Eastern Front As the Summer of 1943 approached, the German planned a new offensive around Kursk. The Germans hoped their new tanks, the Tiger and Panther, would be enough to smash the Russians. German Panther Tank Over a two month period, in what has been called the largest tank battle in history, over 6,500 tanks and assault guns were destroyed as the Russians threw back the attack. German Tiger Tank

Battle for Europe and N. Africa Minorities contributed to the Allies victory Tuskegee Airmen – squadron of all-black pilots that registered first victory against enemy aircraft 92nd Infantry Division (Buffaloes) won 7 Legion of Merit awards 17 Mexican-Americans were awarded Congressional Medals of Honor Japanese-Americans also saw brutal combat action and 100th Battalion became known as Purple Heart Battalion

Segregated Units

Liberation of Europe with Operation OVERLORD General Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower commanded Operation Overlord Nearly 3 million British, American and Canadian soldiers combined invasion of Normandy in France Setting up fake army with fake headquarters, Allies sent messages they knew Germans would intercept, drawing Axis attention to French port of Calais (150 miles away) Eisenhower gave go-ahead for June 6, 1944 – D-Day, the first day of the invasion

Liberation of Europe with Operation OVERLORD 3 divisions parachuted down behind German lines after dark; in early morning thousands of seaborne soldiers followed; the largest land-sea-air invasion in army history-160,000 men Five beach landings: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword Brutality occurred at Omaha Beach as Germans fought bombardment Allies held beachhead despite heavy losses and commanded 80 mile strip of France

German 352nd Infantry Division US 1st Infantry Division

Liberation of France After the beaches of Normandy were in Allied control General Omar Bradley ordered a massive air strike in German controlled Paris, created a “weak spot” that allowed General George Patton’s men to rush into Paris Aug. 25, 1944 Patton and American troops liberated Paris from 4 years of German occupation German troops managed to escape Paris and go into Germany.

Battle for Europe and N. Africa Election of 1944 The democrats nominated FDR for another term while the Republicans put forward Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey. American’s pleasure with results and desire not to “change horses in midstream” led to FDR winning election to an unprecedented 4th term with Senator Harry S. Truman as vice president DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN Dewey accused Roosevelt of being "indispensable" to corrupt big-city Democratic organizations and American Communists For Vice President, FDR chose Truman, who had gained favorable publicity as the chairman of a Senate wartime investigating committee.

Battle of the Bulge Oct. 1944, Americans capture first German town; Hitler responds with last desperate gasp December 16, under cover of dense fog, Hitler launched eight tank divisions through weak American defenses; tanks drove 60 miles into Allied territory; creating a bulge in the line Nazis asked US to surrender, the US commander said NO Allies defeated Germans and Allied troops went on to liberate death camps Soviet troops came upon them first in July 1944 As Allies got closer, Germans tried to burn all evidence of their crime but ran out of time; Soviet troops found 800,000 shoes

Battle for Europe and N. Africa April 29, Hitler marries Eva Braun and writes his last address, blaming Jews for starting war and his generals for losing it Eva takes poison and Hitler shoots himself to avoid capture. Bodies are taken outside, dowsed with gasoline and burned; Berlin falls to the Soviets 2 2 May 1945. The Third Reich unconditionally surrendered a week later May 8, 1945 – V-E Day ‘Victory in Europe Day’ FDR didn’t live to see it, died April 12, 1945 from stroke; Truman became nation’s 33rd president