Essential QuestionEssential Question:: What role did the U.S. play in What role did the U.S. play in

winning the wars in Europe & winning the wars in Europe & the Pacific?the Pacific?

Warm-Up Question:Warm-Up Question: What other major American What other major American

war is most similar in its war is most similar in its resemblance to the U.S. resemblance to the U.S. entrance into WW2?entrance into WW2?

Battle of The AtlanticBattle of The Atlantic Germany attempted to stop supplies Germany attempted to stop supplies

reaching the Alliesreaching the Allies German U-boat operations led to the German U-boat operations led to the

sinking of numerous Allied shipssinking of numerous Allied ships ““Wolfpack” operations began against Wolfpack” operations began against

convoysconvoys

Battle of Atlantic Cont’dBattle of Atlantic Cont’d Growth of US participationGrowth of US participation

- Germans initiate unrestricted - Germans initiate unrestricted submarine warfaresubmarine warfare

-Germans attack shipping routes -Germans attack shipping routes near US Coastnear US Coast- Allies use a convoy system and air - Allies use a convoy system and air cover to improve the amount of cover to improve the amount of supplies reaching the Alliessupplies reaching the Allies-Increased loss of German -Increased loss of German submarines, turning point of the submarines, turning point of the battlebattle

The Allies began to win the Battle of the Atlantic in 1941 with Lend-Lease aid, but took control in

1943 with America’s entry into the war

North African TheaterNorth African TheaterGermany and it’s allies controlled much of

Europe and Northern Africa. In 1942, British and American troops invaded North Africa and won control of the area by the middle of 1943.

When the U.S. entered WW2 in late 1941, victory seemed remote

Germany controlled almost all of Europe

Axis armies controlled

Northern Africa & threatened

the Suez Canal

Germany pressed into Russia

Japan dominated the western half of the Pacific Ocean

But…over the next 2 years, the U.S. & the Allies began to win the wars in Europe & the Pacific

Europe 1941-1943

To win the European campaign, 2 different plans were proposed

The U.S. wanted to attack across Nazi-controlled France by 1943

England wanted to attack Italy from Northern Africa in 1942

In 1942, U.S.-Anglo troops began the Italian campaign

& Stalin was ANGRYIn 1943, the Soviet army won at Stalingrad; Germany was never again on the offensive

The USSR “freed” Poland, Hungary, Romania

Italian CampaignItalian Campaign Roosevelt and Churchill Roosevelt and Churchill

met in Casablanca and met in Casablanca and determined that they determined that they would accept only would accept only unconditional unconditional surrenders from Axis surrenders from Axis Power countriesPower countries

The Battle of Anzio was The Battle of Anzio was the bloodiest of the the bloodiest of the campaign. It last 4 campaign. It last 4 months.months.

The Italian king called The Italian king called Mussolini to Rome and Mussolini to Rome and had him arrested.had him arrested.

Tehran Conference, 1943Tehran Conference, 1943 In 1943, FDR, Churchill, Stalin met in Tehran, In 1943, FDR, Churchill, Stalin met in Tehran,

Iran for the first of three wartime conferences: Iran for the first of three wartime conferences: The USA, Britain, USSR coordinated their The USA, Britain, USSR coordinated their

war strategywar strategy FDR & Churchill finally committed to Stalin’s FDR & Churchill finally committed to Stalin’s

demands to open a western front (D-Day)demands to open a western front (D-Day) Discussed plans to create a “general Discussed plans to create a “general

internat’l organization” to promote “peace & internat’l organization” to promote “peace & security” (UN)security” (UN)

By agreeing to “Operation Overlord” (D-Day), the Allies would divide the

Axis military across two fronts

FDR proposed a future United Nations dominated by “4 policemen” (USA, Britain, China, & USSR)

with power to “deal immediately with any sudden emergency which requires action”

European TheaterEuropean Theater General Dwight David Eisenhower,

Supreme Allied Commander, coordinated the plan to recapture Europe. On June 6th, 1944 Operation Overlord was launched. It is most commonly referred to as D-Day..

