World War II

1. World War II American History II - Unit 5

2. 5.4 – WWII IN EUROPE

3. US & GB Join Forces • Dec. 1941 – Jan. 1942 – Churchill in DC with FDR to devise war plans • Agreed Hitler was a greater threat than Japan → start with Europe, then move to Pacific • Why would Churchill have an interest in stopping Hitler in Europe first? • FDR-Churchill bromance… • “[We formed] a very strong affection, which grew with our years of comradeship.” – Churchill • “It is fun to be in the same decade with you.” – FDR to Churchill

4. Battle of the Atlantic • Early 1942 – Hitler ordered u-boat raids of ships along the US east coast • aimed to prevent food and materials from reaching GB and the USSR (cutting their US lifeline) • By Sept 1942 – 681 ships sunk by wolfpacks • Allies organized cargo ships to use to convoy system as in WWI (groups of ships traveling with destroyers for protections)

5. Battle of the Atlantic • By mid 1943 – Allies had upper hand in the Atlantic • Convoy system very effective in thwarting attacks and destroying u-boats • US had launched an intense period of ship building to replace lost ships (140 ships/month)

6. Battle of Stalingrad • June 1941 – Hitler violated the non aggression pact and attacked USSR • USSR received support from GB and US • Nov 1941 – cold winter stopped the advance of German troops outside of Moscow and Leningrad • Summer 1942 – Hitler set up an offensive in southern USSR with 2 goals: • Capture Soviet oil fields in the Caucasus Mountains • Wipe out Stalingrad – major industrial center on Volga River

7. Battle of Stalingrad • August 1942 – German troops approached Stalingrad while the Luftwaffe (German air force) bombed the city • Stalin ordered Soviet troops to defend his namesake town but Stalingrad was in ruin → By Sept 1942, 9/10 of city German controlled • Winter 1942 – Soviet tanks surrounded Stalingrad with German troops inside and cut off their supplies → starving German troops surrendered on Jan. 31, 1943 • TURNING POINT in WWII in favor of USSR • German troops retreated • Soviet troops advanced westward

8. North African Front • 1942 - To divert German focus away from the Soviet front, Stalin urged GB and the US to open a second front in Western Europe → opened 2nd front in northern African instead. • the Allies didn’t have enough troops to fight the mass of German soldiers in Europe • Restrict scope of Axis power by taking African possessions • Allies launched an assault on Axis-controlled areas in North Africa → Nov. 1942, Operation Torch, led by American General Dwight D. Eisenhower • Allied forces chased German troops under General Erwin Rommel eastward • Months of heavy fighting → Rommel’s troops surrendered in May 1943

9. The Italian Campaign • Spring 1943 – FDR and Churchill decided to attack Italy before attacking Germany through France • Summer 1943 – Allied troops moved from North Africa into southern Italy → quick capture of Sicily • Embarrassed Italian king forced Mussolini to retire and stripped Il Duce of all power • Italians relieved, thinking the war is over for Italy… not yet! • Hitler defended Italy (last stronghold before Germany) and battles continued in mainland Italy through the end of the war in 1945

10. Mussolini’s Death • After resignation, German troops rescued Mussolini from prison and put him in charge of a Nazi puppet-gov’t in northern Italy (Italian Social Republic) • 1945 – Axis powers in Italy to surrender, Mussolini and mistress captured while trying to escape to Spain • April 28, 1945 – executed (shot) by anti-fascist Italian forces • The bodies of Mussolini, his mistress, and several other fascist officials were hung in a public square

11. Notable Heroes • 99th Pursuit Squadron aka the Tuskegee Airmen • All-black squadron • Influential in capturing Sicily, effectively battled the German Luftwaffe • Earned 2 Distinguished Unit Citations • 92nd Infantry Division aka the Buffaloes • All-black infantry unit • In only 6 months → 7 Legion of Merit Awards, 65 Silver Stars, and 162 Bronze Stars for courage under fire • Company E of the 141st Regiment, 36th Division • All Mexican-American unit, one of the most decorated in the war • 100th Battalion • 1,300 Hawaiian Nisei (2nd generation Japanese American) • Purple Heart Battalion – most decorated unit in US history

12. Allies Liberate Europe • Late 1943 – enough troops and momentum to launch an attack on German-occupied France → Operation Overlord led by General Eisenhower • 3M British, American, and Canadian troops and large amounts of war supplies sent to GB • Planned to attack Normandy in Northern France • Need to keep plans secret → Operation Fortitude • Phantom army with fake headquarters and equipment, fake messages detailing an attack on the French port of Calais • Hitler sent troops to Calais to brace for the attack

13. D-Day • Operation Overlord – planned real invasion of German-occupied France (day of attack – “D-Day”) • June 6, 1944 – “D-Day” • Invasion of the Normandy shores shortly after midnight • Amphibious landing – air, land, and sea → largest in history • German attention was directed at Calais, but German troops in Normandy retaliated • Omaha Beach saw most casualties

14. Allies Gain Ground • Despite heavy casualties, the Allies held 80 miles of beaches within a week of D-Day. • July 25, 1944 – General Omar Bradley launched a massive air and land attack on Axis troops at St. Lô → created a gap in the German line for General George Patton on the way to Paris. • July 27, 1944 – French resistance and American troops reached Paris and liberated France from German occupation. • Sept. 1944 – France, Belgium, and Luxembourg freed

15. Election of 1944 • Democrat – FDR • VP – Harry Truman • Republican – Thomas Dewey • Campaigned for smaller gov’t and less spending • POTUS – FDR 4th term • “don’t change a horse mid-stream” • Despite rumors of ailing health

16. The Battle of the Bulge • Oct. 1944 – American troops captured 1st German town (Aachen) → Hitler’s last resort – break through Allied lines to capture the Belgian port of Antwerp • Dec. 16, 1944 – Hitler’s tanks attempted to break the Allied lines but created a bulge → The Battle of the Bulge • Raged for a month with no German gain but many losses • Eventually Hitler retreated

17. Liberation of Death Camps • Allied troops pressed eastward through Germany, while Soviet troops pushed westward across Poland • July 1944 – Soviet troops found first death camp • Nazi guards tried to hide and burn evidence of crimes • Soviet troops entered Majdanek to find 1,000 starving prisoners, the world’s largest crematorium, and a storehouse containing 800,000 shoes • American troops were equally horrified in Germany

19. Unconditional Surrender • Allied leaders had already decided in 1942 that they would not accept anything but unconditional surrender by the Axis powers. • Unconditional surrender – enemy nations have to accept whatever terms of peace the victor dictate • April 25, 1945 – Soviet troops stormed Berlin • German soldiers who tried to desert were shot/hung • April 29, 1945 – Hitler retreated to underground bunker • Married long-time partner Eva Braun • Wrote last address to Germans – blamed Jews for starting war and his generals for losing it • April 26, 1945 – Hitler and Braun committed suicide then bodies burned

20. End of War in Europe • April 12, 1945 – FDR died of stroke • 33rd POTUS - Harry Truman (will face some DIFFICULT decisions concerning the war in the Pacific) • May 8, 1945 – Victory in Europe Day aka “V-E Day” • Third Reich unconditionally surrendered to Allied forces • WWII in Europe ended