Turning the Tide 1942

By mid 1942, the Axis powers… Controlled wide swaths of South East Asia Pacific war turned on the Battle of Midway Conquered much of Northern Africa Battle of El Alamein puts Nazis on defensive Controlled most of Europe and Russia Battle of Stalingrad (possibly largest all time) changes the war in Europe

Midway Read your information sheet on Midway, answer the following question: “Name 2 reasons why the Battle of Midway is significant” Tiny Midway Atoll

Operation Blue In the winter of ‘41-’42, the German attack on Moscow had failed Nazi forces were pushed back but not crippled Hitler combines weakened forces into a very strong army and aims it at the oil fields in the caucuses During the summer of 1942, German forces once again easily cut through Russian troops, racing towards the Volga river Approach Stalingrad in July/August

Why Stalingrad? Control Volga River supply of Oil The name of the city

The Battle of Stalingrad (August 23 1941- February 1943) Brutal urban warfare on the banks of the Volga Germans have upper hand, Russia is on a thin strip of the city supplied only across the river A Soviet counterattack led by General Zhukov encircles the Germans who are ordered by Hitler not to break out or surrender Eventually, of the 350,000+ Germans who attacked, about 90,000 surrender “City of Rats”

"Stalingrad is no longer a town "Stalingrad is no longer a town. By day it is an enormous  cloud of burning, blinding smoke; it is a vast furnace lit by the  reflection of the flames. And when night arrives, one of those  scorching, howling, bleeding nights, the dogs plunge into the  Volga and swim desperately to gain the other bank. The nights of  Stalingrad are a terror for them. Animals flee this hell; the  hardest stones can not bear it for long; only men endure." 

North Africa German “Afrikka Corps”- elite tanks- dispatched to Africa in early 1941 to help out Italians who are getting crushed after attack British Back and forth tank fighting between German General Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox) and the British led by Montgomery In 1942 the Germans sweep across North Africa again, although they are outnumbered they win many battles The counterattack at the Second Battle of El Alamein in October of 1942 results in a huge victory They will crush the German forces and eventually go on the offensive in Italy