An Overview of Early American Involvement

American Soldiers 5 million volunteers, 10 million drafted Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) non-combat duties – nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, pilots Minorities Served (over 1.3 million) in segregated units Mexican, African, Chinese, Japanese, and Native Americans Tuskegee Airmen all African American squadron that fought against Germans over Italy won highest awards from military for successes Purple Heart Battalion all Japanese Americans battalion that fought in Africa & Italy became the most decorated unit in U.S. history Home Front Employment Expands due to the high numbers of soldiers, women & minorities are hired to work in factories, and the Depression officially ends

WWII Teams Allies Axis Poland Britain France Additions: USSR U.S. Italy China and over 40 other countries Germany Japan Italy (switches sides) USSR (switches sides) 7 other small countries

Battle of the Atlantic (1941 – 1943) Battle between Britain and Germany over control of Atlantic Ocean From 1941 to 1943 Germany dominated the battle using U- Boats to destroy cargo ships With American aid, but 1943 Allies were able to control the Atlantic Significant because U.S. now able to safely provide supplies, weapons, soldiers to war in Europe

Battle of Stalingrad (1941 – 1943) Germans wanted to destroy the major industrial city quickly gained control of 90% of city, then the winter set in Soviets surrounded the city, trapping the Germans at the end of January 1943 Germans surrendered turning point on Eastern Front – Soviets began to move westward towards Germany

North African Front (1942 – 1943) Allied Offensive – “Operation Torch” Allied invasion of Axis controlled North Africa American General Eisenhower fought against German General Rommel (“desert fox”). Allied victory

Doolittle’s Raid (1942) following Pearl Harbor Japanese quickly took over parts of mainland Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines Lt. Colonel Doolittle led 16 bombers on an attack against Tokyo and other major Japanese cities Weakened Japanese morale

Battle of Coral Sea (1942) five day battle where the Japanese were trying to take over Australia Japanese vs. Americans & Australians all fighting was done by planes first time since Pearl Harbor a Japanese attack had been stopped

Battle of Midway (1942) Japan wanted to seize this island near Hawaii U.S. broke a Japanese code allowing us to successfully defend the island the U.S. bombed and destroyed Japanese aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes turning point in War in the Pacific led to the Island Hopping Campaign

Italian Campaign (1943 – 1945) Allies moved North from Africa towards Italy quickly captured Sicily Mussolini overthrown in Italy Hitler sent German forces to Italy to fight the Allies Fighting continued in Italy, until Germany was near collapse

The END of the War

D-Day (1944) code name “Operation Overlord” purpose of the attack was to free parts of France from Axis control, then move into and destroy Germany Attack came in three phases – paratroopers, airplanes dropped bombs, and then infantry landed on the beaches Allies were successful and began to slowly gain back control of France (had been controlled by Germany for 4 years)

Island Hopping Campaign American strategy in the Pacific began after the Battle of Midway Allies began to move from island to island in the Pacific, seizing control from the Japanese Allies began moving closer and closer to Japan

Battle of the Bulge (1944) following the Allied capture of the first German city, Hitler ordered an offensive attack Germans attempted to divide the Allied lines in half battle lasted for a month, with an eventual Allied victory Germans lost 120,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 1,600 planes Germany could no longer effectively attack, could only defend themselves simultaneously the Soviets were continuing to push westward towards Germany

Yalta (1945) Stalin, Churchill, and FDR meet determine that when the Germans surrender… Germany & Berlin will be split into four zones Stalin will allow free elections in Eastern European countries he has liberated from Hitler Stalin will aid in war with Japan – attack from the west

FDR Dies (1945) FDR dies of a stroke Vice President Harry Truman assumes office of the President

V-E Day (1945) Soviet troops enter Berlin with Americans approaching from the West Hitler commits suicide in his underground bunker A week later, on 8 th of May 1945, Germany surrenders unconditionally war is over in Europe – Victory in Europe Day

Battle of Iwo Jima (1945) strategically important island, needed as a base to attack mainland Japan heavily guarded by Japanese – over 20,700 Japanese soldiers were stationed on the island Eventually the Allies succeeded in taking the island only 200 Japanese soldiers survived the battle showed the Japanese commitment to fighting to the death

Battle for Okinawa (1945) last location needed to gain access to Japan Japanese used kamikaze attacks to fight off the Allies By the time the Allies won the island, 7,600 Americans had died & 110,000 Japanese had died estimated that the cost of invading mainland Japan could be over 1.5 million Allied lives