World War IIWorld War II

Major BattlesMajor Battles

Non-aggression Non-aggression ActActAugust 23, 1939 August 23, 1939

USSR and Germany agree to Non-Aggression Act USSR and Germany agree to Non-Aggression Act with Hitlerwith Hitler

Secretly agreed to divide PolandSecretly agreed to divide Poland

The world is shocked when Germany and the U.S.S.R. signed a Nonaggression Pact, promising not to

attack each other

Blitzkrieg – Lightening WarBlitzkrieg – Lightening War

Germany’s war strategy of Germany’s war strategy of using fast airplanes and using fast airplanes and tanks to win quick victoriestanks to win quick victories

On September 1, 1939 On September 1, 1939 Hitler attacks and takes Hitler attacks and takes over Polandover Poland Once Poland is defeated Once Poland is defeated

USSR and Germany USSR and Germany divide the country and divide the country and take territorytake territory

September 3September 3rdrd France and France and Britain declare war on Britain declare war on GermanyGermany

Causes of WWII

The Fall of FranceThe Fall of France

On June 5, the Battle of France On June 5, the Battle of France had begun—by June 14, the had begun—by June 14, the Germans took Paris.Germans took Paris.

The French divide on the issue The French divide on the issue of continuing to fight Nazi of continuing to fight Nazi aggression (the French aggression (the French Resistance) or work with the Resistance) or work with the NazisNazis

The French ResistanceThe French Resistance

The Free The Free FrenchFrench

General Charles General Charles DeGaulleDeGaulle

On the eve of the French On the eve of the French surrender, General Charles de surrender, General Charles de Gaulle went to London, where Gaulle went to London, where he established the Free French he established the Free French movement, a government movement, a government committed to continuing the war.committed to continuing the war.

Now Britain Is All Alone!Now Britain Is All Alone!

Battle of Britain: The “Blitz”Battle of Britain: The “Blitz”

The Battle of BritainThe Battle of Britain

Before his planned Before his planned invasion of England invasion of England (Operation Sea Lion), (Operation Sea Lion), Hitler thought it was Hitler thought it was necessary for the necessary for the Luftwaffe to bomb Britain Luftwaffe to bomb Britain into submission.into submission.

The Battle of BritainThe Battle of Britain

Hitler wanted to conquer Hitler wanted to conquer Britain in early summer Britain in early summer 19401940 Needed to defeat the RAF – Needed to defeat the RAF –

Air ForceAir Force

The resulting conflict The resulting conflict between the between the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe (German Air Force) and (German Air Force) and Royal Air Force was the Royal Air Force was the first all air battle—the first all air battle—the British, who had the newly British, who had the newly invented radar, won the invented radar, won the Battle. Battle.

The Battle of Britain FailsThe Battle of Britain Fails

Even though outnumbered, the Even though outnumbered, the Brits had an advanced Radar Brits had an advanced Radar system and the system and the Enigma Enigma MachineMachine

Continual raids and bombings Continual raids and bombings took place until May 1941took place until May 1941

Hitler calls off the Battle of Britain Hitler calls off the Battle of Britain because of a change in war because of a change in war strategystrategy

Operation Barbarossa—the invasion of Operation Barbarossa—the invasion of the Soviet Unionthe Soviet Union

By early 1941, Hitler By early 1941, Hitler had overrun the had overrun the Balkans and was now Balkans and was now planning to invade the planning to invade the Soviet Union. Soviet Union.

The Germans invaded The Germans invaded on three fronts: on three fronts: towards Leningrad in towards Leningrad in the north, Moscow in the north, Moscow in the center, and into the the center, and into the Ukraine in the south. Ukraine in the south.

Both the northern and Both the northern and central fronts were central fronts were failures.failures.

Battle of StalingradBattle of Stalingrad In the spring of 1942, In the spring of 1942,

Hitler launched a new Hitler launched a new offensive in the south offensive in the south at Stalingrad. at Stalingrad.

The Battle of The Battle of Stalingrad became one Stalingrad became one of the war’s bloodiest of the war’s bloodiest battles—over 1.5 battles—over 1.5 million die on both million die on both sides. sides.

Hitler was forced to Hitler was forced to retreat from Russia in retreat from Russia in 1943, and the Soviet 1943, and the Soviet Union began to push Union began to push slowly into eastern slowly into eastern Europe. Europe.

Northern African campaignsNorthern African campaigns

In 1940, Italy In 1940, Italy invaded Egypt and invaded Egypt and were defeated by were defeated by the British.the British.

The Germans enter The Germans enter north Africa to save north Africa to save the Italians under the Italians under the command of the the command of the brilliant Erwin brilliant Erwin Rommel. Rommel. “The “The Desert Fox”Desert Fox”

In a series of outstanding battles between Rommel and Bernard In a series of outstanding battles between Rommel and Bernard Montgomery of Britain, Rommel eventually retreated.Montgomery of Britain, Rommel eventually retreated.

Attack on Pearl HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor On On December 7, December 7,

19411941, Japanese aircraft , Japanese aircraft attacked the American attacked the American naval base at Pearl naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.Harbor, Hawaii.

The United States, who The United States, who had been neutral at the had been neutral at the beginning of the war, beginning of the war, declared war on Japan declared war on Japan the following day.the following day.

Germany and Italy Germany and Italy declared war on the US declared war on the US the following day. the following day.

