Fall of Italy and Germany Objective: Allied victory in Germany

Italy Invade Sicily first Churchill asking Italian people “whether they want to die for Mussolini and Hitler or live for Italy and civilization?” Begin to turn against Mussolini Forced out of power Allies take Sicily and look to all of Italy German forces look to defend Italy Tuskegee Airmen Land in Anzio

Invading Europe Operation Overlord Invasion of mainland Europe Beaches of Normandy – northern France Plan to use speed and surprise Worried about new German weapons Allies able to destroy some rocket-launch sites

Normandy Hitler new Allies would invade soon D-Day – June 6th, 1944 Where? D-Day – June 6th, 1944 Soldiers parachute behind German lines Secure key points Ships offshore begin to shell German strongholds Air support Amphibious craft – thousands wade through the water and up the beaches Germans slow to respond 10,000 Allied casualties By July – nearly a million troops landed

Normandy “The whole western front has been ripped open.” By end of August – Paris is freed from Hitler Nazis now retreating

Battle of the Bulge Allies keep pushing east Allies are losing a lot of lives but winning battles December 16,1944 – Germans launch a surprise offensive German advance into Allied lines Bastogne Germans surround American troops Freezing and no supplies George S. Patton