The long-awaited 2nd front came on June 6,

1944 with D-Day

U.S. & British troops landed at 5 strategic points, pushed through France drove

towards Germany

Europe 1944-1945

Yalta Conference in February Yalta Conference in February 1945 1945

The “Big 3” met at Yalta to The “Big 3” met at Yalta to discuss post-war Europe given discuss post-war Europe given the eminent defeat of Germany:the eminent defeat of Germany: Stalin refused to give up Eastern Stalin refused to give up Eastern

Europe but he did agree to “self-Europe but he did agree to “self-determination” determination”

Stalin agreed to send Soviet troops Stalin agreed to send Soviet troops to the Pacific after the German to the Pacific after the German surrender if the USSR could keep surrender if the USSR could keep Manchuria Manchuria

To recognize the independence & sovereignty of nations in Eastern Europe

Soon after the Yalta Conference in Feb 1945, FDR died…and Harry Truman became president

In late April 1945, the Allies broke through the Eastern & Western Fronts forcing both

Italy & Germany to surrender

Essential QuestionEssential Question:: What was the American What was the American

strategy for winning the war in strategy for winning the war in the Pacific? the Pacific?

War in the PacificWar in the Pacific By 1942, Japan had captured Burma, Hong Kong,

Malaya, Thailand, and the Philippines. The Allied troops took back the Pacific with a

strategy called island hopping. The US Navy and Marines avoided Japanese strongholds and attacked areas of weakness.

The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942 was a morale boost

U.S. victory at Midway in 1942 gave the Allies naval supremacy

“Island-hopping” allowed the Allies to win strategic islands without investing precious

time, resources, & American lives

The Japanese refused to play by according to the Geneva Convention “rules” of war

Victories at Saipan in 1944 & Iwo Jima & Okinawa in 1945 allowed for bombings on Japan

The German surrender in May 1945, allowed the U.S. to turn its full attention towards Japan

The Decision to Drop the A-The Decision to Drop the A-BombBomb

With no definitive end it sight, how With no definitive end it sight, how would the Allies defeat Japan?would the Allies defeat Japan? The U.S. military favored a full-scale The U.S. military favored a full-scale

invasion of Tokyo by 1946invasion of Tokyo by 1946 The Japanese refused to surrender & The Japanese refused to surrender &

were arming civilians for an Allied were arming civilians for an Allied invasion invasion

At the At the Potsdam ConferencePotsdam Conference in July 1945, in July 1945, Truman gave the order to use the Truman gave the order to use the atomic bombatomic bomb

Enrico Fermi at the University of Chicago

Triumph & Tragedy in the Triumph & Tragedy in the PacificPacific

In August 1945, the USA forced Japan In August 1945, the USA forced Japan to surrender by dropping 2 atomic to surrender by dropping 2 atomic bombs bombs

Effect of the atomic bomb:Effect of the atomic bomb: Saved hundreds of thousands of Saved hundreds of thousands of

American (& Japanese) livesAmerican (& Japanese) lives Revenge for Pearl Harbor Revenge for Pearl Harbor Showed the USSR that the USA had the Showed the USSR that the USA had the

ultimate weapon (began theultimate weapon (began the ColdCold WarWar nuclearnuclear armsarms race)race)

HiroshimaNagasaki

WW2 Timeline WW2 Timeline ((AlliesAllies, Axis, , Axis, USSRUSSR))

Its Finally Over!Its Finally Over!

ConclusionsConclusions WW2 was the largest & deadliest war WW2 was the largest & deadliest war

in history & changed the U.S.in history & changed the U.S. Wartime industry ended the Great Wartime industry ended the Great

Depression, expanded the size of the Depression, expanded the size of the federal gov’t, & ushered in affluent federal gov’t, & ushered in affluent decade decade

The USA emerged as a world The USA emerged as a world superpower, developed a nuclear superpower, developed a nuclear arsenal, & engaged a Cold War against arsenal, & engaged a Cold War against the USSRthe USSR