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A World at War. The Tide of War Turns to the Allies. Strategies. The axis powers never engineer a strategy against the allies Too many conflicting goals? Allies had unified goals Agreed on a Europe-first strategy Japan and Italy were less of a threat Racism issues?.
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A World at War The Tide of War Turns to the Allies
Strategies • The axis powers never engineer a strategy against the allies • Too many conflicting goals? • Allies had unified goals • Agreed on a Europe-first strategy • Japan and Italy were less of a threat • Racism issues?
Hitler’s Biggest Mistake • Germany attacked Russia in June 1941 • Three armies were sent –Stalingrad, Moscow, Leningrad • SCORCHED – EARTH POLICY - military strategy that involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while withdrawing from an area • Switches focus to Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad • Brutal fighting in the winter • Partisans and Russian troops • Germans eventually trapped • Surrender 31 January 1943 • Turning point in the European Campaign • Switched Soviet Union to the offensive
Allied Victory in North Africa and Italy • Created a second front • Wanted by Soviet Union • Allowed for a way to invade Italy • Why Italy and not down from England?
Montgomery (El Alamein – Nov 1942) and Patton wins Operation Torch • Oct 1942 British under Montgomery win El Alamein against Germans in Egypt and start to push West • Nov 1942 Allies land in Morocco and Algeria • General Dwight Eisenhower • Feb 1943 Kasserine Pass • Erwin Rommel (desert fox) led his troops against the Americans • Broke lines and almost made it to the supplies before the US troops managed to cut him off • Lesson – the US needs to be more aggressive • George S. Patton is put in command of the tank regiment in Africa
Casablanca, Morocco • Roosevelt and Churchill meet for the Casablanca conference • Two decisions: • Allies increase bombing of Germany • UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER – surrendering without conditions, so no guarantees are given to the surrendering power
Sicilian Invasion & Anzio • July 1943 British and Americans begin landing in Sicily • Chased the Axis powers to the mainland • 3 September 1943 ITALY surrendered to the allies • Allies bogged down and continue fighting until 1945
Germany “saves” Mussolini • Hitler rescues Mussolini in a mini-plane and makes him the leader of Northern Italy (separated country) • Gran Sasso Raid
Operation Overlord • Over a million • men will land on • the beaches at • Normandy. • 13,100 paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st • Airborne divisions • will land behind • enemy lines
“Secret Weapons” V-1 Rocket:“Buzz Bomb” V-2 Rocket Werner von Braun
Assassination and Liberation • 20 July 1944 – an officer planted a bomb in Hitler’s headquarters • Rommel was in on it • Aug 1944 – Allies liberate Paris • Sept 1944 - BeNeLux
The Battle of the Bulge • Last ditch effort of the Germans • Almost succeeds • Cripples Germany by using her reserves and demoralizing what troops she has left
Marching on Berlin • By January 1945 the Soviets reached the Oder River outside Berlin • April 1945 – US Army reaches the Elbe River, 50 miles west of Berlin • 30 April – Hitler commits suicide • 7 May – V-E Day, Germany surrenders
Island Hopping • Strategy based on skipping islands with strong resistance and take those with strategic importance • Many amphibious assaults • MacArthur – commander of the Pacific forces
Guadalcanal – Aug 1942 – Feb 1943 • First major offensive against the Japanese • Japanese air base with the location and power to threaten Australia • Japanese lose 24,000 of 36,000 defending the island
The Battle of Leyte Gulf • 23 October 1944 – Return of MacArthur • Japan gambles on destroying whole US fleet by sending whole navy (all-in) • Japanese Navy eliminated • Only Army and Kamikazes left
Marines take Iwo Jima • March 1945 – after bloody fighting, the marines take the island of Iwo Jima • From here, US Army Air Force can bomb Japanese mainland
Okinawa • April 1945 • Bloodiest battle yet • Samurai spirit leads Japanese (all Japanese not just soldiers) to commit suicide • US loses 12,000 men, Japan loses 100,000
An Invasion of Japan • Estimated 500,000 US lives lost in invasion • More than 1,000,000 Japanese
Manhattan Project • Secret project to develop Atomic bomb at Los Alamos, New Mexico • J. Robert Oppenheimer – lead scientists • “I am become Shiva, the shatterer of worlds” • Einstein (German) was also involved • The Potsdam ultimatum given to Japan
Hiroshima and Nagasaki • 6 Aug 1945 Hiroshima is bombed • 9 Aug 1945 Nagasaki is bombed • 100,000 dead • 15 Aug 1945 – Japan surrenders