Mr. ErmerU.S. History Honors

Miami Beach Senior High

The End of WWII & The Atomic Age

Strategic BombingAllied aircraft bomb industrial cities in Germany

Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin—Dresden almost completely destroyed

Luftwaffe heavily damaged, no longer able to control skiesBombings clear way for Allied invasion of EuropeGerman moral weakened, infrastructure destroyed

Allies crack “Enigma Code,” better understand German plansMassive invasion force built up in England over two years

The Tehran Conference: FDR wants to meet with Stalin, the two meet with Churchill in Tehran, IranU.S. & U.K. will attack France, U.S.S.R. will attack alsoStalin promise to help U.S. against Japan, after GermanyPost-war international peace keeping organization

Allied Strategy

The Allied Invasion of Europe“D-Day”: Operation Overlord

Germans expect invasion at Calais, narrowest straitAllies reinforce misconception by placing Patton as

decoyJune 5, 1944: Allied paratroopers dropped behind

German lines to secure roads and bridges for push inland

June 6, 1944: Invasion of NormandyAllied battleships and airplanes bombard German

defenses Mass armada of vessels land troops on five beaches

Omaha, Utah, Gold, Sword, JunoUtah, Gold, Sword, Juno beaches won with superior

manpower, weaponsGen. Bradley leads U.S. First Army at Omaha, 2,500 dead,

but victoriousInland progress is slow, Bradley and Patton push

forwardAugust 25: Free French forces liberate Paris

Past Normandy, battle continues in FranceThe Battle of the Bulge

Germans try one last effort to cut off Allied supplies/moveGerman lines bulge outwards by German border,

surprise attackGeneral Eisenhower orders General Patton to the

rescueWeather prevents aircraft support, but then clears

German fuel supply interrupted, Americans break German lines

January 8, 1945 Germany pulls back

The Battle Continues

Soviet forces push toward Germany from the eastFebruary 1945: Soviets are 35 miles outside BerlinMarch 1945: American troops enter Germany

Gen. Bradley’s First Army captures bridge over Rhine R.British General and Allied Commander of Ground Forces

Bernard Montgomery brings 1 million troops across Rhine into Northern Germany

Patton’s Third Army pushes into Central GermanyAmericans and British can beat Soviets to Berlin and

Prague, but decide to await Soviet advanceApril 21: Soviets enter BerlinApril 30: Hitler commits suicide in underground bunkerMay 8, 1945: Germany surrenders unconditionally

“V-E Day”—Victory in Europe—official end of European war

Fall of the Third Reich

April 12, 1945: FDR dies of stroke in GA Vice-President Harry S Truman sworn in as

presidentBombing of Tokyo had been unsuccessful

U.S. needed closer airfields to accurately bomb Tokyo: Island of Iwo Jima is perfect locationOne of the hardest fought battles in the pacific

“Uncommon valor was a common virtue”~ Admiral NimitzGeneral Le May orders B-29s to “firebomb”

Napalm firebombs controversial b/c of civilian casualties

War With Japan

Invasion of OkinawaAfter firebombing, Japan not ready to surrenderOkinawa seen as perfect spot from which to ready

invasion of the Japanese homelandJapanese take defensive position in mountains

Japanese want surrender with conditions, U.S. refusesNo surrender with Hirohito remaining in power

Manhattan Project may offer way out of invasionSzilard & Einstein petition FDRFDR commissions study of atomic energyOppenheimer leads bomb team at Los Alamos, NM

War draws to a close…

Truman faced with tough choice:Use a new weapon with unknown effects, orInvade Japan and lose countless American lives

Allies warn Japan of “prompt and utter destruction”Japan does not reply to request for surrender

August 6, 1945: B-29 Enola Gay drops “Little Boy” atomic bomb on Japanese city of Hiroshima

August 9, 1945: “Fat Man” dropped on NagasakiSoviet Union joined war earlier the same day

Japan surrenders six days later—V-J Day

Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Punishing The EnemyU.S., U.K., U.S.S.R., & France form

International Military Tribunal (IMT) to put Germans and Japanese leaders on trial for war crimes

Nuremberg Trials22 German leaders tried (3 freed, 7 imprisoned,

12 hanged)In Japan, Emperor Hirohito allowed to remain

in power18 Japanese imprisoned, 7 hanged

U.S. and U.K. hope to build a better world…