NOVEMBER, 1942 – MAY, 1945

 U.S. PUBLIC VIEWS JAPAN AS IMMEDIATE THREAT (SO DO MOST U.S. MILITARY LEADERS)  WHY? PEARL HARBOR JAPANESE SUCCESS IN PACIFIC REVENGE FOR P.H. & PHILIPPINES  PROBLEM: F.D.R. VIEWS GERMANY AS IMMEDIATE THREAT F.D.R. NEEDS TO SUPPORT BRITS BRITS. ARE HISTORICALLY THE U.S.’s CLOSEST ALLY STALIN & SOVIETS ARE PARANOID ABOUT ANGLO- AMERICANS  STALIN THINKS ANGLO-AMERICANS WANT TO SEE RUSSIA DEVESTATED BY GERMANS

 F.D.R. FINALLY CONVINCES MILITARY LEADERS (ex. – DOUGLAS MacARTHUR) THAT U.S. MUST DEFEAT GERMANY BEFORE JAPAN  “GERMANY FIRST” POLICY IS ADAPTED  PROBLEMS? HOW WILL THE U.S. BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE EUROPEAN WAR?  EX.:  MORE NAVAL INVOLVEMENT?  MORE AERIAL INVOLVEMENT?  LAND-WARFARE? WHERE WILL THE U.S. ATTACK THE GERMANS?  U.S. MILITARY LEADERS WANT TO ATTACK ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL  BRITS. OPPOSE IDEA – THINK ALLIES AREN’T READY YET  BRITS. WANT U.S. TO ATTACK SOMEWHERE IN MEDITERRANEAN  WHY? GERMAN FORCES ARE LESS NUMEROUS THERE BRITS ARE FIGHTING IN NORTH AFRICA & CAN USE U.S. HELP  FINAL DECISION: U.S. FORCES WILL INVADE AXIS-HELD TERRITORY IN NORTH AFRICA VICHY FRENCH FORCES ARE VIEWED AS RELATIVELY WEAK U.S. WILL BE ABLE TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE THERE BEFORE INVADING NORTHERN EUROPE  OPERATION TORCH – NOVEMBER, 1942 ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIES LAND FORCES IN NORTH AFRICA (MOROCCO, ALGERIA)

 WHERE? NORTH AFRICA VICHY FRANCE – AREAS CONTROLLED BY:  ALGERIA, TUNISIA, MOROCCO  WHY NOT FURTHER EAST? BRITS ARE ALREADY FIGHTING IN EGYPT, LIBYA BRITS HAVE PUSHED AXIS FORCES WESTWARD TOWARD TUNISIA  FORCES? U.S. ARMY U.S. NAVY  WHO? GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER IS C/O  HOW? INVASION FORCE DIVIDED INTO 3 TASK FORCES: WESTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET – MOROCCO COAST CENTRAL TASK FORCE: TARGET – ORAN, ALGERIA EASTERN TASK FORCE: TARGET – ALGIERS, ALGERIS  GOAL / OBJECTIVE: SEIZE MAJOR COASTAL PORTS FROM VICHY FRENCH DENY AXIS POWERS CRITICAL NAVAL PORTS SEIZE CONTROL OF W. MEDITERANNEAN PUSH AXIS ARMIES EAST TOWARDS TUNISIA FORCE AXIS ARMIES TO FIGHT U.S. & BRITISH FORCES ON TWO SIDES FORCE AXIS TO ABANDON NORTH AFRICA

 INITIAL U.S. LANDINGS SUCCEED  WHY? VICHY FRENCH RESISTANCE IS LIGHT GERMANS ARE OCCUPIED IN LIBYA/EGYPT BY BRITISH  U.S. FORCES BEGIN EASTWARD ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIA  PROBLEMS? U.S. TROOPS HAVEN’T BEEN TESTED AGAINST GERMANS YET U.S. BATTLEFIELD TACTICS AREN’T TESTED U.S. LEADERSHIP IS STILL UNTESTED U.S. & BRITISH LEADERS DON’T ALWAYS AGREE  EXAMPLE: EISENHOWER & MONTGOMERY DON’T ALWAYS AGREE ON STRATEGY

 WHEN? JAN., 1943  WHERE? CASABLANCA, MOROCCO  WHO? ALLIED POLITICAL & MILITARY LEADERS: EXAMPLES?  FDR  CHURCHILL  CHARLES De GAULLE (FREE FRENCH forces)  WHY? ALLIED STRATEGY TO WIN EUROPEAN WAR NEEDED DISCUSSION  RESULT? ALLIES WILL ONLY ACCEPT THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER (define) OF GERMANY WESTERN ALLIES WOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE SUPPLIES/AID TO SOVIET UNION WESTERN ALLIES WOULD JOIN FORCES TO INVADE SICILY INVASION OF ITALY WOULD FOLLOW SICILY INVASION