Pearl HarborPearl HarborLost most of the Naval Lost most of the Naval

ships (USS Arizona)ships (USS Arizona)2,300 dead2,300 dead1,100 wounded1,100 wounded

WWII Click above speaker to play sound

Japanese Empire at its Height, Japanese Empire at its Height, 19421942

The Japanese moved The Japanese moved quickly to conquer Hong quickly to conquer Hong Kong, the Philippines, Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Burma, and Singapore, Burma, and Indonesia.Indonesia.

Advancing into New Advancing into New Guinea, the Japanese Guinea, the Japanese looked toward Australia.looked toward Australia.

In addition, the In addition, the Japanese seized the Japanese seized the American possessions American possessions of Guam and Wake of Guam and Wake islands in the Central islands in the Central Pacific.Pacific.

Pacific Theater of Operations

Pacific Theater of Operations

The Battle of The Battle of the Coral Sea the Coral Sea

May 7-8 May 7-8 The The Battle of the Battle of the

Coral SeaCoral Sea was the was the first naval battle in first naval battle in history in which the history in which the ships did not directly ships did not directly engage one another; engage one another; all of the fighting was all of the fighting was done by carrier-done by carrier-based airplanes—based airplanes—the battle ended in a the battle ended in a draw, but it removed draw, but it removed the Japanese threat the Japanese threat to Australia.to Australia.

Battle of MidwayBattle of MidwayJune 1942 –Turning point in the warJune 1942 –Turning point in the war

Code breakers intercepted Japanese Code breakers intercepted Japanese communicationscommunications

Gen. Nimitz attacked the Gen. Nimitz attacked the unsuspecting Japanese, destroying unsuspecting Japanese, destroying their fleettheir fleet

Mikuma Capsizing

The USS Yorktown

The Battle of Midway, fought in the The Battle of Midway, fought in the Central Pacific resulted in an Central Pacific resulted in an American victory, which eliminated American victory, which eliminated the threat to Hawaiithe threat to Hawaii..

American Island HoppingAmerican Island Hopping In the Pacific, the In the Pacific, the

Americans carried the war Americans carried the war closer to Japan by a closer to Japan by a campaign of island-campaign of island-hopping.hopping.

Other significant Pacific BattlesOther significant Pacific BattlesGuadalcanalGuadalcanal

August 1942August 1942Japan was building an air base, MacArthur Japan was building an air base, MacArthur

attackedattacked6 month grueling battle – US won6 month grueling battle – US won

Iwo JimaIwo JimaFebruary-March 1945February-March 1945US Marines take US Marines take Mt.SuribachiMt.Suribachi

KamikazesKamikazes

Means “divine wind”Means “divine wind” Suicide bombers who would Suicide bombers who would crash their bomb filled planes crash their bomb filled planes into the decks of Allied shipsinto the decks of Allied ships

Kamikazes had sunk or damaged more than Kamikazes had sunk or damaged more than 300 U.S. ships, with 15,000 casualties 300 U.S. ships, with 15,000 casualties

Operation Torch: The Invasion of Northern AfricaOperation Torch: The Invasion of Northern Africa

In Nov. 1942, British and In Nov. 1942, British and American troops, American troops, commanded by Dwight commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower, land in D. Eisenhower, land in Morocco and Algeria.Morocco and Algeria.

The Axis forces were The Axis forces were caught in a squeeze caught in a squeeze when the Americans when the Americans attacked from the West attacked from the West and the British from the and the British from the East. East.

By May 1943, the By May 1943, the Germans had left Germans had left northern Africa. northern Africa.

Dwight EisenhowerBernard Montgomery

George PattonErwin Rommel

Invasion of Sicily and ItalyInvasion of Sicily and Italy

One of the key reasons One of the key reasons for the capture of for the capture of northern Africa was to northern Africa was to have a base of have a base of operations for an operations for an invasion of Italy.invasion of Italy.

In July-August 1943, the In July-August 1943, the Americans and British Americans and British forces captured Sicily forces captured Sicily and by September, had and by September, had invaded Italy.invaded Italy.

Downfall of MussoliniDownfall of Mussolini

In September 1943, In September 1943, Mussolini was arrested Mussolini was arrested and killed by the Italians.and killed by the Italians.

A few days later, the A few days later, the Italians surrendered to the Italians surrendered to the Allies. Allies.

The Normandy InvasionThe Normandy Invasion With the invasion of Italy With the invasion of Italy

at a standstill, at a standstill, Eisenhower, now the Eisenhower, now the Supreme Allied Supreme Allied Commander, switches Commander, switches strategies to Operation strategies to Operation Overlord, and invasion of Overlord, and invasion of the northern coast of the northern coast of France near Normandy. France near Normandy.

False Allied reports led False Allied reports led the Germans to expect the Germans to expect the main thrust near the main thrust near Calais, about 100 miles Calais, about 100 miles up the coast. up the coast.

D-Day InvasionD-Day Invasion June 5: Overlord begins. Paratroopers drop June 5: Overlord begins. Paratroopers drop over France late in the eveningover France late in the evening

June 6: D-DayJune 6: D-Day. Over 160,000 Allied troops and . Over 160,000 Allied troops and 30,000 vehicles are landed along a 50-mile stretch of 30,000 vehicles are landed along a 50-mile stretch of fortified French coastline and begin fighting on the fortified French coastline and begin fighting on the beaches of Normandy.beaches of Normandy.

D-Day: D-Day: June 6, 1944June 6, 1944

The Battle of the Bulge:Hitler’s Last Offensive

The Battle of the Bulge:Hitler’s Last Offensive

December 16 1944: The December 16 1944: The Battle of Battle of the Bulgethe Bulge begins. Largest land begins. Largest land battle over 76,000 Americans are battle over 76,000 Americans are killed, wounded, or capturedkilled, wounded, or captured