The Pendulum Swings

The Tide Begins to Turn After:

Allies gained US military strength once US entered the conflict December 1941 (after attack on Pearl Harbour)Allies began to win Battle of the AtlanticAllies cleared North Africa of Axis forces and could focus on invasion of Europe

The Invasion of ItalyItaly and Sicily seen as “soft underbelly”: best way to recapture EuropeJuly 1943: Canadians participated in successful Allied invasion of SicilySeptember 1943: moved to Italy’s mainland

The Invasion of Italy continued

Canadians fought for a month in Ortona; lost 1372 soldiers before Germans withdrewFighting continued in Italy until spring 1945

Operation Overlord (D-day)D-Day, June 6, 1944: biggest Allied invasion in WWII full-scale Allied invasion of Europe called “Operation Overlord” After Dieppe failure, this invasion carefully planned

Operation Overlord (D-day) continued

Five landings along Normandy beach: “Sword,” “Gold,” (GB) “Omaha,” “Utah,” (USA) “Juno” (Canada)Attacked via air first, then paratroopers sent behind German linesMorning of June 6, 1944: 30,000+ Canadians arrived at “Juno” beach

Operation Overlord (D-day) continued

Allies had two advantages: massive air and naval support, and fact that Germans don’t expect attack until laterAllies successfully advance through Europe and eventually attack Germany March 1945

Liberation

April 1945: Canadians sent to liberate the Netherlands where people starving to deathOver 6300 Canadian casualties in HollandMay 4, 1945: German troops surrender in the Netherlands Canadians hailed as heroes

Germany Surrenders

Hitler commits suicide in Berlin May 7, 1945 - while being attacked from west by Allies and east by Soviet Union, Germany surrenders

In the Pacific theater…

Bombing of Pearl Harbor brought United States into war. Previously, were following an isolationist policy.Allied victory at Battle of Midway put Japan on their heels and forced them to fight a defensive war nowBattle of Leyte Gulf was to cut of Japan from oil supply and other resources

Kamikaze tactics were employed on the last day of the losing battle… the first time the Allies witnessed this suicidal force

Iwo Jima & OkinawaIwo Jima – Worst of the war for the MarinesBattle won by Allies - March 16th 26 000 US injured, 7 000 dead21 000 Japanese defenders all died, many committing ritual suicideOkinawa - some 4 000 Japanese surrendered, but all officers committed ritual suicide.Of the POWs – 7400 were too wounded to commit suicide, but 110 000 soldiers refused to surrender and died.American gains proved costly – leaders looked to different “tactics”

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Atomic bombs dropped on 2 Japanese cities (6 Aug 1945 & 9 Aug 1945) effectively ended the Pacific WarMany felt that this act demoralized the Japanese leaders into surrender, while saving more lives than it cost (200 000+ did die directly or indirectly)Others believed that naval blockade and traditional aerial bombing would have forced Japan to surrender