Essential Question: Essential Question: What role did the U.S. play in winning the wars in Europe & the Pacific? What role did the U.S. play in winning the wars in Europe & the Pacific? Warm-Up Question: Warm-Up Question: What other major American war is most similar in its resemblance to the U.S. entrance into WW2? What other major American war is most similar in its resemblance to the U.S. entrance into WW2?

Battle of The Atlantic Germany attempted to stop supplies reaching the Allies Germany attempted to stop supplies reaching the Allies German U-boat operations led to the sinking of numerous Allied ships German U-boat operations led to the sinking of numerous Allied ships “Wolfpack” operations began against convoys “Wolfpack” operations began against convoys

Battle of Atlantic Cont’d Growth of US participation Growth of US participation - Germans initiate unrestricted submarine warfare -Germans attack shipping routes near US Coast -Germans attack shipping routes near US Coast - Allies use a convoy system and air cover to improve the amount of supplies reaching the Allies -Increased loss of German submarines, turning point of the battle

The Allies began to win the Battle of the Atlantic in 1941 with Lend-Lease aid, but took control in 1943 with America’s entry into the war

North African Theater Germany and it’s allies controlled much of Europe and Northern Africa. In 1942, British and American troops invaded North Africa and won control of the area by the middle of 1943.

When the U.S. entered WW2 in late 1941, victory seemed remote Germany controlled almost all of Europe Axis armies controlled Northern Africa & threatened the Suez Canal Germany pressed into Russia Japan dominated the western half of the Pacific Ocean But…over the next 2 years, the U.S. & the Allies began to win the wars in Europe & the Pacific

Europe To win the European campaign, 2 different plans were proposed The U.S. wanted to attack across Nazi-controlled France by 1943 England wanted to attack Italy from Northern Africa in 1942 In 1942, U.S.-Anglo troops began the Italian campaign & Stalin was ANGRY In 1943, the Soviet army won at Stalingrad; Germany was never again on the offensive The USSR “freed” Poland, Hungary, Romania

Italian Campaign Roosevelt and Churchill met in Casablanca and determined that they would accept only unconditional surrenders from Axis Power countries Roosevelt and Churchill met in Casablanca and determined that they would accept only unconditional surrenders from Axis Power countries The Battle of Anzio was the bloodiest of the campaign. It last 4 months. The Battle of Anzio was the bloodiest of the campaign. It last 4 months. The Italian king called Mussolini to Rome and had him arrested. The Italian king called Mussolini to Rome and had him arrested.

Tehran Conference, 1943 In 1943, FDR, Churchill, Stalin met in Tehran, Iran for the first of three wartime conferences: In 1943, FDR, Churchill, Stalin met in Tehran, Iran for the first of three wartime conferences: The USA, Britain, USSR coordinated their war strategy The USA, Britain, USSR coordinated their war strategy FDR & Churchill finally committed to Stalin’s demands to open a western front (D-Day) FDR & Churchill finally committed to Stalin’s demands to open a western front (D-Day) Discussed plans to create a “general internat’l organization” to promote “peace & security” (UN) Discussed plans to create a “general internat’l organization” to promote “peace & security” (UN) By agreeing to “Operation Overlord” (D-Day), the Allies would divide the Axis military across two fronts FDR proposed a future United Nations dominated by “4 policemen” (USA, Britain, China, & USSR) with power to “deal immediately with any sudden emergency which requires action”

European Theater General Dwight David Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, coordinated the plan to recapture Europe. On June 6th, 1944 Operation Overlord was launched. It is most commonly referred to as D-Day..

The long-awaited 2 nd front came on June 6, 1944 with D-Day U.S. & British troops landed at 5 strategic points, pushed through France drove towards Germany Europe

Yalta Conference in February 1945 The “Big 3” met at Yalta to discuss post-war Europe given the eminent defeat of Germany: The “Big 3” met at Yalta to discuss post-war Europe given the eminent defeat of Germany: Stalin refused to give up Eastern Europe but he did agree to “self-determination” Stalin refused to give up Eastern Europe but he did agree to “self-determination” Stalin agreed to send Soviet troops to the Pacific after the German surrender if the USSR could keep Manchuria Stalin agreed to send Soviet troops to the Pacific after the German surrender if the USSR could keep Manchuria To recognize the independence & sovereignty of nations in Eastern Europe

Soon after the Yalta Conference in Feb 1945, FDR died…and Harry Truman became president

In late April 1945, the Allies broke through the Eastern & Western Fronts forcing both Italy & Germany to surrender

Essential Question: Essential Question: What was the American strategy for winning the war in the Pacific? What was the American strategy for winning the war in the Pacific?

War in the Pacific By 1942, Japan had captured Burma, Hong Kong, Malaya, Thailand, and the Philippines. The Allied troops took back the Pacific with a strategy called island hopping. The US Navy and Marines avoided Japanese strongholds and attacked areas of weakness.

The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942 was a morale boost U.S. victory at Midway in 1942 gave the Allies naval supremacy “Island-hopping” allowed the Allies to win strategic islands without investing precious time, resources, & American lives

The Japanese refused to play by according to the Geneva Convention “rules” of war

Victories at Saipan in 1944 & Iwo Jima & Okinawa in 1945 allowed for bombings on Japan The German surrender in May 1945, allowed the U.S. to turn its full attention towards Japan

The Decision to Drop the A-Bomb With no definitive end it sight, how would the Allies defeat Japan? With no definitive end it sight, how would the Allies defeat Japan? The U.S. military favored a full-scale invasion of Tokyo by 1946 The U.S. military favored a full-scale invasion of Tokyo by 1946 The Japanese refused to surrender & were arming civilians for an Allied invasion The Japanese refused to surrender & were arming civilians for an Allied invasion At the Potsdam Conference in July 1945, Truman gave the order to use the atomic bomb At the Potsdam Conference in July 1945, Truman gave the order to use the atomic bomb

Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago

Triumph & Tragedy in the Pacific In August 1945, the USA forced Japan to surrender by dropping 2 atomic bombs In August 1945, the USA forced Japan to surrender by dropping 2 atomic bombs Effect of the atomic bomb: Effect of the atomic bomb: Saved hundreds of thousands of American (& Japanese) lives Saved hundreds of thousands of American (& Japanese) lives Revenge for Pearl Harbor Revenge for Pearl Harbor Showed the USSR that the USA had the ultimate weapon (began the Cold War nuclear arms race) Showed the USSR that the USA had the ultimate weapon (began the Cold War nuclear arms race)

Hiroshima Nagasaki

WW2 Timeline (Allies, Axis, USSR)

Its Finally Over!

Conclusions WW2 was the largest & deadliest war in history & changed the U.S. WW2 was the largest & deadliest war in history & changed the U.S. Wartime industry ended the Great Depression, expanded the size of the federal gov’t, & ushered in affluent decade Wartime industry ended the Great Depression, expanded the size of the federal gov’t, & ushered in affluent decade The USA emerged as a world superpower, developed a nuclear arsenal, & engaged a Cold War against the USSR The USA emerged as a world superpower, developed a nuclear arsenal, & engaged a Cold War against the USSR