NOVEMBER, 1942 – MAY, 1945. U.S. PUBLIC VIEWS JAPAN AS IMMEDIATE THREAT (SO DO MOST U.S. MILITARY...
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OPERATION TORCH AND THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN NOVEMBER, 1942 – MAY, 1945
NOVEMBER, 1942 – MAY, 1945. U.S. PUBLIC VIEWS JAPAN AS IMMEDIATE THREAT (SO DO MOST U.S. MILITARY LEADERS) WHY? PEARL HARBOR JAPANESE SUCCESS IN PACIFIC
U.S. PUBLIC VIEWS JAPAN AS IMMEDIATE THREAT (SO DO MOST U.S.
MILITARY LEADERS) WHY? PEARL HARBOR JAPANESE SUCCESS IN PACIFIC
REVENGE FOR P.H. & PHILIPPINES PROBLEM: F.D.R. VIEWS GERMANY AS
IMMEDIATE THREAT F.D.R. NEEDS TO SUPPORT BRITS BRITS. ARE
HISTORICALLY THE U.S.s CLOSEST ALLY STALIN & SOVIETS ARE
PARANOID ABOUT ANGLO- AMERICANS STALIN THINKS ANGLO-AMERICANS WANT
TO SEE RUSSIA DEVESTATED BY GERMANS
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F.D.R. FINALLY CONVINCES MILITARY LEADERS (ex. DOUGLAS
MacARTHUR) THAT U.S. MUST DEFEAT GERMANY BEFORE JAPAN GERMANY FIRST
POLICY IS ADAPTED PROBLEMS? HOW WILL THE U.S. BECOME MORE INVOLVED
IN THE EUROPEAN WAR? EX.: MORE NAVAL INVOLVEMENT? MORE AERIAL
INVOLVEMENT? LAND-WARFARE? WHERE WILL THE U.S. ATTACK THE GERMANS?
U.S. MILITARY LEADERS WANT TO ATTACK ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
BRITS. OPPOSE IDEA THINK ALLIES ARENT READY YET BRITS. WANT U.S. TO
ATTACK SOMEWHERE IN MEDITERRANEAN WHY? GERMAN FORCES ARE LESS
NUMEROUS THERE BRITS ARE FIGHTING IN NORTH AFRICA & CAN USE
U.S. HELP FINAL DECISION: U.S. FORCES WILL INVADE AXIS-HELD
TERRITORY IN NORTH AFRICA VICHY FRENCH FORCES ARE VIEWED AS
RELATIVELY WEAK U.S. WILL BE ABLE TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE THERE
BEFORE INVADING NORTHERN EUROPE OPERATION TORCH NOVEMBER, 1942
ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIES LAND FORCES IN NORTH AFRICA (MOROCCO,
ALGERIA)
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WHERE? NORTH AFRICA VICHY FRANCE AREAS CONTROLLED BY: ALGERIA,
TUNISIA, MOROCCO WHY NOT FURTHER EAST? BRITS ARE ALREADY FIGHTING
IN EGYPT, LIBYA BRITS HAVE PUSHED AXIS FORCES WESTWARD TOWARD
TUNISIA FORCES? U.S. ARMY U.S. NAVY WHO? GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
IS C/O HOW? INVASION FORCE DIVIDED INTO 3 TASK FORCES: WESTERN TASK
FORCE: TARGET MOROCCO COAST CENTRAL TASK FORCE: TARGET ORAN,
ALGERIA EASTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET ALGIERS, ALGERIS GOAL /
OBJECTIVE: SEIZE MAJOR COASTAL PORTS FROM VICHY FRENCH DENY AXIS
POWERS CRITICAL NAVAL PORTS SEIZE CONTROL OF W. MEDITERANNEAN PUSH
AXIS ARMIES EAST TOWARDS TUNISIA FORCE AXIS ARMIES TO FIGHT U.S.
