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World War II The Allies Turn the Tide. December 7, 1941 – Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor Until this attack, the U.S. had taken great efforts to stay out of.

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Presentation on theme: "World War II The Allies Turn the Tide. December 7, 1941 – Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor Until this attack, the U.S. had taken great efforts to stay out of."— Presentation transcript:

1 World War II The Allies Turn the Tide

2 December 7, 1941 – Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor Until this attack, the U.S. had taken great efforts to stay out of the war. Because of this attack, the U.S. was thrust into WWII

3 Axis vs. Allies What countries made up the Axis? – Germany- Hungary – Italy- Romania – Japan- Bulgaria What countries made up the Allies? – U.S. - USSR – Great Britain- Australia – France- Belgium

4 Axis Strategies Axis Powers never had coordinated strategy Powers shared common interests, but nurtured individual dreams – Hitler wanted to dominate Europe, eliminate “inferior” peoples – Mussolini dreamed of Italian empire stretching from the Adriatic to East Africa – Tojo wanted to control Western Pacific & Asia

5 Where did the Axis want to control?

6 Allies Strategies Allies had more unified goals Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin lead the Allies All 3 considered Germany biggest long-term threat – Resources to bomb Germany – Fight U.S. & British Navies on Atlantic – Invaded Soviet Union across 1,200-mile front Ultimate goal to fight & win 2 front war Developed “Europe First” strategy Pacific was secondary theater until Hitler defeated

7 Focus on Europe American industries supplied Allies during the war – “Arsenal of Democracy” – Millions of guns, tanks, and other supplies to Allies – Problem was delivering the supplies “Wolf packs” of German U-boats patrolled Atlantic – Hitler determined to stop Ally supply ships – Over 3,500 merchant ships sunk, tens of thousands killed 1943- Allies begin winning North Atlantic Conveys of escort carriers protected Allied shipping Radar helped Allies locate U-boats Long-range bombers/depth charts helped Allies sink u- boats U-boats destroyed faster than Germany could build them

8 German U-boat Under Attack by Allied Forces

9 Stalingrad June 1941- Hitler attacks Russia on 3 fronts – Leningrad – Moscow – Stalingrad Soviet resistance and brutal winter stopped the advance 1942- Hitler focuses on Stalingrad – Controlling Caucasus oil fields was the goal Fighting in Stalingrad was especially fierce German troops advance, Russian troops counterattacked Hitler refused to retreat German troops were starving, sick, & suffering frostbite January 31, 1943- surviving German troops surrendered

10 Allies in North Africa British fighting Germans/Italians in N Africa since 1940 Allies worked together to strategize attack – Stalin wanted U.S./British relief, establish front in France – FDR/Churchill wanted more time to prepare for invasion – North Africa required less planning & fewer supplies – Forcing Germany out of N Africa paved way to invade Italy Oct/1942- British victory at El Alamein (Egypt) Nov/1942- Allied troops land in Morocco & Algeria – Eisenhower (Ike) commanded invasion of North Africa Feb/1943- German troops attacked Americans in Tunisia – Germans led by Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox) – American troops/lack of supplies forced Rommel to retreat

11 Lessons Learned Fighting in Tunisia taught Americans valuable lessons – Needed aggressive officers – Troops needed to be better trained for desert fighting Eisenhower puts Patton in charge of American Troops – Nicknamed “Blood & Guts” – Advanced troops with heightened confidence British troops advance from Egypt at the same time – Trapped Axis forces near Tunisia Rommel escaped, but his army did not May 1943- German & Italian forces surrender – 240,000

12 George S. Patton – “Blood and Guts”

13 Next Step for the Allies January, 1943- Roosevelt & Churchill meet in Casablanca – Meeting resulted in 2 decisions – Increase the bombing of Germany & invade Italy – Allies would only accept unconditional surrender Italy is invaded Sicily makes the “perfect” target – Across the Mediterranean – 2 miles from Italian mainland – Could be invaded with little risk of U-boat attacks July 1943- Eisenhower leads American- British invasion of Italy

14 Italy Contd. Goal was to trap Axis forces in Sicily – Axis troops were able to escape to Italian mainland Campaign lasted for 38 days; achieved important results – Gave Allies complete control of Western Mediterranean – Paved way for invasion of Italy – Ended rule of Benito Mussolini – September 3, 1943- Italy surrendered to the Allies – 5 weeks later, Allies declare war on Germany

15 Hitler’s Plans for Italy German forces rescued Mussolini from Italy Hitler makes Mussolini head of “puppet” state in N Italy German forces keep fighting in S Italy Fighting conditions in Italy were difficult – Italy crisscrossed with mountains & rivers – Heavy rains & mountain snows – Ankle-deep mud – In mountains, Allies use mules to haul supplies – Germans occupied best defensive positions – Allies won battles, but not enough to change German strategies

16 Germany gets Bombed 1942- Allied bombers launch nonstop attacks on Germany from England – Saturation Bombing Missions flown at night Massive number of bombs on German cities Goal was to inflict maximum damage – Strategic Bombing Missions flown during the day Targeted Germany’s key political & industrial centers Goal was to destroy Germany’s capacity to make war Tuskegee Airmen – African American fighter squadron – Played key role in campaign – Escorted & protected bombers – Did not lose bomber in 1,500 missions

17 Impacts of Bombing Strategy Ally bombers suffered 20% casualty rate Successfully carried war into Germany Second front relieved some pressure on Soviet armies Paved way for all-out Allied offensive

18 The Pacific Theater Allies had not ignored the Pacific, but momentum was gaining for Japan – Attacked American, British, & Dutch colonies – Won control of Philippines, Malaya, Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Wake Island, Guam, & Burma – U.S. had to strike back Admiral Yamamoto knew the U.S. Navy was still powerful Goal was to destroy carriers before U.S. could retaliate for Pearl Harbor Yamamoto turned attention to Midway – American naval base in Central Pacific – Vital to the defense of Hawaii – Loss of Midway would force U.S. defenses back to California

19 Midway

20 Battle of Midway Japan’s 2 goals: – Take control of Midway – Establish military presence in Aleutian Islands American Advantages: – Admiral Chester Nimitz knew the Japanese plans – Code breakers intercepted Japanese messages – All available carriers to Midway, U.S. navy concentrated there – Japanese navy stretched across Pacific June 4, 1942- attack on Midway commenced Torpedo planes & bombers sank 4 Japanese carriers – 250 planes on carriers that sank U.S. lost only 1 carrier Turning point of war in Pacific – Japan still had powerful navy, committed troops, fortified positions – Japan would never again threaten Hawaii or Pacific domination – Japan now fighting a defensive war

21 Americans take the Offensive August 1942- First U.S. offensive in Pacific – U.S. attacked Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands – Fighting lasted 3 months – U.S. marines drove Japanese forces off the island Guadalcanal was only 1 st leg in offensive strategy – Approach Japan from SW Pacific & Central Pacific – Combine Navy, Marine, and Air Force – Force Japan into fighting a two front war – Capture Pacific bases; use those bases to bomb Japan – U.S. fought in jungles, on coral reefs, under torrential downpours, & blistering sun

22 Guadalcanal


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