 JAN./FEB., 1943: U.S. TROOPS CONTINUE ADVANCE TOWARDS TUNISIAN BORDER BORDER IS MOUNTAINOUS MOUNTAIN PASSES HAVE TO BE SECURED KASSERINE PASS IS VITAL ROUTE CONTROLLING EAST-WEST MOVEMENT ON ALGERIAN/TUNISIAN BORDER ALLIED TROOPS HAVE MOVED INTO PASS & ESTABLISHED POISITIONS THERE  FEB., 1943: GERMANS ATTACK ALLIED POSITIONS AT KASSERINE  RESULT? COMPLETE GERMAN VICTORY ALLIED (esp. U.S.) TROOPS ARE ROUTED  WHY? POOR LEADERSHIP (esp. U.S.) LACK OF ALLIED AIR COVER (fault of BRITS.) SUPERIOR GERMAN ARMOR & AIR COVER BETTER GERMAN BATTLE TACTICS U.S. TROOPS ARE INEXPERIENCED  EFFECT? EISENHOWER PUTS GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON IN COMMAND OF U.S. ARMOR IN TUNISIA WHY PATTON?

NNOV., 1942: BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN BRITISH 8 th ARMY DEFEATS ROMMEL & GERMAN AFRIKA KORPS RESULT? GGERMAN THREAT TO EGYPT & SUEZ CANAL IS OVER GGERMAN RETREAT TO TUNISIA BEGINS GGEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY BECOMES ALLIED HERO AAFTER KASSERINE PASS: EISENHOWER REPLACES LLOYD FREDENDALL w/GEN. GEORGE PATTON PATTON IS C/O OF U.S. 2 nd ARMORED CORPS (tanks) PPATTON IMMEDIATELY BEGINS OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS

 MARCH-APRIL, 1943: ALLIES BEGIN TW0-SIDED OFFENSIVE AGAINST AFRIKA CORPS IN TUNISIA BRIT. 8 TH ARMY AGAINST S.E. TUNISIA U.S. AGAINST W. TUNISIA  MARCH, ‘43: BATTLE OF EL GUETTAR PATTON U.S. 2 nd ARMORED CORPS ATTACKS U.S. USES BETTER TACTICS (artillery, armor, communication) U.S. LEADERSHIP BETTER RESULT?  U.S. VICTORY  U.S. TROOPS GAIN CONFIDENCE  GERMAN RETREAT TOWARDS TUNIS BEGINS  MAY, 1943: GERMANS TRAPPED IN TUNIS GERMANS BEGIN EVACUATING TO SICILY AXIS SURRENDER 275,000 TROOPS  ALLIES CONTROL NORTH AFRICA  ALLIES BEGIN PLANS FOR SICILY INVASION

 OPERATION HUSKY: DEFINE: THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY WHEN? JULY-AUGUST, 1943 WHO? U.S, BRITS., CANADIANS, etc. WHY?  AXIS FORCES HAD RETREATED TO SICILY FROM TUNISIA  SICILY’S LOCATION – EXPLAIN  NEED FOR STAGING AREA FOR ITALIAN INVASION  MAJOR AMPHIBIOUS / AIRBORNE OPERATION  SO WHAT? PROVIDES VALUABLE EXPERIENCE FOR LATER OPERATIONS (ex. – ITALY, NORMANDY) FORCES ALLIES TO IMPROVE TACTICS/COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALLIED ARMIES  PROBLEMS: MAJOR LOSSES IN AIRBORNE DROPS – SO WHAT? PATTON-MONTGOMERY RIVALRY DEVELOPS

 MAJOR PLAYERS: COMMANDER: GEN. DWIGHT EISENHOWER BRITISH 8 th ARMY: GEN. BERNARD MONTGOMERY U.S. 7 th ARMY: GEN. GEORGE PATTON AXIS: GEN. ALBERT KESSELRING (GERMANY)  PLAN: 2 SIMULTANEOUS AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS: MONTGOMERY: SYRACUSE PATTON: GELA  OBJECTIVE: MESSINA – WHY? TO CUT OFF RETREAT OF AXIS FORCES USE CITY AS BASE FOR ASSAULT ON ITALY  AUGUST, 1943: MESSINA TAKEN AXIS RETREAT TO ITALIAN MAINLAND WSTERN MED. SEA NOW OPEN TO ALLIES NAVAL FORCES  SO WHAT?

 OPERATION AVALANCHE DEFINE: ALLIED INVASION OF ITALY WHEN? SEPT., 1943 WHO? WESTERN ALLIES WHY?  AXIS FORCES COULD STILL THREATEN U.S. FORCES IN MED. SEA  ITALY’s LOCATION  OCCUPY LARGE #s OF GERMAN FORCES  WHY?  THAT WOULD HELP ENSURE SUCCESS OF 1944 NORMANDY INVASION  BECAUSE…LARGE # OF GERMAN TROOPS WILL BE STRIPPED AWAY FROM FRANCE  OVERTHROW MUSSOLINI’s GOVERNMENT  KNOCK ITLAY OUT OF WAR – SO WHAT?  PLAN: U.S. LAUNCHES AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ON WEST SALERNO BRITS. LAUNCH ASSAULT ON S.E. PART OF ITALY U.S. WILL ADVANCE TOWARDS ROME ON W/ COAST BRITS. WILL ADVANCE UP EAST COAST ARMIES WILL FORCE AXIS TROOPS NORTH AND EVENTUALLY OUT OF ITALY  PROBLEMS? YES ITALY IS MOUNTAINOUS SO…ITALY IS MORE EASILY DEFENDED BY AXIS

