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NOVEMBER, 1942 MAY, 1945

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U.S. PUBLIC VIEWS JAPAN AS IMMEDIATE THREAT (SO DO MOST U.S. MILITARY LEADERS) WHY? PEARL HARBOR JAPANESE SUCCESS IN PACIFIC REVENGE FOR P.H. & PHILIPPINES PROBLEM: F.D.R. VIEWS GERMANY AS IMMEDIATE THREAT F.D.R. NEEDS TO SUPPORT BRITS BRITS. ARE HISTORICALLY THE U.S.s CLOSEST ALLY STALIN & SOVIETS ARE PARANOID ABOUT ANGLO- AMERICANS STALIN THINKS ANGLO-AMERICANS WANT TO SEE RUSSIA DEVESTATED BY GERMANS

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F.D.R. FINALLY CONVINCES MILITARY LEADERS (ex. DOUGLAS MacARTHUR) THAT U.S. MUST DEFEAT GERMANY BEFORE JAPAN GERMANY FIRST POLICY IS ADAPTED PROBLEMS? HOW WILL THE U.S. BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE EUROPEAN WAR? EX.: MORE NAVAL INVOLVEMENT? MORE AERIAL INVOLVEMENT? LAND-WARFARE? WHERE WILL THE U.S. ATTACK THE GERMANS? U.S. MILITARY LEADERS WANT TO ATTACK ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL BRITS. OPPOSE IDEA THINK ALLIES ARENT READY YET BRITS. WANT U.S. TO ATTACK SOMEWHERE IN MEDITERRANEAN WHY? GERMAN FORCES ARE LESS NUMEROUS THERE BRITS ARE FIGHTING IN NORTH AFRICA & CAN USE U.S. HELP FINAL DECISION: U.S. FORCES WILL INVADE AXIS-HELD TERRITORY IN NORTH AFRICA VICHY FRENCH FORCES ARE VIEWED AS RELATIVELY WEAK U.S. WILL BE ABLE TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE THERE BEFORE INVADING NORTHERN EUROPE OPERATION TORCH NOVEMBER, 1942 ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIES LAND FORCES IN NORTH AFRICA (MOROCCO, ALGERIA)

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WHERE? NORTH AFRICA VICHY FRANCE AREAS CONTROLLED BY: ALGERIA, TUNISIA, MOROCCO WHY NOT FURTHER EAST? BRITS ARE ALREADY FIGHTING IN EGYPT, LIBYA BRITS HAVE PUSHED AXIS FORCES WESTWARD TOWARD TUNISIA FORCES? U.S. ARMY U.S. NAVY WHO? GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER IS C/O HOW? INVASION FORCE DIVIDED INTO 3 TASK FORCES: WESTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET MOROCCO COAST CENTRAL TASK FORCE: TARGET ORAN, ALGERIA EASTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET ALGIERS, ALGERIS GOAL / OBJECTIVE: SEIZE MAJOR COASTAL PORTS FROM VICHY FRENCH DENY AXIS POWERS CRITICAL NAVAL PORTS SEIZE CONTROL OF W. MEDITERANNEAN PUSH AXIS ARMIES EAST TOWARDS TUNISIA FORCE AXIS ARMIES TO FIGHT U.S. & BRITISH FORCES ON TWO SIDES FORCE AXIS TO ABANDON NORTH AFRICA

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INITIAL U.S. LANDINGS SUCCEED WHY? VICHY FRENCH RESISTANCE IS LIGHT GERMANS ARE OCCUPIED IN LIBYA/EGYPT BY BRITISH U.S. FORCES BEGIN EASTWARD ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIA PROBLEMS? U.S. TROOPS HAVENT BEEN TESTED AGAINST GERMANS YET U.S. BATTLEFIELD TACTICS ARENT TESTED U.S. LEADERSHIP IS STILL UNTESTED U.S. & BRITISH LEADERS DONT ALWAYS AGREE EXAMPLE: EISENHOWER & MONTGOMERY DONT ALWAYS AGREE ON STRATEGY

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WHEN? JAN., 1943 WHERE? CASABLANCA, MOROCCO WHO? ALLIED POLITICAL & MILITARY LEADERS: EXAMPLES? FDR CHURCHILL CHARLES De GAULLE (FREE FRENCH forces) WHY? ALLIED STRATEGY TO WIN EUROPEAN WAR NEEDED DISCUSSION RESULT? ALLIES WILL ONLY ACCEPT THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER (define) OF GERMANY WESTERN ALLIES WOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUPPLIES/AID TO SOVIET UNION WESTERN ALLIES WOULD JOIN FORCES TO INVADE SICILY INVASION OF ITALY WOULD FOLLOW SICILY INVASION

