1. World War II Part #3

2. The World at War 3 Main Theaters of War during WWII: Europe
Eastern front – USSR fighting Germany
Western/Southern front - Britain and the U.S. fighting Germany and Italy
North Africa
Italy and Germany both control territory there
The Pacific
U.S. fighting the Japanese

4. North Africa
1942 – British and American troops fight in the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt against the Axis Powers
British forces and U.S. forces commanded by Dwight Eisenhower and George Patton defeat the German Afrika Korps
By 1943 the Axis Powers are pushed out of North Africa and Hitler loses a large percentage of his troops
1943 – The Allies next invade Italy – “the soft underbelly of Europe,” and fierce fighting erupts for over a year until the country is conquered

6. N. Africa and Italy

8. D-Day
When the US gets involved in WWII, Germany controls all of Europe
The Allies decide to invade Europe in order to free France from German control
Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower comes up with the plan
On June 6, 1944 the invasion of France by the Allies occurred, known as D-Day
The success of this battle allowed the Allies to get a foothold in Europe, gradually pushing back Germany’s army

11. Push to Germany
After liberating France, the Allies look to conquer Germany
Operation Market Garden is launched in September of 1944 in an effort to end the war by Christmas – massive paratrooper invasion of Holland to weaken Germany which unfortunately fails

13. The Bulge
In the winter of Hitler launches a massive counteroffensive in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium – The Battle of the Bulge occurs and ends with an Allied victory – last great battle in the European Theater
101st Airborne gets surrounded near the town of Bastogne but refuses to surrender – become known as the Battling Bastards of Bastogne

16. Victory in Europe
Mussolini is captured and executed by Italian guerilla fighters in 1945
Hiding out in Berlin and on the verge of being captured by the Soviets, Hitler commits suicide
Axis Powers in Europe formally surrender
May 7, 1945 – Germany
surrenders
May 8, 1945 – V-E Day (Victory
in Europe) – war in Europe is
officially over