WWII – What you need to know• Major Events of World War II

Major Events of WWIIPre US Involvement

• 1939 Japan is expanding in Asia, Germany invades Poland, WWII begins

• By 1940 Germany controls most of Europe

• Battle of Britain

• USSR is neutral

• Early 1941 USSR invaded, US begins Lend Lease, Japan threatening Philippines

December 5, 1941

Pearl Harbor• Dec 7, 1941• Q: What was attacked? • A: US naval base in Hawaii

• Q: Why was it attacked? • A: US had cut off sales of

fuel / raw materials to Japan. In response, Japan was going to attack Malaysia and the Philippines. This was clearly going to get the US involved, this was an attempt to cripple them first.

• Q: What was the result?• A: Shocked, angered

Americans, US joins war.

Once US is in… then what?

• War in Pacific: US loses territory, Guam, Wake Island, Philippines

• Philippines – Main US possession in Pacific,

• MacArthur leaves Philippines vowing, “I shall return”

• Last US forces in Philippines surrender: Bataan Death March

February 13, 1942

Battle of Midway • Summer 1942 – US strikes

back• Major naval battle, cripples

Japanese fleet• Pacific War becomes “Island

Hopping” campaign: amphibious landings, jungle warfare

• Major Island Hopping Battles = Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa

• Japanese Warrior Code = death before surrender

General Patton General Eisenhower

War in Europe• Air war based from

England – firebombing of German cities

• Russia pressuring US to invade France

• El Alamein, turns tide in N. Africa

• Stalingrad, turns tide in USSR

• Invasion of Sicily, first American fighting in mainland Europe

D-Day (Operation Overlord) • June 6, 1944• Largest amphibious landing

ever• Difficulty of invasion• Use of espionage• Success at Normandy

leads to “toe hold” in Europe

• Battle of the Bulge – last German Offensive

Yalta Conference Feb 1945

• “Big Three” devise end of war strategy

• Allow Soviets to take Berlin

• Sets up Cold War• Why did US give in to

USSR?– Help in Pacific War

• V-E day (May 8, 1945) and the discovery of the camps

Wedding Rings from Executed Prisoners at Aushwitz

End of War in Pacific

• Island hopping has been successful, but very costly

• Faced with prospect of invading Japan, US wants help

• Truman becomes President, learns of Manhattan Project

• August 1945 atomic bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

• Japan Surrenders – War is over – (V-J Day Aug 14-15; Sept 2,

1945)

The BOMB• Truman is new President• Conflict with Soviets re:

Europe• Bloodbaths in island

hopping• Enola Gay, Little Boy,

Fat Man• Hiroshima, Nagasaki• 100k Dead each• Surrender

May 2, 1942

June 24, 1942

June 30, 1942