The Sleeping Giant and the Red Giant

The Sleeping Giant and the Red Giant

7.6 | The Second World War 1941-1945

December 7, 1941Japan suddenly and deliberately attacks the United States of America

Reasons for Japanese aggressionThe 3 goals of Pearl Harbor

Yamamoto’s summation of Pearl Harbor | Operation VengeanceDefensive posture

Germany First

The USA Shows Its Resolve

The Doolittle Raid April, 1942America reminds Japan they missed the carriers

The Blitzkrieg Resumes

German offensive into the Caucasus summer, 1942Oil

Warning from Hitler’s generals | DismissalOverexertion of German forces

Soviet redeployment and logistical advantagesIndustrial output | T-34

Stalingrad | Winter 1942Apex of German expansion

Destruction and occupation of StalingradSoviet counter attack

Hitler’s ordersThe Sixth Army surrenders | First major defeat of GermanySoviets now on the offensive, Germany on the defensive

Into the InfernoThe Battle of Kursk | July 1943 Largest tank battle in history

Soviet Union: 1.3 million soldiers; 3,600 tanks; 2,400 planes | Germany: 1 million soldiers; 2,700 tanks; 2,000 planes

German technological superiority but the Soviets had broken their codes

The Afrika KorpsDespite success, they are running out of supplies (gasoline)

All German efforts are channeled to the eastern frontRommel pulled back to Germany

Britain annexes Italian LibyaAmerica invades Vichy Africa November, 1942

War in the PacificCarrier and air power | Logistics of Pacific Theater

The Battle of Coral Sea | May 1942Control of seas critical | Industrial capacity of the United States

The Battle of Midway | Breaking of Japanese code | Stroke of luck

Island Hopping Campaign | Douglas MacArthur

Tightening the nooseGerman Army Group C is routed (Soviet) spring 1943

Operation Avalanche (Allies) 1943Operation Overlord (Allies) 1944 (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno,

Sword)Operation Bagration (Soviet) 1944

5 Soviet fronts – c.2.4 million men, 5,000 tanks, 5,300 aircraft

Results of 1944 invasionsFrance liberated (Allies) |Italy defeated (Allies)

German Army Group A, B, and C (80% of army) annihilated (Soviet) | Moscow parade

Axis in Europe destroyed (Soviet) | Soviet occupationAssassination attempt on Hitler (c.5 at this point) | Insanity

Last ditch attempt to stop Allies to focus on the Soviet Union | Battle of the BulgeNazi fanaticism and fighting to the death

The Yalta ConferenceFebruary 1945 | Allied leaders meet in Yalta (Crimea, USSR)

Understanding the war is over, discuss plans for post-war Europe Clear ideological divide

Roosevelt will die in weeks | Stalin occupies East Europe | Churchill stands firm

Tensions heat up | Negotiations freeze | The Cold War beginsThe race to Berlin is the first competition… | George Patton’s prediction

And the winner is…The Soviets besiege Berlin for several weeks, Nazi Germany spirals into madness

Hitler commits suicide along with his closest followersThe German High Command surrenders to the Red Army

American forces meet the Red Army on the Elbe riverGermany is divided into East (Soviet) and West (Allied) Germany; as well as Berlin

Patton

The Pacific TheaterThe Island Hopping Campaign | B-29 Bomber range

Saipan | Suicide | Japanese propaganda Okinawa | Iwo Jima | Japanese desperation – the Kamikaze

Plans for Invasion of JapanTruman’s dilemma

Hiroshima August 6, 1945 (Little Boy) | Nagasaki August 9, 1945 (Fat Man)

September 2, 1945The Imperial Japan surrenders to the United States on the USS Missouri

The Second World War endsDeadliest conflict in human history | c.50-70 million casualties (most civilian)

Europe is in ruinsThe Cold War is about to heat up

American Terrorism?