part i: 16.4 allied victory in europe

Part I: 16.4 Allied Victory

in Europe Ms. BielefeldSpring 2012

Tide Turns on Two Fronts

Russians want Allies to open a 2nd front in France, but they strike first in North Africa

North African Campaign General Bernard Montgomery—will take control of

British troops Fighting against Rommel in the Battle of El Alamein Rommel’s army will fall back Operation Torch—led by General Eisenhower, will

catch Rommel while he is fleeing from Montgomery Rommel will be crushed for good

Battle of Stalingrad (August 23, 1942)

Hitler sends army in to capture Stalingrad Luftwaffe will night bomb the city Russians trap Germans within the city

& cut off supplies In February, German troops surrender

to Soviets Germans were on the defensive &

being pushed back (turning point!)

Invasion of Italy (July 10, 1943)

Roosevelt & Churchill Choose to invade Italy Allied forces took Southern Italy Germans seized Northern Italy Fighting continues until Germany fell in May 1945 Mussolini found in back of a truck disguised as a

German soldier Shot him the next day & hung his body in downtown

Milan for all to see

This official Coast Guard photo, taken at Salerno, is the first picture of an LST (Landing Ship, Tanks) in the process of unloading to be released. Like giant monsters, they swing open their great jaws and belch out tanks and motorized equipment after Coast Guard and Navy crews drive them right onto the enemy beach.

The Allied Home Front

WWII became total war Mobilizing for War

American factories were converted to make war supplies

17-19 million Americans, many of them women, became workers in these factories

Shortage of consumer goods rationing Propaganda used gain support

War Limits Civil Rights

Prejudice becomes a problem February 19, 1942—Executive Order

9066 Japanese-Americans sent to internment

camps in the middle of the U.S. Suspected of being spies, but none were

convicted 2/3 were Nisei, native-born American

citizens Many volunteered for military service

Kicked out of their homes

Put on trains…

Taken to camps

Held in behind barbed-

wire

Does this sound familiar?

Victory in Europe: D-Day

D-Day or Operation Overlord: June 6, 1944 The invasion of Normandy, France Largest land and sea attack in history landed on

Omaha Beach Heavy casualties July 25—Allies broke through German defenses &

led by General Patton, were able to take Paris Will eventually liberate France, Belgium,

Luxembourg

Victory in Europe: The Battle of the

Bulge Hitler’s plan to split American & British armies & break up Allied supply line

December 16, 1944—German tanks broke through American defenses in the Ardennes

Allies caught off guard & during the coldest winter on record

Allies eventually pushed Germans back

Germany’s Unconditional

Surrender March 1945—Allies cross into Germany

April 12, 1945—FDR dies; Harry Truman takes over as President

April 25, 1945—Soviets surrounded Berlin

April 29, 1945—Hitler married Eva Braun

April 30, 1945—Hitler and Eva kill themselves & were cremated

May 7, 1945—Gen. Eisenhower accepts the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich;

May 9, 1945—V-E Day: Surrender officially signed in Berlin