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JAN./FEB., 1943: U.S. TROOPS CONTINUE ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIAN BORDER BORDER IS MOUNTAINOUS MOUNTAIN PASSES HAVE TO BE SECURED KASSERINE PASS IS VITAL ROUTE CONTROLLING EAST-WEST MOVEMENT ON ALGERIAN/TUNISIAN BORDER ALLIED TROOPS HAVE MOVED INTO PASS & ESTABLISHED POISITIONS THERE FEB., 1943: GERMANS ATTACK ALLIED POSITIONS AT KASSERINE RESULT? COMPLETE GERMAN VICTORY ALLIED (esp. U.S.) TROOPS ARE ROUTED WHY? POOR LEADERSHIP (esp. U.S.) LACK OF ALLIED AIR COVER (fault of BRITS.) SUPERIOR GERMAN ARMOR & AIR COVER BETTER GERMAN BATTLE TACTICS U.S. TROOPS ARE INEXPERIENCED EFFECT? EISENHOWER PUTS GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON IN COMMAND OF U.S. ARMOR IN TUNISIA WHY PATTON?

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NNOV., 1942: BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN BRITISH 8 th ARMY DEFEATS ROMMEL & GERMAN AFRIKA KORPS RESULT? GGERMAN THREAT TO EGYPT & SUEZ CANAL IS OVER GGERMAN RETREAT TO TUNISIA BEGINS GGEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY BECOMES ALLIED HERO AAFTER KASSERINE PASS: EISENHOWER REPLACES LLOYD FREDENDALL w/GEN. GEORGE PATTON PATTON IS C/O OF U.S. 2 nd ARMORED CORPS (tanks) PPATTON IMMEDIATELY BEGINS OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS

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MARCH-APRIL, 1943: ALLIES BEGIN TW0-SIDED OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS IN TUNISIA BRIT. 8 TH ARMY AGAINST S.E. TUNISIA U.S. AGAINST W. TUNISIA MARCH, 43: BATTLE OF EL GUETTAR PATTON U.S. 2 nd ARMORED CORPS ATTACKS U.S. USES BETTER TACTICS (artillery, armor, communication) U.S. LEADERSHIP BETTER RESULT? U.S. VICTORY U.S. TROOPS GAIN CONFIDENCE GERMAN RETREAT TOWARDS TUNIS BEGINS MAY, 1943: GERMANS TRAPPED IN TUNIS GERMANS BEGIN EVACUATING TO SICILY AXIS SURRENDER 275,000 TROOPS ALLIES CONTROL NORTH AFRICA ALLIES BEGIN PLANS FOR SICILY INVASION

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OPERATION HUSKY: DEFINE: THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY WHEN? JULY-AUGUST, 1943 WHO? U.S, BRITS., CANADIANS, etc. WHY? AXIS FORCES HAD RETREATED TO SICILY FROM TUNISIA SICILYS LOCATION EXPLAIN NEED FOR STAGING AREA FOR ITALIAN INVASION MAJOR AMPHIBIOUS / AIRBORNE OPERATION SO WHAT? PROVIDES VALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR LATER OPERATIONS (ex. ITALY, NORMANDY) FORCES ALLIES TO IMPROVE TACTICS/COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALLIED ARMIES PROBLEMS: MAJOR LOSSES IN AIRBORNE DROPS SO WHAT? PATTON-MONTGOMERY RIVALRY DEVELOPS

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MAJOR PLAYERS: COMMANDER: GEN. DWIGHT EISENHOWER BRITISH 8 th ARMY: GEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY U.S. 7 th ARMY: GEN. GEORGE PATTON AXIS: GEN. ALBERT KESSELRING (GERMANY) PLAN: 2 SIMULTANEOUS AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS: MONTGOMERY: SYRACUSE PATTON: GELA OBJECTIVE: MESSINA WHY? TO CUT OFF RETREAT OF AXIS FORCES USE CITY AS BASE FOR ASSAULT ON ITALY AUGUST, 1943: MESSINA TAKEN AXIS RETREAT TO ITALIAN MAINLAND WSTERN MED. SEA NOW OPEN TO ALLIES NAVAL FORCES SO WHAT?

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OPERATION AVALANCHE DEFINE: ALLIED INVASION OF ITALY WHEN? SEPT., 1943 WHO? WESTERN ALLIES WHY? AXIS FORCES COULD STILL THREATEN U.S. FORCES IN MED. SEA ITALYs LOCATION OCCUPY LARGE #s OF GERMAN FORCES WHY? THAT WOULD HELP ENSURE SUCCESS OF 1944 NORMANDY INVASION BECAUSELARGE # OF GERMAN TROOPS WILL BE STRIPPED AWAY FROM FRANCE OVERTHROW MUSSOLINIs GOVERNMENT KNOCK ITLAY OUT OF WAR SO WHAT? PLAN: U.S. LAUNCHES AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ON WEST COAST @ SALERNO BRITS. LAUNCH ASSAULT ON S.E. PART OF ITALY U.S. WILL ADVANCE TOWARDS ROME ON W/ COAST BRITS. WILL ADVANCE UP EAST COAST ARMIES WILL FORCE AXIS TROOPS NORTH AND EVENTUALLY OUT OF ITALY PROBLEMS? YES ITALY IS MOUNTAINOUS SOITALY IS MORE EASILY DEFENDED BY AXIS

