WAR IN AFRICA AND EUROPE Section 3

ALLIED ADVANCES Churchill convinced the Americans to push the Axis out of Africa before invading Europe Churchill convinced the Americans to push the Axis out of Africa before invading Europe This would allow the Allies to gain control of the Mediterranean and open the way to invade Europe through Italy This would allow the Allies to gain control of the Mediterranean and open the way to invade Europe through Italy

ALLIED ADVANCES The Allies started with the Italian island of Sicily The Allies started with the Italian island of Sicily The Germans were forced off the island after a month of fighting, and the Allies then swept into Italy The Germans were forced off the island after a month of fighting, and the Allies then swept into Italy By this time, Italians had turned on Mussolini and he was imprisoned By this time, Italians had turned on Mussolini and he was imprisoned The new Italian government surrendered The new Italian government surrendered German General Erwin Rommel had control of Northern Africa With the assistance of the American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Axis powers eventually surrendered. The Allies could now set up bases from which to attack southern Europe The defeat of Italy is significant to the outcome of WWII because it was the defeat of a main Axis Power

GERMANY ON THE DEFENSIVE German forces attacked the Russian city of Stalingrad As winter approached, the German commander begged Hitler to let him retreat – Hitler refused Soviet troops cut off German supply lines – many thousands of Nazi soldiers froze or starved to death The remaining German troops surrendered in the spring This battle is considered a turning point because the Soviet army continued to push the German army back toward Germany On the eastern front…

GERMANY ON THE DEFENSIVE The Allies planned to cross the English Channel and invade France The Allies planned to cross the English Channel and invade France The plan, Operation Overlord, was commanded by General Eisenhower The plan, Operation Overlord, was commanded by General Eisenhower American, British and Canadian soldiers crossed the channel into Normandy American, British and Canadian soldiers crossed the channel into Normandy Became known as D-Day, and was the largest land-sea-air operation in history Became known as D-Day, and was the largest land-sea-air operation in history Was a victory for the Allies but at a staggering cost Was a victory for the Allies but at a staggering cost More than 10,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded More than 10,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded On the western front…

GERMANY ON THE DEFENSIVE The Allied troops in France moved west, pushing German forces out of France The Allied troops in France moved west, pushing German forces out of France At the same time, Soviet forces were pushing Germans out of the east At the same time, Soviet forces were pushing Germans out of the east Hitler launched a desperate final assault known as the Battle of the Bulge where the German soldiers attempted to push back Hitler launched a desperate final assault known as the Battle of the Bulge where the German soldiers attempted to push back Allied forces defeated the Germans once again Allied forces defeated the Germans once again The human toll was costly: about 200,000 casualties The human toll was costly: about 200,000 casualties

THE WAR ENDS IN EUROPE Before the war ended, Allied leaders met at the Yalta Conference It was attended by the “Big Three” – Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin Stalin promised to declare war on Japan after Germany surrendered All three agreed to establish a peace- keeping organization They discussed what types of governments would be established in Eastern Europe after the war

THE WAR ENDS IN EUROPE The Soviet Union finally reached Berlin in April of 1945 The Soviet Union finally reached Berlin in April of 1945 Hitler knew the end of the war was near, and committed suicide Hitler knew the end of the war was near, and committed suicide One week later, German leaders signed an unconditional surrender One week later, German leaders signed an unconditional surrender The Allies declared the next day, May 8, 1945, V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day The Allies declared the next day, May 8, 1945, V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day