The War in Europe 1942-1945

Conflict in Northern Africa Operation Torch- Early Allied campaign in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia Nov 8-11 1942 Led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S. Patton Forced Germany to expand its control over France Gave the allies a firm hold over Northern Africa. Allied victory in Northern Africa destroyed or neutralized 900,000 Axis troops Provided the Axis with another front on which to fight Allowed the Allied invasion of Sicily Removed the Axis threat to Middle Eastern oil fields

Battle of Stalingrad July 1942-February 1943 Turning point of the war on the Eastern Front Successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad against the Germans One of the bloodiest battles in history- over 2 million casualties (both military and civilian) Soviet troops held their positions despite German shelling Russian winter caused the German to run short on supplies and men http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad

The Italian Campaign July 1943- May 1945 Mission was to remove Italy from the conflict and draw German troops away from the USSR and France (where the Allies were planning an invasion) Operation Husky (invasion of Sicily)- amphibious assault 2 weeks later, Benito Mussolini was deposed by his own people, and the new anti-Nazi government negotiated with the Allies However, Hitler was not about to allow the Allies to establish bases in Italy- deployed 16 new divisions and instructed his commander to make the Allies “pay for every inch”

Technology of WWII Tanks and Vehicles- advanced armor and amphibious capabilities Radar- Radio Detecting and Ranging- use of radio waves to locate aerial targets Bombing and Rocketry- advanced targeting, other than just gravity and inertia Medicine- first mass production of penicillin (precursor to modern antibiotics) Plastics came into wider use because of war shortages- plastic wrap, cardboard containers for milk, etc.

D-Day June 6, 1944 One of the largest amphibious assaults in military history- over 150,000 Allied troops involved Codenamed Operation Overlord- Attack on 50 mile stretch of heavily fortified beaches of Normandy in Northern France Turning point on the Western Front and has been called the beginning of the end for the Axis Allies sustained ~4,000 losses from the beach landings with thousands more missing or injured In a matter of weeks, the Allies had landed 850,000 troops and were preparing to march across France.