Transcript File

Chapter 17 Section 2 Notes
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The U.S. (FDR) & Britain (Churchill) unite after Pearl Harbor
The Plan
 Focus on Germany and Italy 1st, Japan 2nd.
The Battle of the Atlantic
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After Pearl Harbor, Hitler orders sinking of all U.S. ships
 His goal = stop food or war materials from reaching Britain = surrender
At 1st, Germany very successful
 Wolf packs sank a bunch of ships in
early stages of the war (see graph)
 Led by German Admiral Karl Doenitz
U.S. organizes convoys to take control
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Cargo (supply) ships escorted by
 Destroyers (with sonar to detect underwater)
 Planes (with radar to detect vessels on surface)
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Very successful, especially when combined with extra ships being made in
U.S. (Section 1). Germany can’t compete eventually (being bombed)
The Battle Between Russia & Germany
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Why Did Hitler Invade Russia?
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More land
More resources (oil especially)
More Jews
Started fighting in summer of 1941
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Russia lost a bunch of territory in 1st 6 months
Winter slowed Germans down outside of major cities
Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad (turning point)
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Occurred August 1942 – January 1943
Hitler focuses attention there. Why?
 Center of industry
 huge oil reserves
 Would destroy Soviet morale
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named after leader
Luftwaffe bombed entire city
German army gained control of
90% of city before winter
 Door to door combat
Russia sends tanks to surround city
 Cuts off supplies to Germans
 Russia destroys its own city
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Including own civilians
Germany eventually surrender
1st major victory for Allies
 From that point on, Germany
lost territory to Russia.
 1.2 million Russians died
 850,000 Germans died
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Deadliest battle of WWII
U.S. and Britain coordinate invasion
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Took cautious approach
Wanted to ensure success early
 Picked weakest areas to invade 1st
Ticked off Russia
 Wanted help immediately
U.S. army in Europe/Africa (Atlantic)
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led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Later became President
1st step = North Africa
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(Nov. 1942 – May 1943)
Named Operation Torch
Around 100,000 Allied troops
German and Italian forces about half that size
 Led by General Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox)
Major tank battles eventually won by Allies
2nd step = Italy
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Allies capture island of Sicily 1st – then go to Southern Italy
 Most Italian citizens want out of the war
 King of Italy signs armistice with Allies
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Some Italian troops join Allies
Some Italians simply stop fighting
King strips Mussolini of power
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(June 1943 – Mar. 1945)
Put in prison for awhile
Eventually rescued by Nazis
 Helps Nazis continue to fight against Allies
in Central and Northern Italy until end of
the war with those still loyal to him.
Gets killed fleeing the country by own people
 At very end of the war
Mussolini getting rescued
Roughly 500,000 Italians die in WWII
Mussolini hung upside down
After being shot by firing squad
Minority Groups in Combat during
African and Italian Campaigns
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African Americans
 Tuskegee Airmen
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Buffaloes
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(92nd Infantry Division)
Numerous awards for Bravery
Mexican Americans
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Helped liberate Italy
Company E
Japanese Americans
 Purple Heart Battalion
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Most decorated unit in U.S. history
3rd Step = Paris
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invasion called Operation Overlord
 Made phony plans for it to happen at Calais (map on next slide)
 Fake radio messages, bases, wooden tanks, etc…
invasion occurs in Normandy region of France (map)
 June 6th, 1944 (D – Day) ***
 3 million troops
 Some parachute in, most come in by sea
 Largest operation of its kind ever
 Major losses for Allies (they knew this would occur)
 Around 57,000 dead (12,000 French civilians)
 Around 170,000 wounded
 Estimates for 1st 2.5 months of battle
 Losses for Germany less than half of the Allies
 Within a week, a part of France was secure
 Could get troops and supplies in easy
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General Omar Bradley
 Orders air and land bombing concentrated in one area of German
defense.
General George Patton
 Leads tanks through the gap and liberates Paris after 4 years of
German occupation (August 25th, 1944)
4th Step = the rest of France,
Belgium, and Luxembourg
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all liberated and free of German forces by the end of Sept. 1944
Belgium residents returning home
1944 Election
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FDR elected to 4th term (Truman is VP)
Kinda close popular vote, not in electoral college
5th Step = Invade Germany
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Slow go at 1st (Siegfried Line = trenches at border)
Battle of the Bulge
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Hitler’s last gasp offensive
 German tanks split Allied forces in 2
 Temporarily gained some territory back
 Executed Allied POW’s
(began Oct. 1944)
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Allied Forces eventually regain control (takes a month)
 German losses (troops and supplies) were very high
 120,000 troops, 600 tanks, 1,600 planes
 Couldn’t be replaced.
Largest U.S. loss of life in WWII (19,000)
Germany retreated until end of the war.
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The Eastern Front
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While the U.S. and Britain launch Normandy invasion….
Germany losing ground to Russia
 Russia liberates 1st death camp in Poland (July 1944)
 Eventually liberates all of Poland
Russia enters Berlin 1st (late April 1945)
Hitler’s Death
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He knows all is lost
 Marries longtime girlfriend (Eva Braun)
 They commit suicide and have bodies burned
Germany Surrenders
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May 8th, 1945 (V-E Day… roughly a week after Hitler’s death)
FDR died (stroke) about a month before this happened
 Truman had become President