The Liberation of Europe and End of the War

Map of Allied Advance:

German Resistance Following the D-Day invasion of France in June of 1944, Germany mounted a determined resistance 12 th S.S. Hitler Jugend – fanatics who refused to surrender New German weapons – VI and V2 rockets

Meanwhile in Germany… Allied strategic bombing weakens Germany German army officers attempted to assassinate Hitler (failed) Poor German morale, but Hitler refused to surrender German cities, such as Dresden (above) were bombed by Allied forces, Was this ethical?

Liberation D-Day forces secured coastal towns and fought their way through France July 9, 1944 –Canadians fought and captured Caen –cost nearly 1200 men August Liberation of Paris by American troops

1945 Discovery of Nazi Death Camps - Holocaust discovered

Liberation of the Netherlands April Canadians given task to liberate Netherlands called “Hunger Winter” for the Dutch, who were starving

A Joyous Welcome Dutch Teen: "As the (Canadian) tank came nearer... there was a big hush over all the people, and it was suddenly broken by a big scream, as if it was out of the earth. And the people climbed on the tank... and they were crying. And we were running with the tanks and the jeeps all the way into the city."

Berlin falls Soviets entered Berlin (German capital) and met up with Americans – captured city April 30, 1945 –Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide Hitler’s last public appearance

Soviet (Red) Flag waving over Berlin as it burns, 1945

May 8, 1945 VE Day (“Victory in Europe” Day) - Germany surrendered

Atomic Bombs After Germany fell, the Allies were still at war with Japan August 6, atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan (killed people) August 9, atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan

VJ DAY – WWII officially ends August 10, VJ Day (“Victory in Japan” Day) - Japan surrendered