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Major Conflict and Outcomes of World War II . Chapter 26 p. 806 – 838 Primarily p. 814- 822 . Origins of World War II . March 15, 1939 Hitler invaded and took control of Western Czechoslovakia Declared he would be the greatest German of all
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Major Conflict and Outcomes of World War II Chapter 26 p. 806 – 838 Primarily p. 814- 822
Origins of World War II • March 15, 1939 Hitler invaded and took control of Western Czechoslovakia • Declared he would be the greatest German of all • France & Britain begin negotiations with the Soviet Union • August 23, 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact • September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland • September 3, 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany
Japanese Path to War • Sept. 1931 seized Manchuria • Began to spread into Northern China • Chiang Kai Shek ignored Japan to deal with Communists • July 1937 – Chinese & Japanese forces clash in Beijing • December 1937 – Rape of Nanjing • Summer of 1940 – Japan demanded right to exploit economic resources in French Indochina • U.S. objected & threatened to impose economic sanctions
Two Sides Allied Powers Axis Powers Germany Italy Japan • Great Britain • France • United States (after Dec 7, 1941) • Soviet Union (after Summer 1941)
Europe at War • Germany stunned Europe with speed & efficiency of attack on Poland • Blitzkrieg or “lightning war” used armored columns, called panzer divisions, supported by airplanes • Within 4 weeks –Sept 28, 1939– Poland surrendered and was divided between Germany & the Soviet Union
Hitler’s Early Victories • April 9, 1940– Blitzkrieg against Denmark & Norway • May 10, 1940 – Germany launched an attack on Belgium, the Netherlands, & France • Main assault was through Luxembourg • Raced across northern France; France signed an armistice on June 22 • Approximately 3/5 of France occupied by German armies • Vichy France– authoritarian regime under Germany control ruling the rest of France
Battle of Britain • Germany realized an Amphibious (land & sea) invasion could only be successful if Germany gained control of the air • August 1940, the Luftwaffe, German air force – launched a major offensive, bombing British air & naval bases, harbors, communication centers, and war industries • In September after British bombed Berlin, Germany began bombing cities to weaken British morale.
Attack on Soviet Union • Germany had no desire for a two front war, but were convinced Britain only remained in the war b/c it expected Soviet support. • June 22, 1941 – Germany invaded the Soviet Union • Massive attack stretched across 1800 miles through Ukraine, Leningrad, and a third 25 miles from Moscow (the Soviet capital) • Early winter & fierce resistance halted the German advance
Pearl Harbor • December 7, 1941 – Japanese aircraft attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Island • Hoped to destroy the US fleet in the Pacific & cause the US to accept Japanese control of the Pacific • BUT… it unified American opinion about being involved in the war • US joined European nations and China to defeat Japan • Believing American involvement in the Pacific would make them ineffective in the European theater, Hitler declared war on the United States December 11, 1941
El Alamein • In early 1942, defeat was far from Hitler’s mind. • In North Africa, German forces under Gen. Erwin Rommel broke through British defenses in Egypt & advanced toward Alexandria. • British forces stopped Rommel at El Alamein – Summer 1942 – causing Germans to retreat across desert • November 1942 – British & American forces invaded French North Africa– forced German & Italian troops to surrender in May 1943
Stalingrad • Major industrial center on the Volga • One of the most terrible battles of the war • Nov 1942 – Feb 2, 1943 – Soviet troops stopped, encircled, & cut off supply lines of Germans • Entire German sixth army, considered best of the German troops, were forced to surrender
Battle of Midway Island • Turning point of war in Asia • June 4, 1942 US planes destroyed attacking Japanese aircraft carriers • Established US naval superiority in the Pacific
Guadalcanal Campaign • Aug 7, 1942 – Feb 9, 1943 • First major offensive launched by Allied Forces against the empire of Japan • First significant strategic combined arms victory • Combined Allied land, naval, and air forces – 60,000 ground forces (allied) v. 36,200 Japanese ground forces • Marked transition to Allied offensive rather than defensive • Island – hopping approach promoted by generals such as Douglas MacArthur
The Battle for the Philippines • 1941 – 1942 • US and Filipino forces led by General Douglas MacArthur • Japan wanted to remove as a US base • Japan invaded but were strongly resisted • US- Filipino outnumbered Japanese but were low on food & medical supplies and lacked air support (attacked by Japanese 12/7/41) • Japanese victory but became a symbol of hope for US in early days of war and caused Japan to expend more resources than they had planned • Clearly showed US was unprepared for war in 1941
End of War in Europe • June 4, 1944 – Rome fell to Allies after heavy casualties as Allies fought through Italy • June 6, 1944 – D – Day – Allied forces under US General Dwight D. Eisenhower landed on the Normandy Beaches in history’s greatest naval invasion. • Fought past mines, barbed wire, and machine gun fire to establish a beachhead • Within 3 months, Allies had landed 2 million men & half a million vehicles into France
D-Day Photos • http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/en_index.html • http://www.6juin1944.com/espace/omaha/cartomah.php • http://www.6juin1944.com/espace/omaha/omaha.php?ref=memoria&id=1&idmax=10 • http://www.6juin1944.com/cimetier/index.php?cim=collevil&id=1 • http://www.6juin1944.com/cimetier/index.php?cim=james&id=9
End of the War in Europe Continued… • In August 1944 the Allies liberated Paris • March 1945 advanced into Germany • Battle of Kursk, July 5 -12, greatest tank battle of WWII- Soviets defeated Germany • April 30, 1945 – Hitler committed suicide • May 7, 1945 – German commanders surrendered • May 8, 1945 – VE Day
End of the War in Asia • Harry S. Truman became President of the U.S. April 1945 • Hoped using the atomic weapons would keep the US from having to invade Japan • August 6, 1945 – Bombing of Hiroshima • August 9, 1945 – Bombing of Nagasaki • http://www.gensuikin.org/english/photo.html • Both cities were leveled; thousands died immediately and thousands more from radiation in the months following • August 14, 1945 – Japan surrendered • August 15, 1945 – VJ Day
Summary Results of WWII • Total deaths approximately 62 million • Civilian deaths approximately 32 million • Military deaths approximately 24 million • Holocaust deaths- Jewish 6 million • Total destruction of Europe
Each symbol indicates 100,000 dead in the appropriate theater of operations