Axing the Axis: Allies Take the Offensive, 1942-1944

Axing the Axis: Allies Take the Offensive,

1942-1944

The Atlantic Wall• A “wall” of

defenses to block an Allied invasion

• Plans called for over 2,500 miles of defenses from Norway to Spain

Plans for Atlantic Wall:

WHERE TO INVADE??? Brainstorm 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage to the Allies invading each location #1-4.

#1: France

#2: Germany

#3: Italy

#4: North Africa

STALINGRAD Aug 1942-Feb 1943

• Major industrial city in Southern Russia. Hitler ordered troops to take the city at all costs (500,000 troops).

• Soviets trapped German army inside city. 90,000 Germans surrendered.

• TURNING POINT! (USSR now advances toward Germany)

USSR and Allies• 1942: Stalin asked Allies to

invade France

• 1942: Allies invaded North Africa instead (didn’t listen)

• Stalin began to think the Allies wanted to let Germany weaken the Soviet Union (didn’t trust them)

Operation Torch1942-43

• Allied invasion of North Africa• U.S.-Algeria, Tunisia; Britain/France-Libya, Egypt• Benefit: a. not highly defended by Axis

b. gives USA time to get more troops & supplies • Drawback: a. still not in Europe, b. desert fighting

Allied Success!!!

Operation Husky 1943-44• Allies next invaded

Italian Peninsula• Conquered Sicily in 1

month• Conquered Rome 1944• Benefit:

a. close to North Africab. Part of Europec. Mussolini out

• Drawback:-still no invasion in France to help USSR!

USA Steps Up…• By 1944, USA has been in

war for 2 years

• Millions of soldiers gain experience, millions of tons of supplies produced each day

• Axis: Italy now defeated, Germany worn down

• Allies now have the strength to plan an invasion of France!

Operation Overlord (D-DAY) 1944

• Largest invasion force ever (150,000 men/ 5,000 ships) Need to re-take France from Nazi Germany

• Preparation:

1) Fake invasion force assembled at Dover, Eng. (across Channel from Calais, Fr., 200 mi from Normandy)

2) Parachute troops sent in night before (sabotage)• INVASION- June 6, 1944 6:00 am 5 armies land on

beach in Normandy, France• SUCCESS! 9,000 dead, but 100,000 more landed and

began defeating Nazi Germany

HITLER MAIN FORCE

FAKE ARMY

ACTUAL INVASION

USA, Allies

USSR

“Battle of the Bulge”: Dec. 1944… Germany’s last attack on the Allies, pushed into France and formed a “Bulge” in Allied lines. (they lost, though)

“V-E Day” May 8, 1945: The date Germany formally surrendered to the Allies and USSR. “Victory in Europe Day”