Section 4 – Focus Question How did the Allies defeat Nazi Germany, and how was the Pacific war fought?

Strategies in the Pacific At first, the Japanese won an uninterrupted series of victories. Soon, however, the tide of the Pacific war began to turn. The United States began an “island-hopping” campaign. The goal of the campaign was to recapture some Japanese-held islands while bypassing others. The captured islands served as steppingstones to the next objective. In this way, American forces gradually moved north to Japan itself.

WWII in the Pacific

Defeating Nazi Germany To win the assault on Germany, the Allies had to use devastating force. As Allied armies advanced into Belgium in 1944, Germany launched a massive counterattack. Both sides suffered terrible losses at the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler’s support in Germany was declining. Germany faced round-the-clock bombing. The Allies crossed the Rhine into western Germany. Soviet troops closed in on Berlin. Hitler committed suicide, and Germany surrendered.

The Atomic Bomb Dropping the atomic bomb brought a quick end to the war. It also unleashed terrifying destruction. Why did President Truman use the bomb? Truman was convinced that Japan would not surrender without an invasion that would result in enormous losses of both American and Japanese lives. Truman also may have hoped that the bomb would impress the Soviet Union with American power.

Casualties of WWII Military Military Civilian Dead*Wounded*Dead* Allies Britain 389, ,000 65,000 France 211, , ,000 Soviet Union 7,500,00014,102,00015,000,000 United States 292, ,000 ** Axis Powers Germany2,850,0007,250,0005,000,000 Italy 77, , ,000 Japan1,576, , ,000