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WWII Battles & Events

WWII Battles & Events. Aug. 1939. Albert Einstein & others send letter to Pres. FDR urging research into the atom & nuclear weapons. Sept. 1939. Nazi invasion of Poland Official start of WWII. May-June 1940. Battle of Dunkirk Allied troops escape to the safety of England

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WWII Battles & Events

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  1. WWII Battles & Events

  2. Aug. 1939 Albert Einstein & others send letter to Pres. FDR urging research into the atom & nuclear weapons

  3. Sept. 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland Official start of WWII

  4. May-June 1940 • Battle of Dunkirk • Allied troops escape to the safety of England • Miracle at Dunkirk

  5. June 1940 • The Fall of France • Nazis take control of N. France • Vichy France: Nazi run puppet gov’t. in S. France

  6. Aug. –Sept. 1940 Battle of Britain England’s RAF defeats the German Luftwaffe after 1 month of bombing Radar helped RAF win!!

  7. The Battle of Britain was effectively over by Sept. 15, 1940. The Luftwaffe lost 1,800 aircraft & 2,660 crew. The RAF lost 1,020 aircraft & 537 crew. The RAF controlled the skies!

  8. Pearl Harbor, HawaiiDec. 7th, 1941 • Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, home of the Pacific Fleet • After attack, many feared of land invasion • “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

  9. A date which will live in infamy…. Dec. 8, 1941: FDR asked Congress to declare war on Japan!

  10. US Joins the War • After Pearl Harbor, the US joins the Allies • Fall of France & attack of USSR • United under “Remember Pearl Harbor!” • Japanese boastful

  11. Dec. 1941 – May 1942 • The Philippines • Japan invaded the islands & took Americans prisoners • Douglas MacArthurlead US troops stationed there • Forced out by Japanese • “I Will Return” • Bataan Death March:Captured US troops forced to march over 50 miles to POW camp • Many died (30,000) • Japan controlled Philippines • Disproved theory of white domination in SE Asia

  12. Feb. 1942 FDR issues Executive Order 9066 & begins the internment of Japanese-Americans & others

  13. April 1942 • Doolittle Raids • Showed Japan could be attacked by plane • Japanese islands vulnerable to attack • Dampened Japanese spirits & lifted US morale

  14. May 1942 • Battle of the Coral Sea • Allies stop Japan from invading Australia

  15. Coral Sea: May 1942 • Japan eyeing Australia • US & Australian troops stop Japanese advance (1st time) • Australia not invaded • New type of naval warfare: no ships, fought with airplanes from aircraft carriers • Allies lost most, but Japan unable to continue, out of fuel

  16. Battle of Midway: June 1942“US Avenged Pearl Harbor” • Led by Admiral Nimitz • US intercepted info. abt. Japanese movement toward strategic island of Midway, then off to finish Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor • US outnumbered 4 to 1 • US took big chance, sent bulk of Navy for this sneak attack • Worst Japanese defeat • 4 aircraft carriers, 322 planes & 1 cruiser • Turning point of Pacific Theater • Japan begins to weaken, loses power in Pacific

  17. Battle of Stalingrad: Aug. 1942- Feb. 1943 (Left Side) • Germany stuck on Eastern Front (Near Soviet Union) • Stalingrad major Soviet industrial center, • Germany needs the resources because it’s low on oil & machinery • Nov. 1942-Feb. 1943 Hitler tried to take Stalingrad, burned city • Soviets retaliated, fighting back in -44 weather • Turning point of the European Theater (1943)

  18. Stalin wants US & Britain to get involved with land troops ASAP • Distract German troops • Fighting Germany alone for months • US upset because already lost 200,000 • USSR loses that many by breakfast everyday • 8 million soldiers (estimate) • 16 million civilian (estimate)

  19. Island Hopping

  20. Guadalcanal: Aug. 1942 – Feb. 1943(Right Side) • 1st land offensive of Pacific War • 6 months battle • Island of Death • Important for use as an airstrip: toehold to attack on Japan • Showed how costly this would be (30%) • US moving closer to Japan

