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D-Day The Normandy Invasion

D-Day The Normandy Invasion. The Build Up. For 2 years, Allied forces US & G.B. built up an invasion force 6,500 ships 200,000 vehicles 600,000 tons of supplies 13,000 aircraft dropping paratroopers 3,000,000 troops

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D-Day The Normandy Invasion

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  1. D-DayThe Normandy Invasion

  2. The Build Up • For 2 years, Allied forces US & G.B. built up an invasion force • 6,500 ships • 200,000 vehicles • 600,000 tons of supplies • 13,000 aircraft dropping paratroopers • 3,000,000 troops • The night before D-Day, 822 planes dropped 3 divisions of paratroopers behind enemy lines.

  3. On June 6, 1944, - D-Day, Allies crossed a narrow strip from England to Normandy, France, & cracked the Nazi grip on W. Europe This was considered the turning point in the war.

  4. “it all seemed unreal, a sort of dreaming while awake, men were screaming & dying all around me…I honestly could have walked the full length of the beach without touching the grown – they were that thickly strewn about”

  5. Strategy • For 1 ½ months before D-Day, Allies bombed N. France’s bridges, roads & rail to cut off supply line for Germans. • June 6, 1944 = largest land-sea-air operation EVER!

  6. http://www.britannica.com/dday/browse?browseId=237179

  7. Despite intense German gunfire & heavy losses, Allied forces pushed on • August 25 1944, the Allies pushed their way to Paris & within a month, all of France was free

  8. Victory in Europe Battle of the Bulge: December 1944 German forces began a fierce counterattack, pushing Allies back & creating a bulge in the front lines & temporarily slowing Allied advances • British airmen dropped tons of bombs on German cities • U.S. troops bombed factories & oil refineries which caused fuel shortages & reduced the nation’s ability to produce war goods

  9. A New President • FDR ran for a 4th term & on more than 54% of the vote!!!! • In April of 1945, FDR abruptly grew ill, complained of a headache, and was dead in hours • Truman took over & was now faced with taking over a country in the middle of a war

  10. Germany is Defeated • By April 1945, Germany was collapsing • American troops were closing in on Berlin from the west • Sov. Troops were advancing from the east • Allied air raids pounded Berlin • Hitler hid in his underground bunker – unwilling to accept defeat, he commits suicide • One week later, Germany surrenders to the Allies • V-E Day: Victory in Europe Day, May 8th 1945

  11. On to the Pacific… • Allied troops successfully win the war in Europe, but the war in the Pacific is still raging! • Japanese were tremendous fighters and fought to the bitter end: Many charged to their deaths shouting BANZAI! (10,000 YEARS) • “DEATH BEFORE SURRENDER.”

  12. Island Hopping • Strategy: Gain control of Japanese controlled islands & go around others. • Each island captured became a stepping stone closer to Japan

  13. How Island Hopping Works… 1. US ships shelled an island 2. Troops waded ashore under heavy gunfire 3. Hand-to-hand fighting ensued 4. US would then OVERCOME or LOSE CONTROL 4 2 1 3

  14. Navajo Code Talkers: Navajo soldiers played a HUGE part in the US victory over Japan. They would send messages to each other using their own language. • The Japanese would intercept their messages but were unable to interpret their meanings.

  15. Bushido • Japanese leaders stressed an ancient code called Bushido • Bushido Code: “way of the warrior” – emphasized loyalty, honor, & sacrifice. Surrender = dishonor! • Kamikaze Pilots: suicide pilots who loaded old planes with bombs and deliberately crash them into Allied ships.

  16. Modern Marvels: D-Day Invasion • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/sfeature/sf_voices_01.html

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