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The European Theater World War II

The European Theater World War II. Italian Invasion. Sicily July 10, 1943 Mussolini fired, arrested, rescued, killed Invasion of Italian mainland September 3, 1943 Italy surrenders Sept. 8 German troops move into Italy to protect Germany. D-Day Preparation Operation Fortitude.

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The European Theater World War II

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  1. The European TheaterWorld War II

  2. Italian Invasion • Sicily July 10, 1943 • Mussolini fired, arrested, rescued, killed • Invasion of Italian mainland September 3, 1943 • Italy surrenders Sept. 8 • German troops move into Italy to protect Germany

  3. D-Day PreparationOperation Fortitude • Fake landing to fool the Germans (The Atlantic Wall) • Pas-de-Calais landing site • Inflatable ships, landing craft, and tanks • Fake radio messages sent • Patton to command invasion

  4. D-Day Landings • Operation Overlord • Commanded by Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) • Dependent on weather (full moon and spring tide) • Codenames: Gold, Sword, Utah, Omaha, and Juno • Planned for June 5, 1944 carried out on June 6, 1944

  5. First Troops in France • Airborne divisions to take out artillery • Not very effective because of mistakes on drops • Pegasus Bridge • Sainte-Mere-Eglise-first town liberated in the invasion

  6. Invasion • Largest massing of troops in history • German defenses (obstacles, bunkers, machine guns, mines, and artillery) • Massive bombing to destroy German positions • Hitler positioned tanks throughout northern France for a counterattack after the Allied invasion

  7. Battle of the Bulge • December 16, 1944-January 7, 1945 • German counterattack in the Belgian Ardennes Forest • Americans surprised and surrounded • Montgomery and Patton push Germans back

  8. Life on the Front • Freezing temperatures and snow • Lack of supplies • Constant shelling • Thick forest • Very close to German lines

  9. The War in the Air • Air Superiority • Not accurate, no guidance, night bombing • Strategic bombing of industry and transportation • Forced Germans to place resources closer to Berlin • Devastated German cities

  10. The Fall of Berlin • Attack led by Soviets • Hitler encouraged all to resist invasion • Lack of manpower, Hitler Jugend • Constant bombing • Germans surrender the city on May 2, 1945

  11. Hitler’s Death • April 30, 1945 in Berlin bunker • Married Eva Braun • Poisoned Eva and dog • Either shot or poisoned himself • Last meal spaghetti, talked about dog breeding and lipstick

  12. Karl Doenitz • Hitler’s successor • Forced to an unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945. • V-E Day “Victory in Europe”

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