The War in Europe and North Africa
Jan 19, 2016
The War in Europe andNorth Africa
Planning for War
During WWII, two of the greatest leaders of all time collaborate on the best plans FDR and Churchill
They meet in December of 1941 Washington, D.C.
Decide to focus their attention in Europe first Japan and the Pacific second
Churchill and FDR
Battle in the Atlantic
Hitler’s attack on American shipping increases after Pearl Harbor What is the goal?
Without supplies from the U.S., the war could not be fought
U.S. ships were largely unprotected Early 1942 – 87 ships sank Late 1942 – 600+ more ships sank
Attack on Shipping
A New Plan for Shipping
The Allies now send their ships in convoys Supply ships with protection Used sonar and radar to detect and
destroy U-Boats By 1943 the tide has turned in the
Atlantic Germany cannot build enough U-Boats The United States is cranking out ships
like crazy
Atlantic Convoy
Atlantic Convoy
The Soviet Union’s Sacrifice The Germans invaded the Soviet Union in
June of 1941 They were stopped in November of 1941 Why?
Hitler turns his attention to the south in 1942 He is confident (overly) that he will take it
quickly He used the Luftwaffe to bombard the city By late 1942, Germany controls 90% of the city The fighting was intense and deadly What happens now?
Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Soviet Union’s Sacrifice The Soviets use the winter to
counterattack Hitler was too dumb to retreat
The Soviets cut off German supply lines They started to freeze to death They had no food or supplies
Germany surrenders on January 31, 1943 Cost of the Battle of Stalingrad:
1,100,000 Soviet lives
Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
North Africa
Germany seeks Oil and Suez canal in North Africa
Stalin wanted the Allies to attack across the English Channel Divert attention from Eastern Front FDR and Churchill were not prepared for this
They launch Operation Torch Land at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers
Over 100,00 Allied troops German General Erwin Rommel surrenders
his Afrika Korps in May of 1943
Operation Torch
North Africa
The Italian Job
FDR and Churchill meet in Casablanca Decide to only accept unconditional surrender
They knew a full scale invasion was inevitable Decide first to attack Italy
They capture Sicily in the Summer of 1943 Il Duce is thrown from power
Hitler used Italy as a buffer and fought at Anzio “Bloody Anzio” Around 25,000 Allied causalities Around 30,000 Axis casualties
Bloody Anzio
Famous Units
Tuskegee Airmen 99th Pursuit Squadron Pivotal in North Africa and Italy
Buffaloes 92nd Infantry Division African-American division
Company E Mexican-American One of the most decorated in WWII
Purple Heart Battalion 442nd Regimental Combat Team – All Nisei soldiers Most decorated in US History
Tuskegee Airmen
Purple Heart Battalion
Invasion of Normandy
Allies gathered almost 3 million troops They set up a fake army to confuse the
Germans Made them think they would attack
at Calais Hitler didn’t think we would attack at
Normandy Because he wouldn’t have done that
Hitler kept a large army at Calais just in case
Dwight D. Eisenhower is Supreme Allied Commander of the invasion “Ike”
Ghost Army
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE2Euz3ucdE
Operation Overlord
Bad weather pushed back the invasion D-Day is given the go on June 6, 1944
First wave was the airborne troops Three divisions (23,000)
They were followed by the largest land-sea-air force in history (132,500) The fighting was brutal and deadly Especially at Omaha Beach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPU4p7
UQOtU
Airborne Troops
Into The Jaws of Death
Omaha Beach
Sword Beach
Breaking out of Normandy Allies lost around 12,000 troops on D-Day They established five beachheads for
landings A month later they had:
Landed a million troops Landed over 500,000 tons of supplies
Omar Bradley leads the way in the air George Patton and his Third Army on the
ground On August 23, Patton reaches the Seine
They liberate Paris on August 25, 1944
Landing Force
Landing Force
Battle of the Bulge
Hitler was desperate for a victory Allies had captured Aachen
German tank divisions break through the lines in the Ardennes They made it 60 miles into Allied territory
Battle was a month long Result was devastating for the Germans
120,000 troops lost 600 tanks lost Luftwaffe essentially wiped out
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
Suicide and Surrender
Soviet troops had reached Berlin by April 25 German soldiers attempted to escape
Hitler and Eva Braun (wife) hid in a bunker Hitler shot himself on April 30th, 1945 Braun swallowed poison Bodies were burned
Third Reich surrenders on May 8, 1945 V-E Day
V-E Day