The Allied Victory WWII

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” This speech not only got America into the war with Japan, but it also marked the beginning of an alliance between Great Britain and the United States.

Pearl Harbor December 7th, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on American Soldiers at Pearl Harbor. Japanese naval leader: Isoruku Yamamoto Within 2 Hours Japan sunk 18 ships, nearly 3000 Americans were killed, and approx. 1000 were wounded. Attack on Pearl Harbor officially brings the United States into the war on the side of the Allies.

Allied War Strategy On December 22, 1941, just after Pearl Harbor, Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt met at the White House to develop a joint war policy. Stalin had asked his allies to relieve German pressure on his armies in the east. To do this he wanted the US and Britain to open a second front in the west. Eventually the allied powers would all agree and their war strategy would be put into action. Who are these people???? Churchill, Stalin Remember Russia…what are their best weapons right now?? Two front war? Where have we seen this before.

Allied Strategy The North African Campaign Angered Stalin In late 1942 The British Army drove the Germans out of Egypt and back to the west. American troops landed behind the Germans. Led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower Together the American and British troops defeated Rommel and his troops forced Germany to leave Africa in May 1943 Marked the beginning of Allied victories. The North African Campaign…this angered Stalin. He wanted the Allies to open the second front in France in order to give his country some relief. The soviet Union therefore had to hold out on its own against the Germans.

As Rommel suffered defeats in North Africa, German armies also met their match in the Soviet Union. The German advance had stalled in late 1941. And the bitter winter made the situation worse. When the summer arrived, Hitler sent troops in to seize the oil fields in the Caucasus Mountains and also capture Stalingrad.

The Battle Of Stalingrad German troops invaded the Soviet city of Stalingrad in 1942. Bombing raids set much of the city ablaze and ruined much of the city. By early November 1942 Germans controlled more than 90% of Stalingrad. Soviets Launch Counterattack Fall turns to winter Trapped Germans inside city and cut of supplies. Germans forced to surrender Losing nearly 250,000 troops By the spring of 1943 it was clear that the tide had turned in favor of the Allies. On February 2, 1943 some 90,000 frostbitten, half-starved surrendered to the Soviets. Stalin is still encouraging Britain and the United States to invade France and initiate the two front war. However, Roosevelt and Churchill decide to attack Italy First.

The Invasion of Italy The Allies Invade Italy July 10th 1943 Allied Forces landed on Sicily. After a bloody but short battle the Allied Forces captured Sicily. Mussolini is forced from power. Fighting will continue in Italy until the wars end in 1945. Stunned by their army’s collapse in Sicily, the Italian People forced the dictator Mussolini to resign.

The Allied Home Fronts Wherever Allied Forces fought, people on the home fronts rallied to support them. In war-torn countries like the Soviet Union and Great Britain, civilians endured extreme hardships. Except for a few of its territories, such as Hawaii, the US did not suffer invasion or bombing. Nonetheless, Americans at home made a crucial contribution to the Allied war effort.

The Allied Home Front Mobilizing for War Fighting the war requires complete use of all national resources (total war) 17 to 18 million U.S. workers make weapons Many of these workers are women! People at home face shortages of consumer goods American government rationed scare items. Propaganda aims to inspire civilians to aid war effort Factories converted peacetime operations to wartime production and made everything from machine guns to boots. Automobile companies manufactured tanks. From meat to sugar to tires and gasoline, from nylons to laundry soap….US government rationed necessities. Set the speed limit at 35 Miles per hour to help save gas. Rationing was even more extreme in areas that were more directly affected by war.

The D-Day Invasion While the Allies were dealing with issues on the home front, they also were preparing to push toward victory in Europe. In 1943, the Allies began secretly building an invasion force in Great Britain. Their plan was to attack on German held France across the English Channel.

Victory in Europe The D-Day Invasion Allies plan invasion of France; use deception to confuse Germans D-Day: June 6, 1944; day of “Operation Overlord” invasion of France By September Allied forces capture Normandy and liberate France, Belgium, and Luxemburg. General Eisenhower planned to strike on the coast of Normandy, in northwestern France. The Germans knew an attack was coming but they did not know where it would be launched. To keep Hitler guessing the Allies set up a huge dummy Army with its own headquarters and equipment. This made it seem like the Allies were preparing to attack the French seaport of Calais. At Dawn on June 6th…troops fought their way onto a 60 mile stretch of beach in Normandy. The Germans had their forces set up and Machine guns in place. They were often sheltered behind thick walls. Not surprisingly the Allies took heavy causalities. However, despite heavy losses the Allies were persistent. Within a month of D-day more than 1 Million troops had landed.

To Germany we go As Allied forces moved toward Germany form the west, the Soviet army was advancing toward Germany from the East. Hitler now faced a war on two fronts. In a desperate gamble, he decided to counterattack in the west.

Battle of the Bulge U.S., British forces advance on Germany from west, Soviets from east Battle of the Bulge Hitler calls for a counterattack December 16, 1944 German tanks broke through weak American Defenses. However Allies eventually pushed Germans back. Germans forced to retreat No reinforcements were available.

After the Battle of the Bulge, the war in Europe rapidly drew to a close. By late April 1945, Soviet troops surrounded Berlin (Hitler’s Headquarters)

On April 30th, 1945, Hitler knowing that the end was near, kills his wife (of 1 day) and then commits suicide. One week later, the Germans surrendered, this ending the War in Europe.

President Roosevelt had not lived to see this victory, however President Roosevelt had not lived to see this victory, however. He had died in early April and Harry Truman had taken over the Presidency. After nearly six years of fighting, the war in Europe had ended.