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The End of World War II 1945 - VE and VJ Days The Battle of the Bulge: Hitler’s Last Offensive Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 28, 1945.

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Presentation on theme: "The End of World War II 1945 - VE and VJ Days The Battle of the Bulge: Hitler’s Last Offensive Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 28, 1945."— Presentation transcript:

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2 The End of World War II 1945 - VE and VJ Days

3 The Battle of the Bulge: Hitler’s Last Offensive Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 28, 1945

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5 Battle of the Bulge

6 Last major German offensive of the war Allies were unprepared Germany’s goal was to retake Antwerp Bastogne was key the Battle 101 st Airborne holds city Germany siege lasted for 6 days Last major battle of the Western Front

7 Yalta: February, 1945 y FDR wants quick Soviet entry into Pacific war. y FDR & Churchill concede Stalin needs buffer, FDR & Stalin want spheres of influence and a weak Germany. y Churchill wants strong Germany as buffer against Stalin. y FDR argues for a ‘United Nations’.

8 US & Russian Soldiers Meet at the Elbe River: April 25, 1945

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12 Return to the Philippines Guadalcanal (Aug. 42- 1944) Battle of Leyte Gulf Largest naval battle in history Kamikaze attacks U.S. retakes the Philippines (March 1945)

13 Allied Counter-Offensive: “Island-Hopping”

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15 Island-Hopping Campaign Advance from island to the next to get closer to Japan. Invasion of Tarawa High casualty rate Mistakes lead to lessons learned Marshall Islands Mariana Islands (Saipan, Guam, Tinian) Iwo Jima (Japanese islands)

16 “Island-Hopping”: US Troops on Kwajalien Island

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18 US Marines on Mt. Surbachi, Iwo Jima [Feb. 19, 1945]

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20 Japanese Kamikaze Planes: The Scourge of the South Pacific Kamikaze Pilots Suicide Bombers

21 Iwo Jima Feb. 19, 1945 The Japanese objective was to inflict heavy casualties on the U.S. The Japanese were heavily fortified in bunkers. The U.S. needed the island as a B-29 base “uncommon valor was a common virtue.”

22 Firebombing of Tokyo Curtis Lemay –Commander of B-29’s B-29’s used Napalm to help destroy targets Controversial Tactic March 9, 1945 –Tokyo Firebombing Killed 80,000 Destroyed 250,000 buildings By July 1945, the 6 most industrial cities were firebombed.

23 Potsdam Conference: July, 1945  FDR dead, Churchill out of office as Prime Minister during conference.  Stalin only original.  The United States has the A-bomb.  Allies agree Germany is to be divided into occupation zones  Poland moved around to suit the Soviets. P.M. Clement President Joseph Atlee Truman Stalin

24 The End of the War Invasion of Okinawa Needed for the eventual invasion of Japan Troops landed on beaches April 1, 1945 More 12,000 US troops died until Okinawa secured on June 22, 1945 Invasion or Atomic Bombs? Operation Downfall Hiroshima bombing Nagasaki bombing

25 Hiroshima – August 6, 1945 70,000 killed immediately. 48,000 buildings. destroyed. 100,000s died of radiation poisoning & cancer later.

26 Nagasaki – August 9, 1945 40,000 killed immediately. 60,000 injured. 100,000s died of radiation poisoning & cancer later.

27 V-J Day in Times Square, NYC (August 15, 1945) V-J Day in Times Square, NYC (August 15, 1945)

28 V-J Day (September 2, 1945)


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