Transcript Pearl Harbor/War In Europe

Why did the US join the
war?... The War in Europe
(D-Day, VE Day and the
Holocaust)
SS5H6: The student will explain the reasons for America’s
involvement in WWII. B. Describe major events in the war
in both Europe and the Pacific; include Pearl Harbor, Iwo
Jima, D-Day, VE Day, VJ day, and the Holocaust.
The United States Involvement- Pearl
Harbor
• The United States was very concerned about
Germany and Japan (both Axis powers).
• Many citizens did not want to go to war.
• In 1941, Japanese leaders believed that the US
Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was anchored
too close to Japan.
• They felt it threatened Japan’s
expansion.
The United States Involvement- Pearl
Harbor
• On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes launched a
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
• The attack destroyed US ships and planes.
• It also killed nearly 3000 people.
• The next day, President Roosevelt asked Congress
to declare war and Congress agreed.
The United States Involvement- Pearl
Harbor
• Because Germany and Japan were allies, the US
found itself at war with Germany and had entered
WWII.
The War in Europe- Background Info/ North
Africa and Italy
• In WWII, soldiers moved quickly by tank, ships,
and airplane.
• Bombs dropped in air raids destroyed factories,
hospitals and homes and killed many civilians.
• The war was fought over an area much larger
than any other war.
• It was fought on two major fronts, or battle lines.
• The first was in Africa and Europe and the
second was in the Pacific.
Background Info/ North Africa and Italy
• The first step for the allies
(US, Great Britain & Russia)
battle plan in Europe was to
gain control of the
Mediterranean Sea and
invade Italy.
• First the allies had to defeat
Germans and Italians in
North Africa.
• In November 1942,
American forces invaded
Morocco and Algeria.
• They then fought their way
east.
• At the same time British
pushed the Axis Powers
(Germany, Italy & Japan)
west out of Egypt.
• The allies won North Africa
and started pushing
through Italy.
Background Info/ North Africa and Italy
• The Italian government surrendered, but heavy
fighting went on against German forces in Italy
until the Americans captured the city of Rome.
D-Day
• While the allies were fighting in Italy, they were
planning another invasion of Europe.
• On June 6, 1944, the date know as D-Day, the
Allies worked together in the largest water-toland invasion.
• American General Dwight Eisenhower led the
invasion.
D-Day
• On D-Day, Allied troops
• The allies broke through
crossed the English
the German line and
Channel and landed on
started moving inland
the beaches of
from the west, pushing
Normandy, France for the
back the enemy.
surprise invasion.
• The German forces met
them with heavy gunfire.
• Although many soldiers
died, it was a huge
success!
VE Day
• In April 1945, Hitler realized he had lost.
• As Soviet troops surrounded Berlin, Hitler
committed suicide rather than being captured.
• In May, Germany surrendered.
• The Allies celebrated VE Day (Victory in Europe
Day)
VE Day
• President Roosevelt
did not see the day of
victory, he died
earlier that month.
• Harry Truman
became the new
president of the
United States.
The Holocaust
• As the allies advanced through Europe, they
made a horrible discovery!
• They found concentration camps housing
thousands of starving and tortured prisoners.
– During the war, many people knew that Hitler and the Nazis had been
putting people in concentration camps. Gypsies, people with
disabilities and Jews were targeted. Hitler blamed the Jews
for Germanys economic problems after WWI.
The Holocaust
• At first, Hitler’s government simply passed laws
discriminating against Jews.
• After he invaded the Soviet Union, however,
Hitler tried to get rid of the Jewish people.
• He also sought to kill other people the Nazis felt
were unfit to live.
• Among these were Slavs, Gypsies, the mentally ill,
homosexuals and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
• None of these groups
suffered as much as the
Jews.
• Jewish people of all ages
were arrested.
• Many were executed
immediately of shipped to
camps where they were
killed upon arrival.
The Holocaust
• Others were forced to
work or were tortured in
the camps before finally
being murdered.
– In most camps, guards beat
prisoners for no reason and
in some camps Nazi doctors
used prisoners for cruel
medical experiments.
The Holocaust
• In 1941 Hitler began what he called the “final
solution to the Jewish question.”
• It was a campaign of mass murder against all
European Jews and other people he called
“undesirable”.
• Over 6 million Jewish people perished (died).
• This horrible period became known as the
Holocaust.
The Holocaust
• After the war, a number
of German leaders stood
trial for their crimes and
most were found guilty.
• Some received long
prison sentences and
others were hanged.