Attacks in Eastern Fronts and Mediterranean

By Leslie Kim

Attacks in North Africa

1st attack in Mediterranean region of North Africa by Italy. Italy attack N. Africa wanting Suez Canal. Italians pushed through Egypt and dug holes.Both British and Italians just waited.

Great Britain Strikes Back British army attacks Italians Italians loses. Hitler sends General Erwin RommelSurprise attacks British in Aghelia pushes out of Tobruk But later British drives Rommel away, but later

Rommel pushes the British back. “To every man of us, Tobruk was a symbol of British resistance and we were now going to finish with it for good”

War at the BalkansHitler’s Plan- attack his ally, USSR Before he did- wanted to build bases in SE Europe, which were the Balkans region. Bulgaria, Romania Hungary joined Axis Powers. Also Pro-British countries fell into Hitler’s hands.

Invasion in Soviet UnionHitler’s plan- Operation Barbarossa June,22 -Germans tanks/airplanes begin the invasionsRed Army was big but not equipped Weeks of pushing the Soviet Unions in the Russians retreat.September Germans have city Leningrad surrounded. Starved the people in the cityBut city didn’t fall.

Invasion of Soviet Union(cont)

Germans pushed towards Moscow.But Soviet General Zhukov counterattackedHe had Siberian division and Soviets harsh winters to back him up Temperature went down but Germans were in summer uniform.Everthing became useless Ex) Tanks Weapons Trucks Oil and fuel froze. Moscow saved and Germans lost 500,000 lives.

United States Helps Great Britain

Didn’t want to get involved in the WWII b/c of memories of WWINeutrality Acts- illegal to sell arms or lend money to countries at war Lend- Lease Act- president was allowed to lend or lease weaponsBritain ships had U.S weapons in them. Hitler said sink any cargo ships

United States In War Roosevelt and Churchill met secretlyAtlantic Charter –said free trade among nations and the right of people to choose their own government After WWII this was used as a

peace planU.S. gets attack by a German

boat and U.S attacks backTurns out to be Japanese.