The History of World War Two: The German Invasion & the Allied Response

Overview

Britain's response to Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939 was the British Expeditionary Force, sent to Europe to prevent the Germans' armored assault against France. The BEF's withdrawal at Dunkirk left the RAF to win the Battle of Britain and postpone invasion plans indefinitely. As WW2 entered its second phase, where Montgomery's victory at El Alamein halted Rommel's armored sweep through North Africa. Further East, Hitler's attack on Russia proved suicidal: German surrender at Stalingrad left Russia poised to punch into the heart of the Reich. In the Far East, Japan followed their pre-emptive strike at Pearl Harbor with rapid territorial gains before being pushed back from Midway by American might. In Europe, RAF Bomber Command blitzed German cities as the D-Day invasion of Normandy was taking shape. By April 1945, the liberation of Europe was complete. These momentous events are portrayed through front-line film footage and carefully researched contemporary accounts.