Turning Points in World War II

Terms and People Dwight Eisenhower − American general and commander of Allied forces during World War II George S. Patton, Jr. − American general and tank commander during World War II unconditional surrender − giving up completely without any concessions saturation bombing − dropping massive amounts of bombs to inflict maximum damage

Terms and People (continued) strategic bombing − dropping bombs on key targets to destroy the enemy’s capacity to make war Tuskegee Airmen − African American squadron that escorted bombers in the air war over Europe during World War II Chester Nimitz − Commander of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Battle of Midway − American victory and turning point of the war in the Pacific; Admiral Yamamoto wanted to force the U.S. defenses back to the California coast. Result of this battle: Japan never again threatened Pacific domination.

How did the Allies turn the tide against the Axis? After the dark days of 1942, the Allies began to make important advances. Tough years of fighting lay ahead, but many began to see a glimmer of hope.

The Allies viewed Germany as the most dangerous Axis Power. Since Germany was the only country seen as a serious long-term threat, the Allies agreed to a “Europe First” strategy to defeat Hitler. The German military could bomb Britain • fight both the U.S. and British navies • invade the Soviet Union

Hitler was determined to prevent the supplies from reaching Europe. The United States moved quickly to produce military supplies and send them to Europe. Hitler was determined to prevent the supplies from reaching Europe. German U-boats sank thousands of supply ships in the North Atlantic. Finally, in mid-1943, the Allies began to win the war in the North Atlantic. New technology such as radar helped the Allies target the U-boats and restore the supply lines. 6

Thousands of Germans surrendered. Germany had invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. Millions of soldiers and civilians died in fierce fighting. However, they were unable to conquer the Soviet Union. After a long struggle, the Soviets forced the surrender of Germans at Stalingrad in January 1943. Thousands of Germans surrendered. 7

Nazi armies were forced to retreat westward, back toward Germany. The Soviet Union was now on the offensive. Hitler’s dream of dominating Europe was crushed. The Battle of Stalingrad proved to be a major turning point of the war in Europe.

Meanwhile, Allied forces pressured the Axis on another front—the deserts of North Africa (North African campaign) Stalin (Russia) wanted America and Britain to open a second front in France so Germany would be forced to divide its troops between two fronts. FDR and Churchill wanted to wait and have more time to prepare before defending France. General Dwight Eisenhower (Ike) commanded the Allied invasion of Northern African because it required less supplies and less planning. Forcing Germany out of North Africa would pave the way for them to invade Italy. Heat, sandstorms, and scorpions made conditions difficult.

February 1943 – Patton vs. Rommel Tank battles dominated the fighting, pitting two brilliant tank strategists against each other. American General George S. Patton, Jr. German General Erwin Rommel, the “Desert Fox” Patton eventually defeated Rommel’s Afrika Korps, at Kasserine pass in Tunisia, forcing a German surrender in May 1943. The fighting at Kasserine Pass taught American leaders they needed to have aggressive officers and train their soldiers for desert fighting. 10

Allied Advances in North Africa

In 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allies, ending the rule of Benito Mussolini. Five weeks later they declared war on Germany. The Allied victory in North Africa paved the way for an invasion of Italy, with forces capturing Sicily. However, German forces continued fighting the Allies in Italy into 1945.

The Allies next took the fight against Germany to the air. The goal was unconditional surrender. Bombers flying from Britain launched nonstop attacks in Germany. massive saturation bombing to inflict maximum damage pinpoint strategic bombing to destroy factories 13

American bomber planes were key to the war. The B-24 Liberator was faster than previous bomber planes and had a greater long-range capacity. Some planes escorted the bombers. The most celebrated of the escort crews were the Tuskegee Airmen, a special unit of African American pilots. In 1,500 missions, they never lost a bomber. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMPLpExgkGg Overall, the bombing missions cost the Allies dearly as there was a 20% casualty rate. But they successfully carried the war into Germany. The Allied bombing in Germany in 1942 sky did indeed relieve some pressure on the Soviet armies on the Eastern Front and helped pave the way for an all-out Allied offensive.

While battles raged in Europe, the Allies continued to fight Japanese advances in the Pacific. Decoded messages told U.S. Admiral Chester Nimitz that Japan was going to attack the American base at Midway in June 1942. This was a vital location to the defense of Hawaii. Allied aircraft carriers and fighter planes were victorious after fierce fighting.

The Battle of Midway proved to be a major turning point of the war in the Pacific. Japan’s momentum was finally halted. Americans took the offensive, moving on to defeat the Japanese at Guadalcanal. Now the Allies began advancing—toward Japan.