World War II The Allies Turn the Tide

December 7, 1941 – Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor Until this attack, the U.S. had taken great efforts to stay out of the war. Because of this attack, the U.S. was thrust into WWII

Axis vs. Allies What countries made up the Axis? – Germany- Hungary – Italy- Romania – Japan- Bulgaria What countries made up the Allies? – U.S. - USSR – Great Britain- Australia – France- Belgium

Axis Strategies Axis Powers never had coordinated strategy Powers shared common interests, but nurtured individual dreams – Hitler wanted to dominate Europe, eliminate “inferior” peoples – Mussolini dreamed of Italian empire stretching from the Adriatic to East Africa – Tojo wanted to control Western Pacific & Asia

Where did the Axis want to control?

Allies Strategies Allies had more unified goals Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin lead the Allies All 3 considered Germany biggest long-term threat – Resources to bomb Germany – Fight U.S. & British Navies on Atlantic – Invaded Soviet Union across 1,200-mile front Ultimate goal to fight & win 2 front war Developed “Europe First” strategy Pacific was secondary theater until Hitler defeated

Focus on Europe American industries supplied Allies during the war – “Arsenal of Democracy” – Millions of guns, tanks, and other supplies to Allies – Problem was delivering the supplies “Wolf packs” of German U-boats patrolled Atlantic – Hitler determined to stop Ally supply ships – Over 3,500 merchant ships sunk, tens of thousands killed Allies begin winning North Atlantic Conveys of escort carriers protected Allied shipping Radar helped Allies locate U-boats Long-range bombers/depth charts helped Allies sink u- boats U-boats destroyed faster than Germany could build them

German U-boat Under Attack by Allied Forces

Stalingrad June Hitler attacks Russia on 3 fronts – Leningrad – Moscow – Stalingrad Soviet resistance and brutal winter stopped the advance Hitler focuses on Stalingrad – Controlling Caucasus oil fields was the goal Fighting in Stalingrad was especially fierce German troops advance, Russian troops counterattacked Hitler refused to retreat German troops were starving, sick, & suffering frostbite January 31, surviving German troops surrendered

Allies in North Africa British fighting Germans/Italians in N Africa since 1940 Allies worked together to strategize attack – Stalin wanted U.S./British relief, establish front in France – FDR/Churchill wanted more time to prepare for invasion – North Africa required less planning & fewer supplies – Forcing Germany out of N Africa paved way to invade Italy Oct/1942- British victory at El Alamein (Egypt) Nov/1942- Allied troops land in Morocco & Algeria – Eisenhower (Ike) commanded invasion of North Africa Feb/1943- German troops attacked Americans in Tunisia – Germans led by Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox) – American troops/lack of supplies forced Rommel to retreat

Lessons Learned Fighting in Tunisia taught Americans valuable lessons – Needed aggressive officers – Troops needed to be better trained for desert fighting Eisenhower puts Patton in charge of American Troops – Nicknamed “Blood & Guts” – Advanced troops with heightened confidence British troops advance from Egypt at the same time – Trapped Axis forces near Tunisia Rommel escaped, but his army did not May German & Italian forces surrender – 240,000

George S. Patton – “Blood and Guts”

Next Step for the Allies January, Roosevelt & Churchill meet in Casablanca – Meeting resulted in 2 decisions – Increase the bombing of Germany & invade Italy – Allies would only accept unconditional surrender Italy is invaded Sicily makes the “perfect” target – Across the Mediterranean – 2 miles from Italian mainland – Could be invaded with little risk of U-boat attacks July Eisenhower leads American- British invasion of Italy

Italy Contd. Goal was to trap Axis forces in Sicily – Axis troops were able to escape to Italian mainland Campaign lasted for 38 days; achieved important results – Gave Allies complete control of Western Mediterranean – Paved way for invasion of Italy – Ended rule of Benito Mussolini – September 3, Italy surrendered to the Allies – 5 weeks later, Allies declare war on Germany

Hitler’s Plans for Italy German forces rescued Mussolini from Italy Hitler makes Mussolini head of “puppet” state in N Italy German forces keep fighting in S Italy Fighting conditions in Italy were difficult – Italy crisscrossed with mountains & rivers – Heavy rains & mountain snows – Ankle-deep mud – In mountains, Allies use mules to haul supplies – Germans occupied best defensive positions – Allies won battles, but not enough to change German strategies

Germany gets Bombed Allied bombers launch nonstop attacks on Germany from England – Saturation Bombing Missions flown at night Massive number of bombs on German cities Goal was to inflict maximum damage – Strategic Bombing Missions flown during the day Targeted Germany’s key political & industrial centers Goal was to destroy Germany’s capacity to make war Tuskegee Airmen – African American fighter squadron – Played key role in campaign – Escorted & protected bombers – Did not lose bomber in 1,500 missions

Impacts of Bombing Strategy Ally bombers suffered 20% casualty rate Successfully carried war into Germany Second front relieved some pressure on Soviet armies Paved way for all-out Allied offensive

The Pacific Theater Allies had not ignored the Pacific, but momentum was gaining for Japan – Attacked American, British, & Dutch colonies – Won control of Philippines, Malaya, Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Wake Island, Guam, & Burma – U.S. had to strike back Admiral Yamamoto knew the U.S. Navy was still powerful Goal was to destroy carriers before U.S. could retaliate for Pearl Harbor Yamamoto turned attention to Midway – American naval base in Central Pacific – Vital to the defense of Hawaii – Loss of Midway would force U.S. defenses back to California

Midway

Battle of Midway Japan’s 2 goals: – Take control of Midway – Establish military presence in Aleutian Islands American Advantages: – Admiral Chester Nimitz knew the Japanese plans – Code breakers intercepted Japanese messages – All available carriers to Midway, U.S. navy concentrated there – Japanese navy stretched across Pacific June 4, attack on Midway commenced Torpedo planes & bombers sank 4 Japanese carriers – 250 planes on carriers that sank U.S. lost only 1 carrier Turning point of war in Pacific – Japan still had powerful navy, committed troops, fortified positions – Japan would never again threaten Hawaii or Pacific domination – Japan now fighting a defensive war

Americans take the Offensive August First U.S. offensive in Pacific – U.S. attacked Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands – Fighting lasted 3 months – U.S. marines drove Japanese forces off the island Guadalcanal was only 1 st leg in offensive strategy – Approach Japan from SW Pacific & Central Pacific – Combine Navy, Marine, and Air Force – Force Japan into fighting a two front war – Capture Pacific bases; use those bases to bomb Japan – U.S. fought in jungles, on coral reefs, under torrential downpours, & blistering sun

Guadalcanal