Chapter 17: The U.S. in WWII Section 2: The War for Europe and North Africa

Chapter 17:Chapter 17:The U.S. in WWIIThe U.S. in WWII

Section 2:Section 2:The War for The War for Europe and Europe and North AfricaNorth Africa

Standards11.7 Students analyze 11.7 Students analyze America's participation America's participation in World War II.in World War II.

.2 Explain U.S. and Allied .2 Explain U.S. and Allied wartime strategy, including the wartime strategy, including the major battles of Midway, major battles of Midway, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Battle of the Bulge.and the Battle of the Bulge.

ObjectivesFollowing lecture and Following lecture and reading of this section, reading of this section, students will be able to:students will be able to:1.Summarize the Allies’ plans for winning the war.

2.Identify events in the war in Europe.

3.Describe the liberation of Europe.

The U.S. & Britain Align War Plans- U.S. & Britain join in

alliance Churchill convinced FDR to go after Hitler

first, then JapanBritain still in danger of falling to Hitler

We needed them to stay in the war

The Battle of the Atlantic Hitler ordered U-boat (submarine) attacks

against supply ships to BritainWolf packs destroyed hundreds of ships in 1942

Allies organized convoys of cargo ships with escort destroyers with sonar; planes with radarConstruction of Liberty ships (cargo carriers)

increased

Important Reasons for AllianceImportant Reasons for Alliance1.1. FDR always considered Hitler to FDR always considered Hitler to

be the #1 threatbe the #1 threat Hitler pushed for world domination

2.2. Stalin, and USSR, who were now Stalin, and USSR, who were now allies needed help from us.allies needed help from us.

We did not want to allow the USSR to fail they were keeping Hitler occupied with war

3.3. The U.S. needed Britain and The U.S. needed Britain and USSR in order to defeat Japan, USSR in order to defeat Japan, and for the moment they were and for the moment they were busy with Hitler.busy with Hitler.

Once Hitler is out those who we are helping would help us.

The Battle of Stalingrad Hitler wanted to capture Caucasus oil fields

and destroy Stalingrad Stalingrad was strategically located on the

Volga R.Germany could choke out most of Russia by

controlling the flow of supplies on the river (Mississippi R.)

After a long struggle, the Soviets defeated the Germans in bitter winter campaignDeaths:

Germans 230,000 Soviets1,100,000 The Battle of Stalingrad was the turning point

The Soviet army began to move towards Germany

The North African Front Stalin wanted some aid by the other

alliesStalin suggested the U.S. & Britain invade to Germany’s west (France) to force Hitler to send troops there

The U.S. & British decided to begin the campaign in North AfricaCommanded by General Dwight Eisenhower

General Erwin Rommel (“Desert Fox”) led Afrika Korps (Nazis) and surrendered in May 1943

The Italian Campaign From North Africa, the Allies

went northeast toward ItalyAllies decided to only accept the unconditional surrender of the Axis Powers

Sicily captured (summer 1943)Mussolini forced to resignHitler re-installs Mussolini as leader

1944 Allies win “Bloody Anzio”Germans continue strong resistance

Heroes in CombatAfrican Americans

Tuskegee AirmenBuffalo Soldiers

Highly decorated- lots of medals for heroism

Mexican-Americans17 received congressional medal of honor

Japanese-Americans442nd Regimental Combat Team

Most decorated unit in U.S. history

D-Day (Page 575) The first day of the Allied invasion

of EuropeAllies set up phantom army

Sent fake radio messages to fool Germans

Real attack cam 150 miles away from the fake attack

Eisenhower directed Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944Very difficult fightingGermans held the high ground but lost it

2 Fronts in Western Europe2 Fronts in Western Europe

USSR

North Africa

Paratroopers

Paratroopers

WWII, Sept 1944WWII, Sept 1944

Italy

North Africa

USSR

France

English C

hannel

France

GreatBritain

Great Britain

Great Britain

France

English Channel

Normandy, France

Axis PowersAxis Powers

Allied Powers

Neutral

Germany

ItalyVichy

France

PolandOccupied

USSRN

orw

ay Finland

Britain

Syria

USSR

Sw

eden

Turkey

North Africa

World War II Europe, 1942World War II Europe, 1942

Occupied France

North Africa

Axis Powers

Allied Powers

Neutral

WWII, Early 1943WWII, Early 1943

WWII, 1942-1943WWII, 1942-1943

USSR

North Africa

Axis Powers

Allied Powers

Neutral

After the Battle of

Stalingrad

Germany1944

WWII, July 1943WWII, July 1943Axis Powers

Allied Powers

Neutral

Italy

North Africa

USSR

English C

hannel

France

GreatBritain

Normandy, France

WWII, Sept 1944WWII, Sept 1944

Italy

North Africa

USSR

France

Axis Powers

Allied Powers

Neutral

D-DayInvasion Germany

Yalta Conference

Yalta Yalta ConferenceConference

Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman

WWII, Sept 1944WWII, Sept 1944

Italy

North Africa

USSR

France

Axis Powers

Allied Powers

Neutral

D-DayInvasion Germany

The Allies Gain Ground General Omar Bradley bombed to

create gap in enemy defense line General George Patton led the

Third ArmyThey reached Paris in AugustTaking back of Paris was a big step

The tide of the war had now turned

FDR was reelected for his 4th term with running mate Harry S. TrumanDon’t change horses mid-race

The Battle of the Bulge October 1944, Allies capture first

German town, Aachen Hitler had to do something

In December, German tank divisions drove 60 miles into Allied area Battle of the Bulge—Germans pushed back

allies Formed a bulge in the allied lines

The last German offensive A desperate attempt by Hitler to regain control

of the war Too many losses to Nazis in this battle to

continue

Liberation of the Death Camps

Allies move in on GermanySoviets from the east arrive in Poland and liberate concentration campsSoviets found:

Starving prisonersCorpsesEvidence of killing

Americans eventually find similar conditions in other camps all over Germany

Unconditional Surrender April 1945 Soviet army stormed Berlin

Hitler committed suicide Shot himself

Orders his body burned

Eisenhower (& allies) accepted unconditional surrender of Germany May 8, 1945, V-E Day

Victory in Europe Day

FDR died April 12, 1945 Vice President Harry S. Truman became

president Had to deal with Japan and aftermath of war

WWII, 1942WWII, 1942Axis PowersAxis Powers

GermanyGermany AustriaAustria CzechCzech PolandPoland NorwayNorway DenmarkDenmark NetherlandsNetherlands BelgiumBelgium FranceFrance FinlandFinland 1/3 of Russia1/3 of Russia RomaniaRomania

ItalyItaly AlbaniaAlbania GreeceGreece YugoslaviaYugoslavia Parts of N. AfricaParts of N. Africa

JapanJapan 1/3 of China1/3 of China Islands in PacificIslands in Pacific French IndochinaFrench Indochina ThailandThailand

BulgariaBulgaria HungaryHungary

Allied PowersAllied Powers Great BritainGreat Britain

EgyptEgypt CanadaCanada AustraliaAustralia IndiaIndia New ZealandNew Zealand South AfricaSouth Africa FijiFiji

¾ of USSR¾ of USSR ¾ of China¾ of China Iran Iran United StatesUnited States

MexicoMexico CubaCuba HaitiHaiti BrazilBrazil Costa RicaCosta Rica Dominican RepublicDominican Republic El SalvadorEl Salvador GuatemalaGuatemala HondurasHonduras NicaraguaNicaragua Panama & PeruPanama & Peru