D-Day The Normandy Invasion

For 2 years, Allied forces US & G.B. built up an invasion force 6,500 ships200,000 vehicles 600,000 tons of supplies 13,000 aircraft dropping paratroopers 3,000,000 troops

The night before D-Day, 822 planes dropped 3 divisions of paratroopers behind enemy lines.

The Build Up

On June 6, 1944, - D-Day, Allies crossed a narrow strip from England to Normandy,

France, & cracked the Nazi grip on W. Europe

This was considered the turning point in the war.

“it all seemed unreal, a sort of dreaming while awake,

men were screaming & dying all around me…I

honestly could have walked the full length of the beach without touching the grown

– they were that thickly strewn about”

Strategy

• For 1 ½ months before D-Day, Allies bombed N. France’s bridges, roads & rail to cut off supply line for Germans.

• June 6, 1944 = largest land-sea-air operation EVER!

http://www.britannica.com/dday/browse?browseId=237179

– Despite intense German gunfire & heavy losses, Allied forces pushed on

– August 25 1944, the Allies pushed their way to Paris & within a month, all of France was free

Victory in EuropeBattle of the Bulge: December 1944 German forces began a fierce counterattack, pushing Allies back & creating a bulge in the front

lines & temporarily slowing Allied advances • British airmen

dropped tons of bombs on German cities

• U.S. troops bombed factories & oil refineries which caused fuel shortages & reduced the nation’s ability to produce war goods

A New President• FDR ran for a 4th term &

on more than 54% of the vote!!!!

• In April of 1945, FDR abruptly grew ill, complained of a headache, and was dead in hours

• Truman took over & was now faced with taking over a country in the middle of a war

Germany is Defeated• By April 1945, Germany was collapsing• American troops were closing in on Berlin from the west• Sov. Troops were advancing from the east• Allied air raids pounded Berlin• Hitler hid in his underground bunker – unwilling to accept defeat, he

commits suicide • One week later, Germany surrenders to the Allies • V-E Day: Victory in Europe Day, May 8th 1945

On to the Pacific…• Allied troops successfully win the war in Europe, but

the war in the Pacific is still raging!

• Japanese were tremendous fighters and fought to the bitter end: Many charged to their deaths shouting BANZAI! (10,000 YEARS)

• “DEATH BEFORE SURRENDER.”

Island Hopping• Strategy: Gain control of Japanese controlled

islands & go around others. • Each island captured became a stepping stone

closer to Japan

How Island Hopping Works…1. US ships shelled an island2. Troops waded ashore under heavy gunfire3. Hand-to-hand fighting ensued4. US would then OVERCOME or LOSE CONTROL

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• Navajo Code Talkers: Navajo soldiers played a HUGE part in the US victory over Japan. They would send messages to each other using their own language.

• The Japanese would intercept their messages but were unable to interpret their meanings.

• Japanese leaders stressed an ancient code called Bushido

• Bushido Code: “way of the warrior” – emphasized loyalty, honor, & sacrifice. Surrender = dishonor!

• Kamikaze Pilots: suicide pilots who loaded old planes with bombs and deliberately crash them into Allied ships.

Bushido

Modern Marvels: D-Day Invasion

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/sfeature/sf_voices_01.html