The Battle of the Bulge By 1944, Americans liberated Paris, Brussels, and Holland Americans cross into Germany At first Americans are pushed back, but the General Patton moves his entire army of 250,000 soldiers from Western France One of the largest battle in Western Europe Nazis now realized the war was lost for them

Bombing of Dresden February 1945 – British and American bombers attacked the city of Dresden in Germany 25,000 people killed, many civilian refugees displaced by the Soviet advance Many critics claim that the bombing was unnecessary since civilians were the target Others claim it was necessary because Dresden had suburban factories and was a junction of major rail and telephone lines

War Ends in Western Europe Fighting between German and Soviet forces from was the greatest conflict ever fought on a single front 13.6 million Soviets and 3 million Germans were killed – 2/3rds the total dead for WWII Soviets want to capture Berlin, Germany’s capital Rather than fleeing Berlin, Hitler commits suicide Germany surrenders V-E Day (Victory in Europe) May 8, 1945

The Yalta Conference Before the end of the war, FDR, Churchill, and Stalin met at Yalta in the Soviet Union to plan for a post-war world:  Split Germany into 4 zones  Berlin would be divided  Stalin promised elections in his territories and promised to enter the war against Japan

WAR IN THE PACIFIC Pacific Battles

Battan Death March Hours after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese bombed American airbase in the Philippine Islands US troops surrendered at Bataan Peninsula 2000 escaped to Manila Bay About 76,000 Filipinos and Americans became POWs Japanese marched these POWs to a railroad junction At least 10,000 died during the 6-12 day march

Douglas MacArthur Commander of Allied forces in the Pacific

Doolittle’s Raid In spring of 1942, Allies began to fight back against Japanese 16 bombers attacked Tokyo and other Japanese cities Pearl-Harbor-style air raid over Japan Did little in terms of damage, but was the morale boost the Allies needed

Battle of Coral Sea 1 st naval combat carried out entirely by the aircraft Americans bombed the enemy forces more than 70 miles away It prevented that Japanese from establishing the bases they needed to bomb Australia

Battle of Midway Japanese hoped to destroy what remained of the Pacific Fleet (what they didn’t get to at Pearl Harbor) Fought entirely from the air US destroyed 4 Japanese aircraft carriers and sunk 250 planes This was a devastating blow to Japanese naval power Removed the immediate Japanese threat to Hawaii After this battle, there were no more Japanese offensive operations