WWII Progresses

Fall of France, Battle of Britain

France FALLS to Hitler! Troops have to make an emergency evacuation at Dunkirk to England…a shock and embarrassment!Hitler bombards London for almost 40 days and nights“We will never, never, never give up!” –Winston Churchill

Hitler and USSR

June 1941, Hitler invades Soviet Union and breaks Non-Aggression PactArmy gets tied up in Soviet winter, just like Napoleon!

Japan’s Expansion

Japan attacked most of Southeast Asia, including French Indochina (Vietnam), China, Korea, the Philippines, and many islands like Iwo Jima and Midway.

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor

Angry at US for blocking war materials and trying to help ChinaUS thought an attack would strike Philippines first—had General Douglas MacArthur already there!December 7, 1941: “A date which will live in infamy”

Pearl Harbor today: Oahu, HI

Reaction in US

US Declares war on Japan December 8, 1941Germany and Italy declare war on US due to Tripartite AgreementJapanese American citizens forced to relocate to internment camps on West Coast due to Executive Order 9066: Our government later issued an apology!

Stalingrad: The Turning Point in Europe

Stalin asks for help from GB, FR, and US to take some pressure off the Eastern Front– They say NO—he remembers this!

Soviet troops hold the line in the USSR and defeat Hitler at Stalingrad—turns the tide of war in Europe! Massive casualties from USSR

Stalingrad: A Turning Point

Northern Africa

Allied troops try to defeat Hitler in North Africa, since he is still to strong in FranceEisenhower leads Allies against Erwin Rommel (the “Desert Fox”)Once they had control, could invade the “soft underbelly of Europe” (Think hedgehog!)

Allies invade North Africa 1943 and Rome eventually falls, 1944

Italy Falls

Allies launch an offensive in Sicily July 1943By July 25, King Victor Emmanuel III fired Mussolini and had him arrestedNew Prime Minister signed secret surrender September 3, 1943Germans later rescue Mussolini and put him in control of Northern ItalyJune 1944, Allies finally get back to Rome

What now?

Allies must prepare to invade Vichy France (held by Nazis) and Hitler knew it…started building his “Atlantic Wall”Had to somehow plan an attack but keep it as secret as possible

Omaha Beach at Normandy

Inflatable Army!

101st Airborne drops behind enemy lines, but blown off course

Effects of D-Day

The cost of the Normandy campaign was high for both sides. From D-Day to 21 August the Allies had landed 2,052,299 men in northern France.[56] The Allies lost around 209,672 casualties from June 6 to the end of August. Around 10 % of the forces landed in France. The casualties breaks down to 36,976 killed, 153,475 wounded and 19,221 missing. Split between the Army-Groups; the Anglo-Canadian Army-Group suffered 16,138 killed, 58,594 wounded and 9,093 missing for a total of 83,825 casualties. The American Army-Group suffered 20,838 killed, 94,881 wounded and 10,128 missing for a total of 125,847 casualties. To these casualties it should be added that no less then 4,101 aircraft were lost and 16,714 airmen were killed in direct connection to Operation Overlord. Thus total Allied casualties rises to 226,386 men.[57] For Allied tank losses there are no direct number. A fair estimate is that around 4,000 tanks were destroyed, of which 2,000 were fighting in American units.[58]

The German casualties remains unclear. [59] The estimates of the German casualties stretches from 288,000 men to 450,000 men. Just in the Falaise Gap the Germans lost around 50,000 men in killed and wounded.[60] The Germans committed around 2,300 tanks and assault guns to the battle in Normandy, and only around 100 to 120 were brought back across the Seine.[nb 6] The overwhelming majority of the German tanks destroyed were put out of action by the Allied airforce, while very few of the Allied tank losses were inflicted by the Luftwaffe.[61]

Source: Wikipedia, Operation Overlord

In the Pacific

Japan showing no signs of surrender (code of honor/bushido)Battle of Midway June 1942—turning point in Pacific. US breaks Japan’s code and is ready for attack—catches Japan off guard!Japan could not break US code—WHY?Guadalcanal and “island hopping”Kamikazes used in 1943: showing Japan was far from surrender