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WWII: European Theater

WWII: European Theater. The Battle of the Atlantic. Winston Churchill once wrote that, '... the only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril'. Battle of the Atlantic. Battle of the Atlantic – major threat to the Allied Powers

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WWII: European Theater

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  1. WWII: European Theater

  2. The Battle of the Atlantic

  3. Winston Churchill once wrote that, '... the only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril' Battle of the Atlantic • Battle of the Atlantic – major threat to the Allied Powers • Longest continuous military battle • Sept 3, 1939-1945 • Britain needed tons of food & supplies imported • If sunk 150 ships a month would starve the British • German wolf packs • Attacked at night • Especially easy after France fell • German control until 43’, “happy time” • Allied power technology changes game • http://sillysoft.net/plugins/images/WWII%20Europe.jpg U-boats succeeded in sinking three million tons of Allied shipping ...

  4. Hedge hog anti submarine Warcraft • 1939 : 222 ships sunk (114 by submarine) • 1940 : 1059 ships sunk (471 by submarine) • 1941 : 1328 ships sunk (432 by submarine) • 1942 : 1661 ships sunk (1159 by submarine) • 1943 : 597 ships sunk (463 by submarine) • 1944 : 247 ships sunk (132 by submarine) • 1945 : 105 ships sunk (56 by submarine) Leigh Light

  5. Operation Barbarossa • In 1941, Hitler violated nonaggression pact and invaded the USSR • Why? • Ironic? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=lhlDMYAGoMo • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49fdHDBJCFI

  6. Hubert Menzel (German-Army) • 'We knew that in two years' time, that is by the end of 1942, beginning of 1943, the English would be ready, the Americans would be ready, the Russians would be ready too, and then we would have to deal with all three of them at the same time.... We had to try to remove the greatest threat from the East.... At the time it seemed possible.'

  7. Germans invaded Russia: Purpose & Attitudes • Desired: • Soviet oil fields • living space (lebensraum) • SS to kill all Communists, “total disregard for human life” • Hitler ordered that Leningrad should “vanish from the surface of the earth” • So arrogant only gave summer gear • What does this tell you?

  8. Leningrad Moscow Kiev Stalingrad

  9. N, Leningrad; C, Moscow, S, Kiev • One week into the German invasion, 150,000 Soviet soldiers were either dead or wounded • Destroyed everything they could find • Burnt earth • Utilities • Stalin removed many industries and industrial workers but left civilians - 800,000 civilians starved at Leningrad alone • 506 day siege of Leningrad • Stalin: no retreating, ordered deserters shot, 8,000 killed Moscow for “cowardness” , blame ethnic minorities, killed “disloyal”

  10. Leningrad Moscow Kiev Stalingrad

  11. Iconic photo of a Soviet officer (thought to be Ukrainian Alexei Yeryomenko) leading his soldiers into battle against the invading German army, 12 July 1942, in Soviet Ukraine

  12. Battle of Stalingrad, Aug 1942 – Feb 43’ 1,000 tons of bombs dropped http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history/videos/world-war-ii-battle-of-stalingrad • New Soviet policy – FIGHTING RETREAT!!! • Hand to hand combat • “I was like a beast. I wanted only one thing – to kill. You know how it looks when you squeeze a tomato and juice comes out? Well, it looked like that when I stabbed them. Blood everywhere. Every step in Stalingrad meant death. Death in our pockets. Death was walking with us”, Soviet General • Av. Life expectancy private soldier 24 hours! • Soviets lost 1.1 million (death & wounded) • Stalin, at first, forbade evacuation of the city • Winter arrived, German supplies stretched thin • Germans had to stop eastern offensive • Such huge losses Winter in Stalingrad

  13. The Winter Arrives • "My hands are done for, and have been ever since the beginning of December. The little finger of my left hand is missing and - what's even  worse - the three middle fingers of my right one are frozen. I can only hold my mug with my thumb and little finger. I'm pretty helpless; only when a man has lost any fingers does he see how much he needs then for the smallest jobs. The best thing I can do with the little finger is to shoot with it. My hands are finished." 43 below zero

  14. Stalingrad – Hitler’s Big Mistake • "I was horrified when I saw the map. We're quite alone, without any help from outside. Hitler has left us in the lurch. Whether this letter gets away depends on whether we still hold the airfield. We are lying in the north of the city. The men in my unit already suspect the truth, but they aren't so exactly informed as I am. No, we are not going to be captured. When Stalingrad falls you will hear and read about it. Then you will know that I shall not return."Anonymous German soldier  • Psychological loss, man power loss, strategic loss • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6b1PNWqpbM • Images stalingrad • http://www.history.co.uk/explore-history/ww2/stalingrad/video.html;jsessionid=E5B94C334258967A0CEA989FF3798F88 • British propaganda video send support stanlingrad

  15. Where are England, USA and other Allied Powers????

  16. North African First….

  17. North African Campaign • Why North Africa? • European controlled • Control of the Mediterranean • Suez Canal, oil fields, link to raw materials in Asia • Also opened a new front • Why is that good???? http://www.history.com/shows/wwii-in-hd/videos/north-africa-campaign#north-africa-campaign North Africa campaign – 1.5 min Spanned 1940-1943

  18. North African Campaign • Part I: Western Desert • Sept 1940 Italians attacked British in Egypt from base in Libya • Dec 1940 British counterattacked in December • Feb 1941 German General Erwin Rommel “the desert fox” arrived to reinforce Italians and take command • March – Nov 41’ Rommel launched offensive to reach Egypt • More in spring in summer of 42’! • Fall 42’ - British halted Axis attacks and Axis withdrew!

