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D-Day & Battle of the Bulge

D-Day & Battle of the Bulge. December 16, 2011. Summary 1941: Pearl Harbor Europe: North Africa/ Italy Pacific: McArthur/ Bataan Death March Battle at Coral Sea Battle at Midway Guadalcanal 1942 to 1943 Axis powers from OFFENSIVE to DEFENSIVE June 6, 1944: D-Day 1944 to 1945

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D-Day & Battle of the Bulge

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  1. D-Day &Battle of the Bulge December 16, 2011

  2. Summary • 1941: Pearl Harbor • Europe: North Africa/ Italy • Pacific: McArthur/ Bataan Death March • Battle at Coral Sea • Battle at Midway • Guadalcanal • 1942 to 1943 • Axis powers from OFFENSIVE to DEFENSIVE • June 6, 1944: D-Day • 1944 to 1945 • Final crushing of Axis powers • Europe Goal: Attack Germany from EAST and WEST • 2 front war • Pacific Goal: Island Hopping Strategy • U.S. creating NEW WEAPON that will change warfare forever

  3. Soviets have done most of fighting in Europe (France) • U.S./ England went to North Africa • Stalin insist that U.S. & Britain invade from West • Force Germany to divide troops Churchill doesn’t want to do • Recalled deaths in WWI • German U-Boats in English Channel • Need MORE training/ equipment • November 1943: FDR, Stalin, & Churchill meet in Iran • 1st face to face meeting

  4. Eventually agree they need to cross Channel • PLAN: U.S. & Britain will invade France & march towards Germany • 6 months later - massive invasion begins • Code name “OPERATION OVERLORD” • D-Day Invasion of Normandy • Most experienced officers • Years of training in U.S. & England • Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Supreme Commander) • Planned invasion

  5. Operation Overlord a.k.a. D-Day • 21 U.S. divisions • 26 British, Canadian, & Polish divisions • 50 mile stretch of beach in Normandy, France • Largest fleet EVER assembled • 156,000 soldiers • 73,000 are American • 15,500 are U.S. paratroopers • 11,000 planes • 5000 ships • 5 beaches in Normandy • Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, & Sword • Omaha MOST DANGEROUS

  6. D-Day Continued…Battle of the BulgeDecember 19, 2011

  7. D-Day planned for June 5, 1944 • Foggy • D-Day happens on June 6, 1944 (6:30 AM) • A little lie… • Allies create fictional army under Gen. Patton (fake HQ, tanks, radio, etc.) • Convince Germans attack will come from Calais…not Normandy • Worked: Hitler order top divisions to Calais • Germans still on beaches of Normandy • Fire from trenches, mined beaches (bombs), anti-landing obstructions • Some let off too far from beach • Equipment heavy (drowned) • Planes shot down/ Paratroopers killed in air • High casualties • 10,000 Allied/ 4,500 died/ 2,500 US died

  8. Allies made gains in France • 1 month: 1 million troops landed in Normandy • Germany hopeless • 2 front war • Soviets to the EAST • U.S. & England to WEST • August 1944: Allies liberate Paris • Hitler ordered to destroy but generals disobeyed • September 1944: Operation Market Garden • Netherlands • Unsuccessful/ Americans retreat • Forced to go through Belgium Battle of the Bulge • Starts December 16, 1944 – Feb. 1945 • Hitler’s counterattack to D-Day • Germans attack through Ardennes Forest • Belgium, Luxembourg

  9. German Advantage: Foggy/ snow storm • Prevent planes from sending aid • Germans ALMOST succeeded • Created “bulge” in allies lines • Germans stopped by Allies in Bastogne • Surrounded/ outnumbered • U.S. troops hold & fight despite frostbite & German bombing • January 1945: Skies clear / bomb • Patton’s army storms Bastogne • Push Germans back & crippled them • 80,000 Allied casualties/ 100,000 German • Hitler no more reserves • February 1945: Soviets reach outskirts of Berlin • April 12, 1945: FDR dies • Harry Truman takes over as U.S. President • April 28: Mussolini captured & executed • U.S./ Britain 50 miles west of Berlin

  10. Hitler physical wreck • Shakes, paranoid, still thinks chance of victory • Giving orders but no one listen • April 30, 1945: Hitler commit suicide • May 7, 1945: Germany surrenders in Eisenhower’s Headquarters • Americans celebrate V-E Day • Victory in Europe

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