Transcript 17.2 and 17.3 Allied Strategy in WWII

17.2 and 17.3: Allied Strategy
in WWII
How did the U.S. and Allies use wartime
strategy, specifically with the battles of
Midway, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and
Battle of the Bulge?
Overall Allied Strategy
• Allies were at a serious disadvantage when the
U.S. entered the war in 1941: France was under
German control
• Great Britain was still under attack
• USSR was fighting German invasion
• Northern Africa was under German and Italian
control; American forces led by General Dwight
D. (“Ike”) Eisenhower defeated German troops
and they surrendered in May 1943
Continued
• The Allies decided that war in Europe must
be won first
• Attacks in North Africa and Italy in 1942-43
brought some Allied success
• War in the Pacific would not be the first
priority until victory in Europe
Normandy (D-Day)
• June 6, 1944: 3 million troops total from U.S.,
Great Britain, and Canada
• The Allies had been building this invasion for two
years to liberate Europe
• Largest land-sea-air operation in military history
• Strong German resistance
• Allies held while more troops landed; after 1
month 1 million troops in France
• Paris liberated in August and all of France by
September
Continued
• General Omar Bradley opened a huge
hole in German lines that allowed
American General George Patton and his
army to liberate Paris
• By September, the Allies had liberated
other European nations and entered
Germany itself
• In the U.S., FDR won a fourth term as
President
Battle of the Bulge (12/16/441/21/45)
• Allied troops advanced towards Germany
in late 1944; Germans launched surprise
counterattack in December
• Germans penetrated Allied territory and
created a ‘bulge’ in Allied lines
• After a month, Allies pushed back
• German losses severe and they retreated
for the remainder of war
Continued
• Meanwhile, the Soviets pushed through Poland
toward Germany
• They were the first to liberate the death camps
and describe the horrors they saw
• By April 25, the Soviets were in Berlin
• Hitler responded to certain defeat by shooting
himself
• On May 8, 1945, or V-E Day, Eisenhower
accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi
Germany; Harry S. Truman became President
on April 12 when FDR passed away
Battle of Midway (June 1942)
• Japan took Pacific Islands, SE Asia, Philippines, and
much of China by early in 1942
• Allies prevented attacks on AUS
• General Douglas MacArthur was the commander of the
American army
• Allies destroyed Japanese planes and ships before they
could attack Midway, an island NW of Hawaii
• Admiral Chester Nimitz commanded American forces
that crushed the Japanese
• Severe Japanese losses a turning point in Pacific
Iwo Jima (Feb-March 1945)
• Allies used “island hopping” to take back
Philippines and other islands
• Marines stormed the island of Guadalcanal in
1942, which marked Japan’s first defeat on land
• Iwo Jima was a very important fueling spot
• More than 6000 marines died taking the island; it
gave the U.S. a base to launch heavy bombers
that could reach Japan itself
Okinawa (April-June 1945)
• Last obstacle before Allied assault on
Japan
• Fighting lasted almost 3 months
• Number of casualties(7600 American,
110,000 Japanese) raised questions about
the human costs of invading Japan