 V-E Day World War II

The North African Front

 First strategy upon entry was the north African front  DISCUSS WHY

The North African Front  First strategy upon entry was the north African front  DISCUSS WHY  Germany was close to controlling the Suez Canal  Would give access to oil fields in middle east

North African Front  Allies had success in N. Africa when generals Eisenhower and Montgomery used 850 ships in surprise landing  General Rommel (Germany) surrendered  Victory in N. Africa led to second phase  Sicily and Italy (Summer 1943)

Sicily and Italy  Germany forces were not permitted to surrender in Italy at Hitler’s requirement.  Difficult conquest  Italians became upset with Mussolini, forced his resignation and replaced him with Marshal Pietro Badoglio  negotiated peace.

Sicily and Italy  What did they do with Benito Mussolini?

Sicily and Italy

Casablanca Conference  Roosevelt and PM Churchill meet in1943 where allies agreed to stop only with an “unconditional surrender” by axis powers.  What does unconditional surrender mean?

Casablanca Conference  Roosevelt and PM Churchill meet in1943 where allies agreed to stop only with an “unconditional surrender” by axis powers.  Peace with Germany, Italy and Japan will not be NEGOTIATED

In Eastern Europe  Stalin is still holding ground against Nazis in battle that will continue for years  Stalin asks from allies  Massive aid (planes, ammo, food, oil, etc)  Recognition of his territorial demands in E. Europe  Requests denied

Germans in Russia  Siege at Leningrad lasted 2 years. Germans stopped at Leningrad and Moscow and shifted southward for OIL.  Hitler defeated in Stalingrad (Winter )  Soviets surrounded and captured 250,000 Germans  Last German battle was launched summer of 1943 at Kursk  Victory for soviets  After Kursk, Germans took defensive as Soviets pushed them back

D-Day  What does the D stand for?

D-Day  June 6, 1944 under General Eisenhower  120,000 troops within 24 hours on 5 beachs  5,000 ships and paratroopers  Germans were surprised by location  Normandy Peninsula: no natural ports, extreme tidal variations, protected by the Atlantic Wall

Operation Overloard  Code name for D-Day  Just so you know

Allies Take France  Patton led assault across France and Paris was liberated in August 1944  Battle of the Bulge  December 1944, in Belgium. German counter attack but Allies push Germans back

Yalta Conference  Feb 1945, meeting of Churchill, FDR and Stalin to discuss postwar peace  Stalin promises to join the fight against Japan

V-E Day  V-E Day = Victory in Europe Day  American and Russian troops met at Elbe River (100 miles west of Berlin)  Hitler commits suicide while Berlin under attack  Germans sign unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945

Excitement Fades  Realities of concentration camps  Continued war in Pacific  Roosevelt’s death April 12, 1945