 THE INVASION: GERMANS HAVE MOVED NEW TROOPS INTO ITALY GEN. ALBERT KESSELRING IS AXIS C/O KESSELRING USES ITALIAN GEOGRAPHY TO SLOW ALLIED ADVANCE CHANGE IN ALLIED LEADERSHIP:  U.S. GENERAL MARK CLARK REPLACES PATTON  WHY? THE “SLAPPING INCIDENT” IN SICILY  PATTON TRANSFERRED TO ENGLAND  CLARK COMMANDS U.S. 5 th ARMY HOW?  GERMANS ESTABLISH DEFENSIVE “LINES” ACROSS ITALY  FORTIFIED POSITIONS ARE BUILT TO DISRUPT ALLIED / HALT ALLIES ADVANCE SO WHAT?  ALLIES HAVE TO ASSAULT/SEIZE NUMEROUS AXIS MOUNTAINTOP POSITIONS  POSTIONS ARE EASILY DEFENDED  ALLIED CASUALTIES ARE HIGH  DETERIORATING WINTER WEATHER MAKES MOVEMENT MORE DIFFICULT

 ALLIED ADVANCE NORTH MAKES PROGRESS UNTIL LATE FALL/EARLY WINTER, 1943  WINTER WEATHER BRINGS ALLIED ADVANCE TO A STANDSTILL  WHY? MOUNTAINOUS CONDITIONS & BAD WEATHER MAKE ATTACKS DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT  GERMANS TAKE UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS ACROSS ITALY – NORTH OF NAPLES  THIS IS CALLED THE “GUSTAV LINE”  ALLIES BELIEVE ANOTHER AMPHIBIOUS LANDING IS NEEDED WHERE?  NORTH OF THE GUSTAV LINE AT ANZIO WHY?  GERMANS WILL HAVE TO RETREAT FROM GUSTAV LINE OR BE CUT OFF  RESULT? JAN.,’44 – ANZIO ASSAULT BEGINS

 JAN.-FEB., 1944: ALLIES ATTEMPT TO FORCE GERMAN RETREAT FROM THE GUSTAV LINE  HOW? SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS  WHERE? ANZIO – NORTH OF GUSTAV LINE – AMPHIBIOUS LANDING MONTE CASSINO – CENTER OF GUSTAV LINE  PLAN: ANZIO – FORCE GERMAN WITHDRAWAL OF FORCES NORTH TOWARDS ROME MONTE CASSINO:  SEIZE VITAL GERMAN MOUNTAIN POSITION  ALLOW PASSAGE OF ALLIED TROOPS THROUGH GUSTAV LINE CAPTURE ROME KNOCK ITALY OUT OF THE WAR

 ANZIO: INITIAL ASSAULT IS SUCCESSFUL U.S. 5 TH ARMY ESTABLISHES BEACHHEAD 5 TH ARMY DOES NOT MOVE INLAND FAST ENOUGH SO WHAT?  GERMANS HAVE CHANCE TO REGROUP  MOVE REINFORCEMENTS INTO AREA  U.S. 5 TH ARMY TRAPPED IN BEACHHEAD  5 TH ARMY TAKES HEAVY CASUALTIES  BREKAOUT DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL SPRING (APRIL-MAY, 1944)  MONTE CASSINO POSITION IS HEAVILY DEFENDED POSITION IS DIFFICULT TO REACH ALLIES BOMB MONASTERY BOMBING ACTUALLY HELPS GERMANS DEFEND POSTION ALLIES LAUNCH REPEATED ATTACK – HEAVY LOSSES POSITION FINALLY CAPTURED BY POLISH TROOPS

 CAPTURE OF MONTE CASSINO & BREAKOUT FROM ANZIO FORCE GERMAN RETREAT JUNE 4, 1944: ROME CAPTURED ALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY BEGINS GERMANS CONTINUE TO CREATE DEFENSIVE “LINES” ACROSS ITALY  PROBLEM? NORMANDY INVASION (JUNE, ’44) FORCES GERMANS TO WITHDRAW TROOPS ALLIED ADVANCE INTO N. ITALY CAN’T BE STOPPED  APRIL, 1943: MUSSOLINI OVERTHROWN – ARRESTED MUSSOLINI RESCUED BY GERMANS – KEPT UNDER GERMAN PROTECTION IN N. ITALY MUSSOLINI ATTEMPTS ESCAPE INTO SWTIZERLAND – IS CAPTURED BY REBELS MUSSOLINI SHOT BY REBELS  MAY 2, 1945: GERMANS SURRENDER – ITALY IS CONQUERED  ITALIAN CAMPAIGN KIAs: ALLIES: 60,000 AXIS: 50,000