2. Marine Corps History LE-1508 pages 51 - 70

3. WW II 1939-1945

4. Countries & Leaders n Japan: Emperor Hirohito n Germany: Adolf Hitler n Italy: Benito Mussolini n Russia: Joseph Stalin n Great Britain: Winston Churchill n United States: Roosevelt/Truman General Eisenhower

5. A War With 2 Fronts n Eastern Europe: Army n South Pacific: Marines n Allied Nations: 50 Countries n Axis Nations: 9 Countries

6. EASTERN EUROPE n 1939 - Germany not satisfied n 23 Aug - Hitler & Stalin Negotiate n 1 Sep- Hitler invades Poland n 30 Nov- Hitler invades Finland n 9 Apr 1940- Hitler invades Norway & Denmark

7. Eastern Europe continued n 10 May 1940 - British Govt. collapse, Winston Churchill is new Prime Minister n 10 June - Mussolini invaded France n 13 Sept - Mussolini attempts an invasion of Egypt (unsuccessful) n 28 Oct - Mussolini attempts an invasion of Greece (unsuccessful)

8. Eastern Europe continued n 3 Apr 1941- Germany invades Africa n 6 Apr- Germany invades Greece and Yugoslavia n 23 May- Germany invades Crete n 22 June- Germany, Finland and Rumania invade Soviet Union

9. In The U.S.A. n Oct. 1941 U.S. protest Japan Military Expansion n 7 Dec. Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Hawaii n 8 Dec. U.S. declares war on Japan

10. 11 Dec. 1941 –Germany and Italy Declare War on the United States

11. Marine Corps Defensive Operations n Pearl Harbor n Guam n Wake Island n Philippines n MIDWAY Island

12. Turning Point of the War n 4 June 1942 MIDWAY Island n U.S. Aircraft attacked the Japanese forces before they attacked Midway Island

13. Strength of the Corps n 7 Dec. 1941 = 65,000 n 2 Sep. 1945 = 485,000

14. Offensive Operations n “Island Hopping Campaign” Solomon Islands Gilbert Islands Marshall Islands Mariana Islands ----> JAPAN JAPAN <----

15. Solomon Islands n Guadalcanal : Aug 1942 - Feb 1943 John Basilone & Chesty Puller n New Georgia : 101 Japanese Aircraft Shot Down n Bougainville : Nov & Dec 1943 used Close Air Support effectively

17. Gilbert Islands n Tarawa Atoll : Nov 1943 Marines had to wade 700 yards to shore under fire n Betio : 1944 n Makin : 1944

18. In Europe n 1943: Turning point for Germany Last German offensive n 1 Dec 1943: Churchill, Stalin & Roosevelt organize the United Nations n 6 Jun 1944: Normandy Invasion Largest Amphibious Operation of all time

19. Marshall Islands n Kwajalein Atoll : 1943 n Roi : 1944 n Namur : 1944

20. The Marianas n Saipan : 15 June 1944 29,600 Japanese defended the island n Guam : 18 June 1944 18,000 Japanese defended the island n Tinian : 24 July 1944 6,000 Japanese defended the island

21. Peleliu n Sep. & Oct. 1944 n Extensive caves & tunnel system n Marines used bulldozers & flame throwers n Napalm & Rockets used for the first time

22. In Europe n 16 Dec 1944 : “Battle Of The Bulge” German Counter-Offensive n Feb 1945 : New Allied Offensive Began

23. Iwo Jima n Feb 1945 n U.S. Needed an air base for B-29 Bombers n Mt. Suribachi : flag raising 5 Marines & 1 Navy corpsman n “Un-Common Valor was a Common Virtue” Admiral Nimitz

25. Okinawa n U.S. needed a place to mass troops for an attack on Japan n Last great battle of the war n 181,000 soldiers & Marines attacked the island from both sides

26. In Europe n 7 Mar 1945 : Allied Forces cross Rhine River n 25 Apr : Allied Forces cross the Elbe & Mulde Rivers n 30 Apr : Berlin in flames & Hitler commits suicide n 7 May: Germany Surrenders n 8 May: V-E Day (victory in Europe)

27. In Japan n 26 July 1945 : U.S. offers Japan the opportunity to surrender n 6 Aug : Hiroshima bombed n 9 Aug : Russia attacks Japan & Nagasaki bombed n 14 Aug : Japan surrenders n 15 Aug : V-J Day (victory in Japan) n 2 Sep : Surrender Documents signed aboard the USS Missouri

28. The Cost of WWII n United States 390,000 n France 400,000 n Britain 410,000 n Italy 410,000 n China 1,300,000 n Japan 2,500,000 n Germany 3,500,000 n Poland 5,600,000 n Soviet Union 20,000,000 n TOTAL = 40,000,000

29. Q U E S T I O N S ? ? ? ? ?