  21. Oct. 1942 • Battle of El Alamen • Allied victory in N. Africa! • Allies able to invade Europe via Italy • “Belly of the Beast”

  22. Nov. 1942 Operation Torch Codename of Allied assault on Nazi forces in N. Africa

  23. May 1943 Germany surrenders in Tunisia

  24. June 6, 1944Operation Overlord D-DAY • June 6, 1944: Allied invasion of Normandy, France • Gen. Dwight Eisenhower in charge of Allies • Largest amphibious invasion in history • Problems: Drop zones, fortifications, underwater mines etc. • Several beaches attacked – Omaha Beach heaviest • Led to the Liberation of France • By Sept. 1944, most of N. Europe was free

  25. Since you are all so clearly well versed in your knowledge of WWII, you will be happy to know there is a quiz tomorrow 

  26. Leyte Gulf, Philippines: Oct. 1944 • Guess who made good on his promise to return to the Philippines? • “People of the Philippines: I have returned!” • 3 major battles take place • US takes the Philippines: MacArthur in charge • Islands completely taken by 1945 • Japanese desperate & use Kamikaze pilots: Suicide pilots • Lost 424 pilots

  27. Dec. 1944 – Jan. 1945 • Battle of the Bulge • Battle of Aachen: 1st German city taken • Germany broke through American lines (creating bulge) • 80 mile front & took 1 month to get back under Allied control; Germany defeated • Germany’s last major attack

  28. Germany’s Demise • 2 front war: USSR & US • 1945: US & Soviet troops met in Berlin • Hitler hiding in bunker with new wife & other friends • April 30, 1945: Hitler shot himself, wife took poison, gave dog cyanide-bodies burned • Hitler blamed Jews in final letter

  29. Feb. – March 1945 • Iwo Jima • Strategic: serve as base for heavy bombers (couldn’t take off from carriers) • Most protected place on earth – 20,000 Japanese Only 200 survived

  30. April – May 1945 • Battle of Berlin • Soviet troops invade the city… • Many Nazis flee, leaving Berlin unguarded

  31. Death of the European Dictators April 28, 1945 April 30, 1945 B. Mussolini killed by Partisans as he attempted to escape into Switzerland. Body hung in Milan to serve as proof of death A. Hitler commits suicide & has his body burned

  32. Death of Mussolini

  33. April – June 1945 Okinawa Last island in US’s way to Japan Heavy Casualties: Showed possible high losses if US invaded Japan Estimated over 1,000,000 would be lost in land invasion of Japan

  34. May 8, 1945 V-E Day Victory in Europe Day 1stpart of war over

  35. TRINITY EXPLOSION • 1st atomic weapon detonated in Los Alamos, New Mexico: 7/16/45 • 20,000 tons of TNT • Flash seen 450 miles away & heard 200 miles away • More powerful than dared hoped • Oppenheimer: “I have become Death, the shatterer of worlds, waiting that hour that ripens to their dooms.” • $20 billion to develop • 4 bombs made (1 test, 2 for war, I unused)

  36. Hiroshima • August 6, 1945: US drops A-Bomb on Hiroshima • Enola Gay: Plane which dropped 1st A-Bomb (Little Boy); • 70,000 dead in blink of eye, 30,000 from radiation & injuries • W/i 43 seconds, most buildings collapsed into dust • Japan refused to surrender • Why?

  37. Before After

  38. Barefoot Gen.

  39. NAGASAKI • Aug. 9, 1945 • 2nd A-Bomb dropped on Japan - Fat Man • 7,000 degrees Centigrade • Emperor horrified & surrenders: 8/14/45

  40. It was perhaps unforgivable, but in fact at the time, I was completely calm & composed. In other words, it was just too much, too enormous to absorb. • Yosuke Yamahata • Nagasaki Survivor

  41. Aftermath

  42. Hirshima

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