World War II - Final

Attack on Midway Island

An attack on Midway Island–the last American base in the North Pacific west of Hawaii–was planned to lure the American fleet into battle to be destroyed by the Japanese

This would cut American supply lines to Australia

The plan failed because the United States had a team of code breakers based in Hawaii that broke the Japanese Navy’s secret code for conducting operations

The Turning Point

The turning point in the war came during the Battle of Midway when Americans shot down 38 Japanese planes and destroyed four Japanese carriers

This stopped the Japanese advance into the Pacific

Iwo Jima – another turning point, US victory important because US Could fly to Japan without stopping – allowed for bombing.

U.S. won

26,800 Japanese troops died

6,000 U.S. Marines died

North Africa

In July 1942, Roosevelt ordered the invasion of Morocco and Algeria–French territories indirectly under Germany control

On November 8, 1942, the American invasion of North Africa began under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower

General George Patton led the American forces in Morocco and captured the city of Casablanca

On May 13, 1943, German forces in North Africa surrendered

Battle of Stalingrad

Hitler wanted to defeat the Soviets

by destroying their economy

So he ordered his army to capture oil fields,

industries, and farmlands vital to the Soviet economy

The Germans tried to capture Stalingrad, but the

Soviets held their ground

The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in

the war because it put the Germans on the

defensive

D-Day

Operation Overlord was the code name for the planned invasion of France by the Allies

General Eisenhower was selected to command the invasion

The Allies had the advantage of surprise–the Germans did not know when or where they would strike

The invasion of Normandy began shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944

The Allied forces had little trouble capturing Utah Beach and moving inland

Omaha Beach

The American forces at Omaha Beach met

intense German fire

American commander General Omar

Bradley planned an evacuation of Omaha

Beach, but the American troops moved

forward against the Germans

The invasion succeeded

Focus Questions

What was the importance of the U.S. success at Midway Island?

Explain why having control of Iwo Jima was important for the U.S.

Why was the U.S. success in North Africa important?

Explain the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad.

What was Operation Overlord?

Explain the significance of D-Day.

What was V.E. Day and when did it take place?

Hitler Kills Himself

The United States won the battle and on

January 8, Germans withdrew with little left

to stop the Allies from entering Germany

The Ludendorf Bridge across the Rhine River

was still intact, allowing American troops to

cross and force the German defenders back

Adolf Hitler, realizing the end was near, killed

himself

V-E Day

His successor, Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz

tried to surrender to the Americans and the

British while still fighting the Soviets, but he

was forced to unconditionally surrender on

May 7, 1945

The next day was

proclaimed V-E Day,

for “Victory in Europe”

Nuremberg Trials

International tribunal court tried Nazi officials

Over 23 nations tried Nazi war criminals in

Nuremberg, Germany

12 of the 22 defendants were sentenced to

death

200 other officials were found guilty, but give

lesser sentences

The Manhattan Project

President Roosevelt died a month before the defeat of Germany. Vice President Harry S Truman became president

The American program to build an atomic bomb was code-named the Manhattan Project and was headed by General Leslie R. Groves

On July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was detonated near Alamogordo, New Mexico

Atomic Bomb

On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, one of Japan’s important industrial cities

Truman elected to do so in order to save U.S. Soldiers lives.

Tens of thousands of people died instantly, and thousands more died later from burns and radiation sickness

V-J Day

On August 9, the Soviet Union

declared war on Japan

That same day, the United States

dropped an atomic bomb on

Nagasaki, killing between 35,000

and 74,000 people

On V-J Day, for “Victory in Japan”–

August 15, 1945–Japan surrendered

The war ended

Out of the depression

The U.S. economy began to

recover during WW II.

When the war was over, it was

obvious the U.S. was prospering

once again – suburbs were

growing and people were buying

more stuff again (Consumerism).

The baby boom began.

Focus Questions

What were the Nuremburg Trials?

Explain the impact of the Manhattan Project.

How did the U.S. get Japan to surrender?

How did WW II help the U.S. get out of the

Great Depression?

What was the major social change after WW

II?

Annotated Timeline Activity

Construct a timeline detailing WW II from

start to end.

The timeline must have a brief description of

each event mentioned – 20 items/events

needed.