Transcript World War II

World War II
Part 4
Winning the War
When British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill heard about Pearl Harbor, he
rejoiced, but for positive reasons. He felt
sure that the United States would lead the
Allies to victory.
Despite Churchill’s optimism, things were
grim in December 1941. Hitler’s forces
occupied most of Europe, and much of
North Africa. Japan was advancing across
Asia and the Pacific. It was a bleak time.
A Time of Peril
• The allies decided
that Hitler posed
the greatest threat
and should be
defeated first.
• Roosevelt, Stalin,
and Churchill met
to discuss goals
and strategies.
• If the Nazi advance
into Russia was not
stopped, they
would control
valuable farmland
and oil fields.
• The Russian
people fought
fiercely.
• As the Germans
• The Japanese
pushed to Moscow, continued to
the Russians
capture territory in
burned crops and
the Far East.
equipment so they • General Douglas
could not be used.
MacArthur, vowed
• In Leningrad, a
to return after
900 day siege
having been driven
killed over a
away trying to
million people.
defend the
Philippines.
The Tide Turns
Things started to get better for the
allies by the summer of 1942.
Victories at Sea Victories in
Italy
Victories in
North Africa
Victories on the
Russian Front
Victories at Sea
In the crucial Battle of Midway, American
planes sank 4 Japanese aircraft carriers.
This severely hampered Japan’s offensive
capabilities. Hawaii could not be attacked
again.
In August, U.S. forces captured
Guadalcanal, an island in the Solomon
Islands. It could be used as a base to
counterattack.
Victories in North Africa
In October 1942, British forces pushed
German forces west from Egypt, after an
important victory at El Alamein.
American troops landed in North Africa
and under General Dwight D. Eisenhower
occupied Morocco and Algeria. German
General Rommel’s forces had to surrender
in Tunisia in May of 1943.
Victories in Italy
From bases in North Africa, the allies
invaded Italy. Paratroopers flew in, as well
as forces from the sea. The island of Sicily
was captured, and then the allies crossed to
the mainland. The Italians eventually
overthrew Mussolini and joined the allies.
Fierce fighting continued on the Italian
peninsula. Rome was the first capital city
freed from the Nazis on June 4, 1944.
Victories on the
Russian Front
Despite massive German attacks, the
Russians held their ground. The Soviet
army finally pushed German forces back
from Leningrad. After months of fierce
house-to-house fighting in Stalingrad, the
German army finally surrendered. The
Soviet army slowly pushed the Germans
westward across eastern Europe.
Operation Overlord and
D-Day
• Ever since Hitler had invaded the Soviet
Union, Stalin had been calling for the
opening of a second front.
• This would cause the Germans to divide
their forces to both sides.
• In December 1943, Churchill and
Roosevelt agreed to attempt the action.
• Operation Overlord was the code name
for the invasion of western Europe.
• It was to be history’s largest invasion.
• In June of 1944, almost 3 million troops
were ready to cross the English Channel.
• The Germans had built an Atlantic Wall
for defensive purposes. They knew that
an attack was coming, but they were not
sure of its exact location.
• On June 6, 1944, D-Day, 4000 ships
carried the invaders to France.
• Landing at Normandy, the allies faced
tremendous fire, and suffered heavy
casualties, but they pressed forward.
Everyday more reinforcements arrived.
• On August 25, 1944, Paris was liberated
after 4 years of Nazi rule.
• Men, women, and children greeted their
liberators with tears of joy.
Advancing on Germany
• Germany counter• By September
attacked in what
1944, allied forces
was
called
the
were heading to
Battle
of
the
Bulge.
Germany.
It only slowed us.
• There was a gas
• Allies continued to
shortage which
pound German
caused trouble in
cities and factories,
trying to supply the but it did not break
advancing troops.
the Germans.
The Election of 1944
• Despite being ill and tired, Roosevelt ran
for a 4th term, and won 54% of the vote.
• However, while on vacation in Georgia,
he complained of a headache and died.
• Many in the world mourned his death.
• Americans were especially shocked
because he had held office for so long.
• Vice president Harry S. Truman took over
and had to finish the war.
Victory in Europe!
By April of 1945, American forces were
moving in from the West, and the Russians
were coming in from the East.
On April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler committed
suicide in his underground bunker in
Berlin. On May 7th, Germany surrendered
to the allies.
Much of the world celebrated May 8th as
V-E Day. VICTORY IN EUROPE!