  19. North African Campaign • Part II: Operation Torch • Nov 8 1942-Nov 11 1942 • D. Eisenhower led British and Americans • 3 beach invasions (Morocco & Algeria) • Allied powers took coasts of both nations • Axis fled to Tunisia Eisenhower & Patton

  20. North African Campagin • Part III: Tunisia Campaign • Jan 1943 Allied amphibious landing in Eastern Tunisia • Feb 43’ More movement into Tunisia • Germans cut off from supply base • By May 43’ Allied captured Tunis (capital) • May 13, 1943 Axis surrendered

  21. Why does the N. African campaign matter? • Access to resources / remove ME threat • Open a second front / diverted German forces (900,000) • Great base to….

  22. What is Tunisia a perfect based for?? • Taking Italy! • Remove Mediterranean threat completely, take back parts of Europe (controversial), divert

  23. Taking Italy: Where do you start? Sicily first: Operation Husky • Operation “Mincemeat” diversion plan • Hitler sent his men to Sardinia and Corsica • Italians already weak from North Africa, Allied won easily, but Axis armies fled • July 24, 1943, Mussolini = deposed and arrested – new gov’t helped allies • Italy now part of ALLIED POWERS

  24. Moving up to Italy • 3 Sept 1943 Allied invaded Italy • Thought would be easy • Germans took Italian military installations moved North • Germans created defensive line “Gustav Line” 75 miles north of Naples • Hitler sends in 8 divisions – hold Rome • Bogged down allied forces • Not until June 4, 1944 Allied forces capture Rome • FIGHTING CONTINUED!

  25. By mid 1943…. Axis advances stopped -Soviet Union pushing west from Poland -Britain moving up from Italy -Constant bombing of German cities & industrial installations -Destroy materials, demoralize German population & get ready take back France - Force German air force protect Germany

  26. By the end of 1943…

  27. Taking Back France: The Invasion of Normandy June 6, 1944 – D Day • Gen’l Dwight D. Eisenhower – led • Air & amphibious (water) attack • Canadian, UK, Free French & US • 5 beaches, 50 mile stretch • Within a week coast taken back Ø4,000 landing craft, 600 warships, 11,000 planes Ø       100,000 first day, 500,000 by week August 25, 1944 Paris liberated • French resistance movement • Cultural reasons Luxembourg and Belgium next (by Sept)

  28. http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/lessons/ushistory/ww2/europeantheater.htmhttp://www.cyberlearning-world.com/lessons/ushistory/ww2/europeantheater.htm

  29. Berlin alone 363 British bombers dropped 45,517 tons of bombs; the Americans dropped 23,000 tons.

  30. Moving into Germany – Ending the War in Europe • Sept 1944 at Germany’s border • Ruhr valley goal – Siegfried Line • Oct 1944, Aachen • Heavy casualties • First German city taken • Continue moving east • Battle of Bulge , Dec 1944 • German offensive – Ardennes mountains • Germans were winning in the beginning, Allied counteroffensive & Germans ran out supplies • 120,000 Germans died (also lost 600 tanks and guns and 1,600 planes – leading to defeat) • ~100,000 Americans casualties • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a8fqGpHgsk • Soviets move west through Poland and getting closer to Germany • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCgc8hTlRbM British

  31. Planning the End in Europe • Feb 1945: Yalta Conference: • Discuss post-war Europe • Division of Europe • Provisions for Soviet help

  32. April 12, 1945

  33. April 25, 1945 Soviets Storm Berlin

  34. April 28, 1945: Mussolini executed • April 28, 1945: Hitler Married Eva Braun • April 30, 1945: Hitler & Eva committed suicide • Gunshot & cyanide • Bodies buried in the street • May 8, 1945: Unconditional Surrender • VE Day • Eisenhower accepted surrender

  35. Potsdam Conference • July – August 1945 • Truman, (Churchill and then Clement Atlee) and Stalin met in Potsdam, Germany • Drew up a blueprint to disarm Germany and eliminate the Nazi regime • Division of Germany & Berlin ALSO TALK ABOUT JAPAN…. “unconditional surrender”

  36. WWII: The Pacific Front

  37. Japan - Post-Pearl Harbor • Immediately after PH, the Japanese seize Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, Burma, Malaya, Borneo, Philippines • Philippines under control of Army General Douglas MacArthur • Invasion anticipated • Mixed Filipino force versus best Japanese troops • Feb 12th, “I shall return” • American/Filipino surrender 4/9

  38. Bataan Death March “The stronger were not permitted to help the weaker. We then would hear shots behind us." • Bataan “Death March” (42’) • 70,000 – 60 miles About ¼ died • Surrender forfeit rights • Hell ships • Sent to Japan to work "A Japanese soldier took my canteen, gave the water to a horse, and threw the canteen away,"

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