Transcript The War in Africa and Europe

World War II in
Africa and Europe
America enters the war
Millions volunteer for duty
Selective Service Act in
effect
America wanted to invade
France
Churchill thought Allies
weren’t ready yet
– Is a different strategy
possible??
– How do the Allies defeat
the Axis Powers??
Battles in Africa
Britain and Germany
fought for control of
Northern Africa
Egypt was important to
British (Access to Suez
Canal)
May 1943 – Allies with
American forces defeat
Germans in Tunisia
Allies now able to spring
into Italy - Mussolini
overthrown
More trouble for Germans
The Battle of
Stalingrad – brutal
defeat for Germans
Germans trapped in
city – in winter, many
froze to death
Scorched-earth policy
2 million military and
civilian deaths (199
day battle)
Invasion of France (D-Day)
June 6, 1944
5,000 ships – 130,000
soldiers (American,
British, Canadian)
10,000 Allies
killed/wounded
Result: Successful in
securing the beach
Map of Normandy
Allied Deception at D-Day
Note found with
Eisenhower (never used)
“Our landings have failed and I have withdrawn
our troops. My decision to attack at this time
and place was based on the best information
available. The troops, the air and the Navy did
all that bravery could do. If any blame or fault
attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.”
-Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
June 1944
Allies fight into Europe
Allies fight Germans
into France
Paris liberated in
August 1944
Germans final assault
made at Battle of the
Bulge
– Allies defeat Germans
– Heavy casualties
War comes to a Close
Stalin, Churchill, FDR meet at Yalta to
discuss post-war situation
FDR dies of stroke (April 1945)
Harry Truman now President
Hitler commits suicide in his Berlin bunker
– Allies overrun the Germans
Horrors of the Holocaust
6 million Jews killed
by Nazis
Sent to death centers
called “Concentration
Camps”
Based on Hitler’s
racism
– Blamed Jews for
Germany’s problems