& BRITISH FORCES ON TWO SIDES FORCE AXIS TO ABANDON NORTH
AFRICA
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INITIAL U.S. LANDINGS SUCCEED WHY? VICHY FRENCH RESISTANCE IS
LIGHT GERMANS ARE OCCUPIED IN LIBYA/EGYPT BY BRITISH U.S. FORCES
BEGIN EASTWARD ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIA PROBLEMS? U.S. TROOPS HAVENT
BEEN TESTED AGAINST GERMANS YET U.S. BATTLEFIELD TACTICS ARENT
TESTED U.S. LEADERSHIP IS STILL UNTESTED U.S. & BRITISH LEADERS
DONT ALWAYS AGREE EXAMPLE: EISENHOWER & MONTGOMERY DONT ALWAYS
AGREE ON STRATEGY
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WHEN? JAN., 1943 WHERE? CASABLANCA, MOROCCO WHO? ALLIED
POLITICAL & MILITARY LEADERS: EXAMPLES? FDR CHURCHILL CHARLES
De GAULLE (FREE FRENCH forces) WHY? ALLIED STRATEGY TO WIN EUROPEAN
WAR NEEDED DISCUSSION RESULT? ALLIES WILL ONLY ACCEPT THE
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER (define) OF GERMANY WESTERN ALLIES WOULD
CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUPPLIES/AID TO SOVIET UNION WESTERN ALLIES
WOULD JOIN FORCES TO INVADE SICILY INVASION OF ITALY WOULD FOLLOW
SICILY INVASION
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JAN./FEB., 1943: U.S. TROOPS CONTINUE ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIAN
BORDER BORDER IS MOUNTAINOUS MOUNTAIN PASSES HAVE TO BE SECURED
KASSERINE PASS IS VITAL ROUTE CONTROLLING EAST-WEST MOVEMENT ON
ALGERIAN/TUNISIAN BORDER ALLIED TROOPS HAVE MOVED INTO PASS &
ESTABLISHED POISITIONS THERE FEB., 1943: GERMANS ATTACK ALLIED
POSITIONS AT KASSERINE RESULT? COMPLETE GERMAN VICTORY ALLIED (esp.
U.S.) TROOPS ARE ROUTED WHY? POOR LEADERSHIP (esp. U.S.) LACK OF
ALLIED AIR COVER (fault of BRITS.) SUPERIOR GERMAN ARMOR & AIR
COVER BETTER GERMAN BATTLE TACTICS U.S. TROOPS ARE INEXPERIENCED
EFFECT? EISENHOWER PUTS GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON IN COMMAND OF U.S.
ARMOR IN TUNISIA WHY PATTON?
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NNOV., 1942: BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN BRITISH 8 th ARMY DEFEATS
ROMMEL & GERMAN AFRIKA KORPS RESULT? GGERMAN THREAT TO EGYPT
& SUEZ CANAL IS OVER GGERMAN RETREAT TO TUNISIA BEGINS GGEN.
BERNARD MONTGOMERY BECOMES ALLIED HERO AAFTER KASSERINE PASS:
EISENHOWER REPLACES LLOYD FREDENDALL w/GEN. GEORGE PATTON PATTON IS
C/O OF U.S. 2 nd ARMORED CORPS (tanks) PPATTON IMMEDIATELY BEGINS
OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS
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MARCH-APRIL, 1943: ALLIES BEGIN TW0-SIDED OFFENSIVE AGAINST
AFRIKA CORPS IN TUNISIA BRIT. 8 TH ARMY AGAINST S.E. TUNISIA U.S.
AGAINST W. TUNISIA MARCH, 43: BATTLE OF EL GUETTAR PATTON U.S. 2 nd
ARMORED CORPS ATTACKS U.S. USES BETTER TACTICS (artillery, armor,
communication) U.S. LEADERSHIP BETTER RESULT? U.S. VICTORY U.S.
