WAR IN EUROPE Pearl Harbor to V-E Day

As World War II began for the United States in 1941, President Roosevelt… decided to concentrate first on the war in Europe (Germany First strategy) and to place the Pacific war on hold

Quiz Time :Name of the battle in which … The Axis Organized “wolf packs” = German U-boats The Allies Used convoys to protect merchants’ vessels dropped depth charges from destroyers bombed submarine bases deployed the new technology of radar

Battle of the Atlantic

Two Fronts the Allies split Europe into two theaters of operation the Americans and the British fighting in the western half the Soviets fighting in the eastern half

Quiz Time : On what “front” in late 1942 did … Hitler’s advance peak The axis defeat here began the Axis decline on the European continent

Russian Front Battle of Stalingrad Nov Feb. 1943

Quiz Time : In what area did … The first major U.S. effort against the Germans occur (U.S. with British)

North Africa Nov – May 1943

Quiz Time : Where did … a major Allied victory that stopped the German advance toward the Suez Canal occur ?

occurred near the Egyptian city of El Alamein November 4, 1942

Quiz Time : Where did … a major Allied defeat occur during the North African campaign ? Significant as the first large-scale meeting of American and German forces in WWII green and untested American troops suffered heavy casualties in a humiliating rout described as when the amateurs first met the professionals As a result of the defeat, the U.S. Army instituted a number of sweeping changes the next encounters - U.S. troops considerably stronger

at Kasserine pass in Tunisia Feb.19-25, 1943

Italian Campaign The major consequence of the Allied conquest of Sicily in August 1943 = Italy’s unconditional surrender Italians removed Mussolini from power & switched to the Allied side After the Italian surrender, the German army poured into Italy and stalled the Allied advance

Quiz Time :What was the name of the meeting in which … President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill announced that their principal war aim was to force the UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER of both Germany and Japan criticized mainly by opponents who believed that such surrender would encourage the enemy to resist as long as possible

Casablanca Conference Jan.14-24, 1943

Quiz Time :Name of the meeting in which … The “Big Three” (FDR, Churchill, Stalin) Plan for the opening of a second front in Europe

Teheran Conference Jan. 1943

Allied invasion of France postponed until 1944 because of British reluctance and lack of adequate shipping the North African campaign tied up large amounts of Allied resources the invasion of Italy required so much time and effort that it set the Allied timetable back a year Impact of the Italian front on World War II  delayed the D-Day invasion  allowed the Soviet Union to advance further into Eastern Europe

Quiz Time : What was the name of the battle in which … The cross-channel invasion of Normandy to open a second front in Europe commanded by General Dwight Eisenhower

D-Day OPERATON OVERLORD June 6, 1944

Presidential Election Nov. 1944

Quiz Time Why was Franklin D. Roosevelt considered “the forgotten man” at the Democratic Convention in 1944 ?

because so much attention was focused on who would gain the vice presidency the Democrats nominated a moderate in place of the liberal vice president

Quiz Time Although the Republicans attempted to take advantage of the people’s unhappiness with war time regimentation, FDR won the election. What was the primary reason for his winning the election ?

because the war was going well the Democrats won the presidency and maintained control of both houses of Congress

Quiz Time : What was the name of the battle… That occurred during the final days of World War II In which German troops mounted their last serious resistance in Western Europe

Battle of the Bulge Dec. 1944

1944 and 1945 Allied attempts to end the war in Western Europe included Destroying German cities with massive bombing raids (Berlin, Dresden) Invading France with a gigantic naval, air, and land force (D-Day) Attacking German forces in central Europe with large armies of tanks and infantry

V-E Day 1945 SEE Victory & German Surrender Timeline handout