 18, 1941 to May 30 of the same year. ...