Transcript World War Two

World War Two
War in Europe
Reminders/Basics
• What started World War Two?
• Who were Germany’s allies (the Axis
powers)?
• What was the other side called? Who
were the major countries on this side?
• ALLIES: Britain, Russia (Soviets),
France, later the U.S.
Expansion of Nazi Control
• In April-May Germany invaded and won
control of:
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Denmark
Norway
Belgium
Netherlands (Holland)
Luxembourg
• Next target: FRANCE
German War Machine
Invasion of France, June 1940
• Germany invaded through Belgium, Italy invaded
south
• France surrendered in about 2 weeks
• Nazis directly occupied north & all coastal areas
• Southern part called Vichy France had a French
government that cooperated with Nazis
Battle of Britain
• Hitler wanted to invade Britain
• to prepare, ordered heavy bombing (from
planes). Targets:
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cities (big population)
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railroads
factories
• DIDN’T WORK: British Air force (RAF)
successfully fought off Germans and
prevented invasion. Hitler shifted focus to
invasion of the Soviet Union.
U.S. Involvement
• officially neutral at the beginning
• Gave strong support to the Allies from
the beginning:
• gave huge loans
• gave ships, planes, tanks, guns,
etc.
• allowed use of naval and air bases
• huge build up of our military to
prepare for eventually joining the
war
Invasion of the Soviet Union
• June 22, 1941, Hitler broke Non-Aggression Pact
• At first, Germany made rapid gains, getting much territory
• Stalin then ordered Soviet Red Army to use “scorched earth”
tactics- Soviets destroyed crops, factories, RRs, etc. so Nazis
could not control them and get supplies.
• This and the cold Russian winter slowed the Nazis down
Turning Point: 1942
• In Russia, Soviets defeated
Germans at the Battle of
Stalingrad. From that point on
the Germans were on the
defensive being pushed further
and further back toward
Germany.
Head of all American
Forces
• General
• Eisenhower (Ike)
North Africa
• By 1941 the Axis
(Germany & Italy)
controlled all of North
Africa except Egypt
(under British control)
• Nazi forces were trying
to capture Egypt to
gain control of the
Suez Canal
German General
Rommel (Desert Fox)
British General
Montgomery (Monty)
American General
Patton
• In North Africa, British
defeated Germans at ElAlamein and then start
pushing Germans out of North
Africa.
Next Plan
Liberation of Italy
• Allies (British & Americans) now
controlled North Africa. Used it as a
base to invade Italy and free it from
Nazi control
• Mussolini (Italian dictator) resigned,
was arrested. Italy joined the Allied
side.
• Allies still had to free Italy from Nazi
control
• The Allies move toward
France
D-Day, Operation Overlord June
6, 1944
• Allied plan to land troops in France to open up
another fighting front and speed up the defeat of
Germany
• Move troops from Britain across the English
channel to land on beaches on the French coast.
• 7,000 ships would land, thousands of troops
parachuted behind German lines
• Huge success: Allies secured control to beaches
along a 60 mile strip of coast. Over the next
month they landed over 1 million troops and
500,000 vehicles.
• Beginning of the end for Germany
Hitler’s Last Offensive
The Battle of the Bulge
The Allies have France
By the beginning of 1945 the
US and French and British
forces are pushing to Berlin,
Germany and the Soviet forces
are pushing through Poland to
Berlin, Germany
By February of 1945 the
bombing of Dresden Germany
began.......
A huge offense against the civilian population - unheard
of in previous wars....
In four raids, altogether 3,600 planes, of which 1,300 were heavy bombers, dropped as
much as 650,000 incendiaries, together with 8,000 lb. high-explosive bombs and hundreds
of 4,000-pounders.
In all more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices were dropped
on the city.
The resulting firestorm destroyed 15 square miles of the city centre
Never before in the history of
war was there such intent for
civilian destruction.
Was it justified?
Was it a war
crime?
Some people justified bombing of a military and industrial
target, which was a major rail transportation and
communication centre, housing 110 factories and 50,000
workers in support of the Nazi war effort
Dresden was not the most severe of World War II. Estimated
22,000 + civilians killed.
Hamburg was bombed by the US and the British in 1943, created
on of the largest firestorms in history, 50,000 killed.
However, Dresden continues to be recognized as one of the worst
examples of civilian suffering caused by strategic bombing, and
has become a discussion point of the morality of the war
The end of the European war is
near
The allies meet to discuss plans
The Allies Meet at Yalta
Feb. 1945
Yalta Conference
1. Now Allies will focus on
Japan
2. USSR will enter war against Japan
3. USSR will get eastern part of Poland as buffer
zone
4. Poland will get part of Germany on the western
side
5. Division of Germany after the war into 4 sections:
UK, US, Fr, USSR
6. There would be a United Nations
7. Germany would be demilitarized
8. Nazis would be hunted down and brought to
justice Nuremberg Trials
April 1945
Hitler
commits
suicide
April 1945
FDR dies
his vice president Harry Truman takes over
Victory in Europe
• May 4, 1945 Germany
surrendered, known as V-E
Day (Victory in Europe)
• Americans now focused all
effort on defeating Japan in
the Pacific