1. Aim: What role did the USA play in winning the war in Europe?

2. When the U.S. entered WW2 in late 1941, victory seemed remote
Japan dominated the western half of the Pacific Ocean
Germany controlled almost all of Europe
Germany pressed into Russia
Axis armies controlled Northern Africa & threatened the Suez Canal
But…over the next 2 years, the U.S. & the Allies began to win the wars in Europe & the Pacific

3. Tehran Conference, 1943
By agreeing to “Operation Overlord” (D-Day), the Allies would divide the Axis military across two fronts
In 1943, FDR, Churchill, Stalin met in Tehran, Iran for the first of three wartime conferences:
The USA, Britain, USSR coordinated their war strategy
FDR & Churchill finally committed to Stalin’s demands to open a western front (D-Day)
THE PLAN of D-DAY?
liberate France!
organized by General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Stalin agreed to declare war on Japan after the defeat of Germany
Broader international cooperation also became a central theme of the negotiations at Tehran. Roosevelt and Stalin privately discussed the composition of the United Nations. During the Moscow Conference of the Foreign Ministers in October and November of 1943, the United States, Britain, China, and the Soviet Union had signed a four-power declaration whose fourth point called for the creation of a "general international organization" designed to promote "international peace and security." At Tehran, Roosevelt outlined for Stalin his vision of the proposed organization in which the future United Nations would be dominated by "four policemen" (the United States, Britain, China, and Soviet Union) who "would have the power to deal immediately with any threat to the peace and any sudden emergency which requires action."

4. D-Day
June 6th, 1944

5. Why was it called D-Day?
According to the U.S. military, “D-Day” was an Army designation used to indicate the start date for specific field operations.
In this case, the “D” in D-Day doesn’t actually stand for anything—it’s merely an alliterative placeholder used to designate a particular day on the calendar.

6. Who was involved in D-Day?
United States
VS.
Britain
Germany
Canada

7. Invade the coast to open the Western Front
Will become the largest land-sea-air operation in history
Invade the coast to open the Western Front

8. The long-awaited 2nd front came on June 6, 1944 with D-Day
Europe
U.S. & British troops landed at 5 strategic points, pushed through France drove towards Germany
The long-awaited 2nd front came on June 6, 1944 with D-Day

9. When it was finally over...

10. Western Front August 23, 1944 – France liberated!
Dec – Battle of the Bulge = Turning Point!
Germans begin to retreat.

11. War in Europe Ends Soviets and Americans move toward Berlin
Concentration Camps liberated and atrocities uncovered
April 25th Soviets storm Berlin
April 29th - Hitler commits suicide
V.E. Day = May 8, 1945
Surrender by Germany