Winning World War II: Important Allied Victories

Pacific Theater

Battle of Guadalcanal August 1942-February 1943 Fought from August of 1942-February of 1943 Small Island in the Solomon Island chain, northeast of Australia. Battle fought for control of airstrip on the island Dense jungle Over 28,000 Japanese soldiers killed 4,000 U.S. soldiers killed. The Thin Red Line: 26:30 -32:30 1:27:00 - 1:36:30 Significance: Halted the Japanese advance in the South Pacific. Prevented Japanese assaults on the Australian mainland.

Battle of Stalingrad – (July 1942 – Feb. 1943)

Battle of Stalingrad – (July 1942 – Feb. 1943) Stalingrad was a major industrial city that supplied much of the western Soviet Union with petroleum from the Caucasus. The battle lasted for over 6 mos. Germany bombed the city and destroyed over 90% of the buildings. Civilians inside the city were encouraged to pick up weapons and fight against the invading Germans. The fighting went back and forth with the Germans nearly capturing the strategic city. The use of individual assault rifles and tanks played significant roles in the fighting. The Germans were then pushed back and never again threatened any major Soviet cities. Over half a million German soldiers were killed, nearly 1 million Soviet soldiers died and another half million Soviet citizens were killed. It was the bloodiest battle in the war.

Battle of Stalingrad – (July 1942 – Feb. 1943)

D-Day (Invasion of Normandy) – (June 1944)

D-Day (Invasion of Normandy) – (June 1944) By 1942 Hitler had created a formidable “Atlantic Wall” to defend the Atlantic coast. The world knew that an amphibious invasion had to happen along the Atlantic coast in order to defeat Nazi Germany. June 6th, 1944 became known as D-Day or “designated day,” the day designated to begin the invasion. For months prior to D-Day, Allied bombers bombed locations up and down the Atlantic Wall to soften the defensive positions set up on the beaches. The night prior to D-Day thousands of paratroopers dropped behind German lines. The next morning thousands of Allied ships made the attack across the English Channel from Britain. The invasion was successful but caused 25,000 Allied casualties. However, this broke the defenses of the Atlantic Wall and marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. S.P.R. 4:31-28:10

Disguised .50 mm artillery gun

Disguised bunker in Normandy

German defenses on the beaches of Normandy.

German soldier inside a “pill box” looking for the impending invasion.

Another “pill box” or bunker. This one on Juno Beach Another “pill box” or bunker. This one on Juno Beach. Most of these German defensive positions were not taken out by the Allied air attack in the weeks prior to the invasion

Battle of the Bulge – (Dec. 1944 – Jan. 1945)

Battle of the Bulge – (Dec. 1944 – Jan. 1945) In December of 1944 the Germans attempted their last offensive, driving the U.S. forces back 60 miles. Hitler hoped to force the Allies to peace talks so he could refocus on the Eastern front and the Soviets. One division, the 101st Airborne, was surrounded and trapped in the town of Bastogne. After one and a half months, General Patton’s 3rd Army (infantry and tank division) broke through the German lines and the Allies pushed them into full retreat. Within four months, Nazi Germany had surrendered to the Allies, the war in Europe was over. Band of Brothers: 45:42-49:10

Battle of Iwo Jima – (Feb. – March 1945)

Battle of Iwo Jima – Feb. – March 1945 Both a strategic island and a symbolic victory due to the fact that it was the first battle fought on Japanese homeland. One of the final pieces of the U.S. “Island Hopping Strategy” in the Pacific. For years, the Japanese defenses had been established, creating hundreds of bunkers and “pill boxes” and tunnels that extended throughout the island. This was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. The use of bombers to destroy the defenses did little. U.S. forces relied upon Higgins Boats to land on the beaches as well as tanks and the use of napalm to destroy vegitation. After 36 days of fighting, the U.S. forces overwhelmed the Japanese soldiers. Of the nearly 22,000 Japanese soldiers, only 250 were taken alive (most fighting until death, many committing suicide). There was nearly 27,000 U.S. casualties. YouTube Clip: Flags of our Fathers / Letters From Iwo Jima MashUp