TROOPS GAIN CONFIDENCE GERMAN RETREAT TOWARDS TUNIS BEGINS MAY,
1943: GERMANS TRAPPED IN TUNIS GERMANS BEGIN EVACUATING TO SICILY
AXIS SURRENDER 275,000 TROOPS ALLIES CONTROL NORTH AFRICA ALLIES
BEGIN PLANS FOR SICILY INVASION
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OPERATION HUSKY: DEFINE: THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY WHEN?
JULY-AUGUST, 1943 WHO? U.S, BRITS., CANADIANS, etc. WHY? AXIS
FORCES HAD RETREATED TO SICILY FROM TUNISIA SICILYS LOCATION
EXPLAIN NEED FOR STAGING AREA FOR ITALIAN INVASION MAJOR AMPHIBIOUS
/ AIRBORNE OPERATION SO WHAT? PROVIDES VALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR
LATER OPERATIONS (ex. ITALY, NORMANDY) FORCES ALLIES TO IMPROVE
TACTICS/COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALLIED ARMIES PROBLEMS: MAJOR LOSSES
IN AIRBORNE DROPS SO WHAT? PATTON-MONTGOMERY RIVALRY DEVELOPS
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MAJOR PLAYERS: COMMANDER: GEN. DWIGHT EISENHOWER BRITISH 8 th
ARMY: GEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY U.S. 7 th ARMY: GEN. GEORGE PATTON
AXIS: GEN. ALBERT KESSELRING (GERMANY) PLAN: 2 SIMULTANEOUS
AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS: MONTGOMERY: SYRACUSE PATTON: GELA OBJECTIVE:
MESSINA WHY? TO CUT OFF RETREAT OF AXIS FORCES USE CITY AS BASE FOR
ASSAULT ON ITALY AUGUST, 1943: MESSINA TAKEN AXIS RETREAT TO
ITALIAN MAINLAND WSTERN MED. SEA NOW OPEN TO ALLIES NAVAL FORCES SO
WHAT?
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OPERATION AVALANCHE DEFINE: ALLIED INVASION OF ITALY WHEN?
SEPT., 1943 WHO? WESTERN ALLIES WHY? AXIS FORCES COULD STILL
THREATEN U.S. FORCES IN MED. SEA ITALYs LOCATION OCCUPY LARGE #s OF
GERMAN FORCES WHY? THAT WOULD HELP ENSURE SUCCESS OF 1944 NORMANDY
INVASION BECAUSELARGE # OF GERMAN TROOPS WILL BE STRIPPED AWAY FROM
FRANCE OVERTHROW MUSSOLINIs GOVERNMENT KNOCK ITLAY OUT OF WAR SO
WHAT? PLAN: U.S. LAUNCHES AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ON WEST COAST @
SALERNO BRITS. LAUNCH ASSAULT ON S.E. PART OF ITALY U.S. WILL
ADVANCE TOWARDS ROME ON W/ COAST BRITS. WILL ADVANCE UP EAST COAST
ARMIES WILL FORCE AXIS TROOPS NORTH AND EVENTUALLY OUT OF ITALY
PROBLEMS? YES ITALY IS MOUNTAINOUS SOITALY IS MORE EASILY DEFENDED
BY AXIS
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THE INVASION: GERMANS HAVE MOVED NEW TROOPS INTO ITALY GEN.
