World War II. The European Theater ◦Italy invaded Ethiopia and took control in 1935 ◦Spain’s Civil War was won by the fascists in 1936 ◦Germany 1936:

World War II

The European Theater◦ Italy invaded Ethiopia and took control in 1935◦ Spain’s Civil War was won by the fascists in 1936◦ Germany

1936: Hitler had rearmed and sent troops to the Rhineland1938: Hitler annexed Austria & demanded the Sudetenland1938: Munich Conference (Germany, Italy, Britain, & France)

Goal: To stop further German aggression in EuropeResult: The Munich Pact gave Hitler the Sudetenland if he promised to end territorial demandsPolicy: “Appeasement”

March 1939: Germany took rest of Czechoslovakia 1939: Hitler & Stalin signed a “Non-Aggression Pact”

The Sudetenland

The European TheaterUnited States

◦ 1935: passed Neutrality Act – no arms to warring nations◦ 1939: “Cash-n-Carry” policy (purpose to aid the Allies)

War in Europe

Sept. 1, 1939: Germany invaded Poland with blitzkrieg attackFrance & Great Britain declare war the next day

The European Theater

“Phony War” Period (“Sitzkrieg”) ---> Sept 1939-April 1940

April, 1940: Germany resumed “Blitzkrieg” attacksNeutral nations fell quickly ---> Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, NorwayFrance fell to Hitler in late June 1940

Summer/Fall, 1940: Battle of Britain (German Luftwaffe vs. Royal Air Force)June, 1941: Hitler double crossed Stalin and invaded Russia through Poland

Stalin used Scorched Earth military tacticHarsh winter and lack of useable supplies resulted in over 1 million Nazi loses

The European Theater

Sept 1940: Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact (Axis Powers)

1941: Lend-Lease Act U.S. became the “Great Arsenal of Democracy”

1941: FDR and Churchill agreed to the Atlantic Charter

The European Theater

U.S. Entry into the War1941: U.S. attempted to stop Japan’s invasion of China (in Civil War)

Sent a warning to JapanIssued a scrap metal and oil embargo

By Aug. 1941: Indo-China fell to JapanU.S. began a full trade embargo against JapanJapan responded by: Sending a negotiator to Washington D.C.

The European Theater

December 7th, 1941: Japanese Attack on Pearl HarborU.S. Pacific Fleet was based at Pearl Harbor in HawaiiAttack was meant to cripple U.S. fleet so couldn’t interfere with JapanSix aircraft carriers and 353 Japanese planes attacked in two waves2,403 died (1,177 killed on the U.S.S. Arizona)U.S. declared war on Japan the next day “…Date that will live in Infamy…”Germany & Italy declared war on the U.S. on Dec 8, 1941 (Tripartite Pact)The U.S. was officially in the war! (Isolationism was over)

The European Theater Nations at War

Allies: Great Britain, France, Soviet Union, United StatesAxis: Germany, Italy, Japan

Gen. Dwight Eisenhower named the Supreme Allied Commander of the European Theater

Allies first invaded through Sicily and up into Italy

Mussolini was overthrown and killed

The European TheaterEastern Front: Stalingrad

The Nazis were fighting the Russians in Stalingrad (Aug 1942-Feb 1943)One of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfareNazis are defeated; turning point of the war for the Allies

Western Front: D-DayGeneral Eisenhower planned D-Day for June 6, 1944Allied invasion across English Channel into Normandy, France Largest military invasion in historyAllies success allowed them to push further into France

D-Day Map

The European TheaterBattle of the BulgeHitler’s last major offensiveAllies were pushing from the West (from France), South through Italy, and from the East (Soviets)Germany was surrounded

German SurrenderHitler committed suicide before he could be capturedGermany officially surrendered on May 7, 1945VE Day: May 8, 1945

Attack on Pearl HarborJapan had hoped to cripple the U.S. Pacific fleet

Several carriers were out to sea when Japan attacked on Dec.7, 1949

Japan also attacked Guam, Wake Island, Midway Islands, and the Philippine Islands on the same day

One the home front mobilization hit high production

Island HoppingThe Supreme Allied Commander for the Pacific Theater was Gen. Douglas MacArthurThe U.S. adopted the Island Hopping strategy moving from island to island

Japanese motto “Death before dishonor” Kamikaze attacks: suicide attacks damaged 300 shipsand caused 15,000 casualties

Key Victories for the Allies

Battle of MidwayJapanese hoped to use Midway as a base to neutralize Pearl Harbor.

Battle of GuadalcanalThe Japanese advance was stoppedAll momentum shifted to the U.S.

Battle of Iwo Jima20,500 Japanese killed and 6,000 U.S. lives lostPut Americans within striking distance of Japanese home islands

The A-Bomb Project1939: German scientists split uranium atoms, creating a nuclear reaction

May 1942: FDR created a secret $2B A-bomb program

Manhattan Project600,000 workers and world famous scientists contributed (a race was underway)Albert Einstein – German refugee (Jewish)Enrico Fermi – Italian refugee J.R. Oppenheimer – American Jew (Scientific Director)

The bombs were constructed in a lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico

Following V-E Day Allied leaders agreed to meet in Potsdam, Germany to decide the fate of post-war Europe and how to defeat Japan.

July 16, 1945: While at the Potsdam Conference, Truman received news that:

The “Trinity Test” in Alamogordo, New Mexico had succeeded2 more bombs had been produced, and others were on the way

July 26, 1945: Allies warned Japan to surrender or face prompt & utter destruction

President Truman relied on advisers, but Truman made the final decision

Over 70 project scientists and Gen. Eisenhower advised against using the bombs

Truman’s decision was based on: Saving U.S. lives & $ and shorten the war by 12-18

months The fact that conventional warfare had not forced a

Japanese surrender, despite high casualties Estimates that Japan still had 4 million soldiers ready to

fight and die Gaining an upper hand on the Soviet Union in the post-

war negotiations Preventing its future use by using it now

The Defeat of Japan in 1945Aug 6: Little Boy was dropped from the B-29 bomber nicknamed the Enola Gay, exploding 2000 feet above Hiroshima (100,000 died)

Aug 9: Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki (100,000 died)

Aug 14: V-J Day; Sept 2, ;45: Japan signed the unconditional surrender!

The Allies had won World War II.

Peace would be short lived, however, as tensions with the Soviet Union were on the rise which would begin the Cold War.