Transcript Major Battles of World War II

Station #2
 North Africa: El Alamein
 Europe: Battle of Britain ,Stalingrad, Normandy
Landings (D-day)
 Pacific: Pearl Harbor, Midway, Iwo Jima and Okinawa,
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
 Allied Powers (after
Germany invaded Poland
in 1939)
 Great Britain
 France
 Soviet Union
 Canada
 Australia
 Later the United States
in 1941 after Pearl
Harbor
 Axis Powers
 Germany
 Italy
 Japan
 Allies
 In Europe:
 Defeat Hitler first
 In Pacific:
 “Island Hopping”
 Axis
 In Europe: Germany
 Take Soviet Oil Fields
 Defeat Great Britain
before US enters
(bombing raids)
 Submarine warfare on
war supplies to Great
Britain from US
 In Pacific: Japan
 Take over main islands
of Pacific: Philippines,
Indonesia, Australia,
Hawaii
 August-November, 1942
 Location: Deserts of North
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Africa
Germans, led by “Desert Fox”
Erwin Rommel, attempting to
overtake Suez Canal and cut
Allied supply lines.
Key Allied victory.
Hitler attempting to control
Middle Eastern Oil and attack
Soviet Union from South.
This Ally victory kept the supply
lines open and stopped German
advance on the Soviet Union
from the South.
 July 10, 1940-October 31, 1940
 Air attack by the Germans
over the G.B.
 After taking France the
German forces moved north
on Great Britain.
 The British Royal Air Force
(RAF) was able to fight off the
German Air Force (Luftwaffe).
 This victory for the British
delayed Hitler’s amphibious
land invasion and turned his
focus to the Soviet Union in
1941.
 Winter of 1942-1943
 Located in Russia
 Hitler, full of pride, desires to
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take the city because of the
name (Stalin-grad). Named after
their leader Joseph Stalin.
Thousands of German soldiers
died.
Germany attempting to overtake
Soviet oil fields.
Hitler’s military stopped by the
harsh winter and lack of supplies
in the Soviet Union.
This battle stopped German
control in Eastern Europe.
 June 6, 1944
 Location: Beaches of France
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(Omaha Beach)
Led by Dwight Eisenhower
(future President after the
war) American and Allied
troops attack German
controlled beaches of France.
Hundreds of American
casualties.
Victory stopped German
control of Western Europe
France liberated from
German control.
 December 7, 1941
 Japanese surprise air strike
against American base in
Hawaii in early morning
hours on a Sunday.
 Japanese attack Americans
over an embargo (ban on
trade) placed on Japan of
oil and steel.
 Japanese needed this to
fuel their take over of
China.
 United States declares war
on Japan
 June, 1942
 Location: Midway Island in
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the Pacific Ocean between
Hawaii and Japan.
After Pearl Harbor attacks.
Japan attempting to seize
control over entire Pacific
Ocean (control trade).
American victory started
“Island Hopping” campaign
to get closer to Japan.
Americans would take island
by island getting closer to
Japan.
 Feb. 1945
 Part of the “Island Hopping”
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Campaign
Located: Islands of Japan
Key airfields located on these
islands.
Victories for Americans here
brought us closer to Japan for future
bombing raids.
Ended Japanese control over the
Pacific Ocean
Thousands of casualties on both
sides. Among the bloodiest battles.
Japanese soldiers and civilians
committed suicide , known as
“Kamikazes” rather than surrender
or become POW’s.
 Monday, August 6, 1945
 First city: Hiroshima
 Atomic bomb nick-
named “Little Boy”
 2/3 of Hiroshima was
destroyed
 70,000 died instantly
 Another 70,000 within 5
years of radiation
poisoning.
 After Japan refused to
officially surrender.
 3 Days, later, August 9th,
the Americans drop
another atomic bomb on
the city of Nagasaki
 Americans threaten Japan
with continued bombings
unless a formal surrender
is issued.
 The Japanese surrender…