ALBERT KESSELRING IS AXIS C/O KESSELRING USES ITALIAN GEOGRAPHY TO
SLOW ALLIED ADVANCE CHANGE IN ALLIED LEADERSHIP: U.S. GENERAL MARK
CLARK REPLACES PATTON WHY? THE SLAPPING INCIDENT IN SICILY PATTON
TRANSFERRED TO ENGLAND CLARK COMMANDS U.S. 5 th ARMY HOW? GERMANS
ESTABLISH DEFENSIVE LINES ACROSS ITALY FORTIFIED POSITIONS ARE
BUILT TO DISRUPT ALLIED / HALT ALLIES ADVANCE SO WHAT? ALLIES HAVE
TO ASSAULT/SEIZE NUMEROUS AXIS MOUNTAINTOP POSITIONS POSTIONS ARE
EASILY DEFENDED ALLIED CASUALTIES ARE HIGH DETERIORATING WINTER
WEATHER MAKES MOVEMENT MORE DIFFICULT
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ALLIED ADVANCE NORTH MAKES PROGRESS UNTIL LATE FALL/EARLY
WINTER, 1943 WINTER WEATHER BRINGS ALLIED ADVANCE TO A STANDSTILL
WHY? MOUNTAINOUS CONDITIONS & BAD WEATHER MAKE ATTACKS
DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT GERMANS TAKE UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS ACROSS
ITALY NORTH OF NAPLES THIS IS CALLED THE GUSTAV LINE ALLIES BELIEVE
ANOTHER AMPHIBIOUS LANDING IS NEEDED WHERE? NORTH OF THE GUSTAV
LINE AT ANZIO WHY? GERMANS WILL HAVE TO RETREAT FROM GUSTAV LINE OR
BE CUT OFF RESULT? JAN.,44 ANZIO ASSAULT BEGINS
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JAN.-FEB., 1944: ALLIES ATTEMPT TO FORCE GERMAN RETREAT FROM
THE GUSTAV LINE HOW? SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS WHERE? ANZIO NORTH OF
GUSTAV LINE AMPHIBIOUS LANDING MONTE CASSINO CENTER OF GUSTAV LINE
PLAN: ANZIO FORCE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL OF FORCES NORTH TOWARDS ROME
MONTE CASSINO: SEIZE VITAL GERMAN MOUNTAIN POSITION ALLOW PASSAGE
OF ALLIED TROOPS THROUGH GUSTAV LINE CAPTURE ROME KNOCK ITALY OUT
OF THE WAR
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ANZIO: INITIAL ASSAULT IS SUCCESSFUL U.S. 5 TH ARMY ESTABLISHES
BEACHHEAD 5 TH ARMY DOES NOT MOVE INLAND FAST ENOUGH SO WHAT?
GERMANS HAVE CHANCE TO REGROUP MOVE REINFORCEMENTS INTO AREA U.S. 5
TH ARMY TRAPPED IN BEACHHEAD 5 TH ARMY TAKES HEAVY CASUALTIES
BREKAOUT DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL SPRING (APRIL-MAY, 1944) MONTE
CASSINO POSITION IS HEAVILY DEFENDED POSITION IS DIFFICULT TO REACH
ALLIES BOMB MONASTERY BOMBING ACTUALLY HELPS GERMANS DEFEND POSTION
ALLIES LAUNCH REPEATED ATTACK HEAVY LOSSES POSITION FINALLY
CAPTURED BY POLISH TROOPS
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CAPTURE OF MONTE CASSINO & BREAKOUT FROM ANZIO FORCE GERMAN
RETREAT JUNE 4, 1944: ROME CAPTURED ALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY
BEGINS GERMANS CONTINUE TO CREATE DEFENSIVE LINES ACROSS ITALY
PROBLEM? NORMANDY INVASION (JUNE, 44) FORCES GERMANS TO WITHDRAW
TROOPS ALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY CANT BE STOPPED APRIL, 1943:
MUSSOLINI OVERTHROWN ARRESTED MUSSOLINI RESCUED BY GERMANS KEPT
UNDER GERMAN PROTECTION IN N. ITALY MUSSOLINI ATTEMPTS ESCAPE INTO
SWTIZERLAND IS CAPTURED BY REBELS MUSSOLINI SHOT BY REBELS MAY 2,
1945: GERMANS SURRENDER ITALY IS CONQUERED ITALIAN CAMPAIGN KIAs:
ALLIES: 60,000 AXIS: 50,000