Turning Points ofWWII

Daily Objective

Identify the major turning points of WWII

Japanese Empire prior to Pearl Harbor

Why did the Japanese want to expand their

empire?

Dec. 7th Pearl Harbor

U.S had placed economic sanctions on Japan

Japanese attack was intended to destroy the U.S. Pacific fleet

America declares war on Japan on 12/8/1941*

The Japanese attacked with 6 aircraft carriers and 423 planes!

Battle Ship row December 7th 1941

USS Arizona memorial

June 1942-Battle of Midway

Admiral Nimitz had cracked the Japanese code

Turning point in the Pacific*

Japanese casualties- 4 aircraft carriers, 2500 pilots

American casualties- 1 aircraft carrier, 307 KIA’s

Douglass Dauntless Dive bombers-Sank the Akagi&Hiryu

Aircraft Carrier, Akagi ( 1 of 4 Japanese carriers sunk @ Midway)

Stalin ”Not a Step Backward!”

1942-1943 Stalingrad

City named after Stalin

Both dictators were determined to control Stalingrad

Germans lost the entire 6tharmy

Turning point in the battle for Europe*

500,000 Nazi’s were taken prisoner

- Most of the fighting occurred in the rubble of what was Stalingrad

Battle of Stalingrad-the 1st time Hitler had been defeated

The Road to Berlin

June 1944- D-Day

Largest invasion in history

Operation Overlord

Freed Europe from Nazi occupation

June 6, 1944- Over 175000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of

France

Americans storming Normandy Beach

General Eisenhower addresses the troops before D-Day

German General Rommel inspects the Atlantic Wall

Atlantic Wall-Designed to prevent an Allied invasion!

Atlantic Wall under construction

August 6th and 9th 1945- U.S. drops the bomb on Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Manhattan projectHiroshima 150,000

dead, Nagasaki 75,000 people dead

September 2, 1945=VJ Day

atomic weaponsmankind atomic bomb

September 2, 1945 WWII is finally over

VJ Day

Hiroshima: Day of Fire Impact of the Bombing

Ground temperatures

7,000 F

Hurricane force winds 980 miles per hour

Energy released 20,000 tons of TNT

Buildings destroyed 62,000 buildings

Killed immediately 70,000 people

Victims of the Hiroshima bombing

Fat Man (Nagasaki)

Japan signs the surrender documents on the U.S.S Missouri

Discussion Question

Why is the Battle of Stalingrad considered a turning point in WWII?

Answer- The entire 6th army was eliminated, and from this point on the Nazis were on the defensive.

Discussion Question

Do you feel the U.S. was justified in dropping the atomic bombs on Japan?

Answer- Opinions may vary, make sure to have evidence to support your answer

Discussion Question

Why did the Japanese attack the U.S. at Pearl harbor?

Answer- The Japanese wanted to destroy the U.S. Pacific fleet in order establish an empire

in the Pacific region.

Discussion Question?

Why was the Battle of Midway strategically significant?

Answer- The battle of Midway was important because the Japanese lost 4 aircraft carriers and 2500 experienced pilots. It was clearly the turning point in the Pacific theatre.

Discussion Question

What strategies did the Allies use to fool the Nazi’s on D-Day?

Answer- 1. Fake army 2. False radio messages