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THE INVASION: GERMANS HAVE MOVED NEW TROOPS INTO ITALY GEN. ALBERT KESSELRING IS AXIS C/O KESSELRING USES ITALIAN GEOGRAPHY TO SLOW ALLIED ADVANCE CHANGE IN ALLIED LEADERSHIP: U.S. GENERAL MARK CLARK REPLACES PATTON WHY? THE SLAPPING INCIDENT IN SICILY PATTON TRANSFERRED TO ENGLAND CLARK COMMANDS U.S. 5 th ARMY HOW? GERMANS ESTABLISH DEFENSIVE LINES ACROSS ITALY FORTIFIED POSITIONS ARE BUILT TO DISRUPT ALLIED / HALT ALLIES ADVANCE SO WHAT? ALLIES HAVE TO ASSAULT/SEIZE NUMEROUS AXIS MOUNTAINTOP POSITIONS POSTIONS ARE EASILY DEFENDED ALLIED CASUALTIES ARE HIGH DETERIORATING WINTER WEATHER MAKES MOVEMENT MORE DIFFICULT

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ALLIED ADVANCE NORTH MAKES PROGRESS UNTIL LATE FALL/EARLY WINTER, 1943 WINTER WEATHER BRINGS ALLIED ADVANCE TO A STANDSTILL WHY? MOUNTAINOUS CONDITIONS & BAD WEATHER MAKE ATTACKS DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT GERMANS TAKE UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS ACROSS ITALY NORTH OF NAPLES THIS IS CALLED THE GUSTAV LINE ALLIES BELIEVE ANOTHER AMPHIBIOUS LANDING IS NEEDED WHERE? NORTH OF THE GUSTAV LINE AT ANZIO WHY? GERMANS WILL HAVE TO RETREAT FROM GUSTAV LINE OR BE CUT OFF RESULT? JAN.,44 ANZIO ASSAULT BEGINS

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JAN.-FEB., 1944: ALLIES ATTEMPT TO FORCE GERMAN RETREAT FROM THE GUSTAV LINE HOW? SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS WHERE? ANZIO NORTH OF GUSTAV LINE AMPHIBIOUS LANDING MONTE CASSINO CENTER OF GUSTAV LINE PLAN: ANZIO FORCE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL OF FORCES NORTH TOWARDS ROME MONTE CASSINO: SEIZE VITAL GERMAN MOUNTAIN POSITION ALLOW PASSAGE OF ALLIED TROOPS THROUGH GUSTAV LINE CAPTURE ROME KNOCK ITALY OUT OF THE WAR

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ANZIO: INITIAL ASSAULT IS SUCCESSFUL U.S. 5 TH ARMY ESTABLISHES BEACHHEAD 5 TH ARMY DOES NOT MOVE INLAND FAST ENOUGH SO WHAT? GERMANS HAVE CHANCE TO REGROUP MOVE REINFORCEMENTS INTO AREA U.S. 5 TH ARMY TRAPPED IN BEACHHEAD 5 TH ARMY TAKES HEAVY CASUALTIES BREKAOUT DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL SPRING (APRIL-MAY, 1944) MONTE CASSINO POSITION IS HEAVILY DEFENDED POSITION IS DIFFICULT TO REACH ALLIES BOMB MONASTERY BOMBING ACTUALLY HELPS GERMANS DEFEND POSTION ALLIES LAUNCH REPEATED ATTACK HEAVY LOSSES POSITION FINALLY CAPTURED BY POLISH TROOPS

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CAPTURE OF MONTE CASSINO & BREAKOUT FROM ANZIO FORCE GERMAN RETREAT JUNE 4, 1944: ROME CAPTURED ALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY BEGINS GERMANS CONTINUE TO CREATE DEFENSIVE LINES ACROSS ITALY PROBLEM? NORMANDY INVASION (JUNE, 44) FORCES GERMANS TO WITHDRAW TROOPS ALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY CANT BE STOPPED APRIL, 1943: MUSSOLINI OVERTHROWN ARRESTED MUSSOLINI RESCUED BY GERMANS KEPT UNDER GERMAN PROTECTION IN N. ITALY MUSSOLINI ATTEMPTS ESCAPE INTO SWTIZERLAND IS CAPTURED BY REBELS MUSSOLINI SHOT BY REBELS MAY 2, 1945: GERMANS SURRENDER ITALY IS CONQUERED ITALIAN CAMPAIGN KIAs: ALLIES: 60,000 AXIS: 50,000

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