1. World War II

2. War in Europe Atlantic Charter U.S. Armed Forces – Much Diversity
Secret agreement between FDR and Winston Churchill
Outlined the war aims of the U.S. and Britain
U.S. Armed Forces – Much Diversity
300,000 Mexican Americans
25,000 Native Americans, Navajo acted as radio operators
17,000 Japanese Americans
Countless African Americans

4. Africa and Italy
May, 1943 – The Allies captured North Africa under Dwight D. Eisenhower
July, 1943 – The Allies invaded Italy under George S. Patton

5. Russia
After losing the Battle of Britain Hitler turned his forces against Stalin
The Red Army made its stand in Stalingrad, January, 1943
The Russians surrounded the freezing Nazi army
330,000 German soldiers died, 90,000 surrendered
The Battle of Stalingrad was the TURNING POINT ON THE EASTERN FRONT

6. France June 6th, 1944, Normandy – D-Day – operation overlord
The most massive amphibious assault in history
4,600 invasion craft
1,000 Royal Air Force (RAF) Bombers
1,000 American planes
173,000 soldiers
2,000 Allied soldiers died at Omaha Beach alone
Within one week, 500,000 soldiers had come ashore
Within 6 weeks, over 2 million soldiers had come ashore
The Invasion of Normandy was the TURNING POINT ON THE WESTERN FRONT
By August, 1944, the Allies had liberated Paris

8. Germany The Battle of the Bulge
December 1944 – In a last-ditch effort to protect their homeland, Germany launched a counter offensive in Belgium/Luxembourg.
The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle of WWII
80,000 Allies killed, 100,000 Germans killed

9. Closing in The Soviets advanced from the East, 1941-1945
The Soviets lost 13.6 million men, Germany lost 3 million
By April, 1945, The Soviets had battled their way into Berlin
April 25th, The Americans and Soviets met up at the Elbe River
May 1st, commits suicide
May 8th, Germany surrendered

10. The Yalta Conference
The “Big 3”, FDR, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta
The Yalta Conference planned for after the war

11. War in the Pacific
The Philippines fell – Douglas MacArthur vowed “I will return”
The Battle of Coral Sea
First battle conducted entirely by aircraft
Both American and Japanese forces heavily damaged
Battle was a draw, but Japan lost what it needed to take Australia

12. Battle of Midway – June 4th, 1942
Americans caught the Japanese loading bombs on planes
3 Japanese aircraft carriers were quickly destroyed
The 4th carrier was destroyed while trying to escape
Japan lost 4 carriers and over 250 planes

13. Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Bloodiest battles of WWII
75,000 Casualties trying to take the two, small islands
Taking Okinawa was the last step before Japan

14. The Manhattan Project Robert J. Oppenheimer lead team of scientists
The atomic bomb was developed

15. Japan Truman ordered the dropping of the A-bomb to save American lives
August 6th, 1945 – Hiroshima destroyed
August 9th, 1945 – Nagasaki destroyed
August 14th, 1945 – Japan accepted surrender
August 15th, 1945 – V-J Day (Victory in Japan)
September 2nd, 1945 – official surrender