Ending World War II USH-7.3

I. European Theater – Part 2 Stalingrad (Spring – Winter ‘42) Germans push into USSR Russians push back at Stalingrad 90,000 Germans surrender to the Soviets Turning point in the Soviet Union Nazis begin to retreat

I. European Theater – Part 2 Operation Torch (May ‘43) Allies push across N.Africa Allies win decisive victory in N. Africa at El Alamin Allies invade Sicily (Jul ‘43) “soft underbelly of Europe” Cross over to Italy Mussolini is removed Italy surrenders (Sept ‘43) Germans attacked Italy and fought the Allies

I. European Theater – Part 2 June 6, 1944 – D-Day D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France Operation Overlord British, Canadian, Australian, and US troops attack France to fight Germans France, Belgium, and Netherlands are freed (Aug/Sept ‘44)

I. European Theater – Part 2 German launched the Battle of the Bulge (Dec ‘44) Last ditch effort to defeat the Allies 80,000 Allied and 100,000 German casualties The beginning of the end for the Nazis

I. European Theater – Part 2 Soviets are pushing to Berlin from east and US/Britain from the west and south Yalta Conference (Feb ‘45) Big Three meet in Yalta to decide what to do with Europe after the war is over USSR promises to help fight the Japanese USSR reach Berlin (Apr ‘45) They fight house to house Hitler commits suicide

I. European Theater – Part 2 May 8, 1945 Germany surrenders V-E Day

II. Pacific Theater – Part 2 Battle of Midway (June ‘42) Won by the US over Japan Turning point of the war Island hopping begins in the Pacific (1943 – 1945) US went from island to island to get closer to Japan US begins to bomb Japan

II. Pacific Theater – Part 2 Focus turns to Japan Manhattan Project has created the atomic bomb Estimates say more than 1 million total casualties to take Japan Potsdam Conference (July ’45) Big Three sets up how the Japanese would be defeated President Truman knows about the atomic bomb but tells no one

II. Pacific Theater – Part 2 August 6, 1945 The Enola Gay drops the 1st atomic bomb on Hiroshima August 9, 1945 US drops 2nd atomic bomb on Nagasaki September 2, 1945 Japan surrenders V-J Day WWII is over