Turning Points of WWII

Sides of War War began in 1939 By 1941, US and Japan had joined the war effort Axis Powers= Germany, Japan, Italy(‘40-’43) Allies=Soviet Union, Britain, France, USA

Beginning of War Blitzkrieg-- “lightning war” Poland taken in less than a month Severe Polish casualties Beginnings of war atrocities towards Jewish Poles France-- “Phony War” and the Maginot Line French resistance would spring up with varying success

Punishment for collaborating with Nazis

Dunkirk Europe almost fell completely into Nazi hands if it wasn’t for the events at Dunkirk

Dunkirk British, French, and Belgian troops were trapped at the French port of Dunkirk If captured the war for the allies could have been over British Air Force and “navy” helped to rescue 300,000 troops from Dunkirk Showed Hitler was not unstoppable  Boosted morale of Allied forces

Britain “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets...we shall never surrender.”

Operation Barbarossa Invasion of the Soviet Union Scorched earth approach...again Blitzkrieg was initially effective....Russia = Manpower and industrial strength Stalingrad ended the major German advance of the Soviet Union

Importance of Stalingrad If taken: Access to Soviet oil fields Cut off Moscow Soviet Union will eventually fall

Stalingrad After the German defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler was on the defensive Soviet Union continued to advance and push Hitler back towards Germany Allies string together victories in North Africa and start planning D-Day invasion

USA wins in the Pacific US and Japan engaged in warfare throughout the Pacific(‘41-’45)Atomic Bomb dropped D-Day Invasion is successful in bringing and end to war in Europe(‘39-’45) May 8th 1945-V-E Day September 2nd 1945= Japan surrenders