Bell Ringer Who were the Code Talkers?

The War in Europe 1939-1945

German Aggression 1933: Begin rearming military 1936: German troops reoccupy the Rhineland *Both are a direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles (military not to exceed 100,000 troops) March 13, 1938: Annexes Austria Sept. 29, 1938: Munich Pact

Munich Pact Agreement between all major European powers & Germany U.S.S.R. & Czechoslovakia excluded Annexed 4 districts in Czechoslovakia, called it Sudetenland March 1939: Germany invades rest of Czechoslovakia -Neville Chamberlain, British PM

Appeasement Making political or material concessions to an enemy to avoid conflict. Was the policy used to address Hitler’s aggression

Non-Aggression Pact Between Germany & U.S.S.R. August 23, 1939 No military action against each other for 10 years Germany uses this to invade Poland Broken in 1941

Blitzkrieg German offensive Literally means “lightning warfare” Included air (Luftwaffe) and ground attacks

Poland September 1, 1939: Invaded by Germans Polish fought German tanks from horseback Sept. 3rd: Britain & France declare war Sept. 17th: Soviets invade from East Sept. 28th: Warsaw falls

France Falls Sept. 3, 1939: Declares war on Germany May 1940: Begin building defensive fortifications in Belgium to stop a German offensive (Maginot Line) May 14-15: German Panzer corps pass into northern France May 26-28: Evacuation of Allied Forces from Dunkirk (338,326) June 4: Dunkirk falls; 40,000 French captured

France Cont. June 24, 1940: Sign armistice, out of the war Germany secures the western front, only has to fight USSR in the east Britain is lone power against Germany “The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin.” - Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister

Battle for Britain July1940: German Luftwaffe attacks Britain German navy almost destroyed during battle for Norway, ground troops unable to cross to Britain Royal Air Force: some of the best pilots in the world Sept. 7th: 1st bombing raid on London successful Sept. 15th: 2nd bombing raid of London, heavy loss of German bombers Hitler calls off invasion of Britain RAF lost 21% of fighter pilots each month, Luftwaffe lost 16%

Battle of Stalingrad July 7, 1942 – Feb. 2, 1943 Major Soviet city Halted German advance Nearly 2 million civilian and military casualties V. German 6th Army surrounded & destroyed a. General Paulus surrendered 91,000 men b. 150,000 Germans died

Bell Ringer What is the name of the British Air Force?

Erwin Rommel Field Marshal, leader of the 7th Panzer Division in Africa (Afrika Korps) Most popular German general, loved by his men Recalled to Europe in 1943 to defend the Atlantic coast Focused on France in 1944 July 1944: Implicated in plot to kill Hitler Forced to commit suicide

General Dwight D. Eisenhower Headed invasion of Northern Africa (1942) Directed invasion of Sicily (1943) Supreme Commander of Allied Forces (1943) Planned Operation Overlord

General Bernard Montgomery Most well-known British commander Commander of the Eighth Army During Normandy: Commander of all allied troops in France Eisenhower took over in Sept. 1944

George Patton Started military career chasing Pancho Villa Skilled at tank warfare Commanded 3rd U.S. Army (swept across France after D-Day) Died Dec. 21, 1945 in Heidelberg, Germany (broke neck in car accident)

German opinion of Patton “The greatest threat was the whereabouts of the feared U.S. Army. General Patton is always the topic of military discussion. Where is he? When will he attack? Where? How? With what? General Patton is the most feared general on all fronts…He is the most modern general and the best commander of armored and infantry troops combined.” -German Lieutenant Colonel Freiherr von Wangenheim

Operation Overlord

“The eyes of the world are upon you.” – General Eisenhower

Operation Overlord June 6, 1944 Invasion of France by Allied Forces H – Hour of D – Day Goal is to liberate Western Europe

The Invasion June 6, 1944 5 beaches: Gold, Sword, Omaha, Juno, Utah 156,000 Allied troops land at Normandy 73,000 Americans 23,250 @ Utah 34,250 @ Omaha 15,500 paratroopers Approximately 2000 Americans died on Omaha

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Quick Timeline 1:11: German C/O receives alert of paratroopers dropping 6/5, 17:00: Naval vessels assemble off Isle of Wight 5:23: Naval bombardment begins 21:00: Reinforcements arrive 11:30: Troops reach the cliffs at Omaha 18:00 German counter attack at Juno & Sword June 6 20:00 British troops arrive at Bayeux (liberate the following day) 14:00: Control of the beaches 6:30: H-Hour, first seaborne troops land at Omaha & Utah 00:16: Gliders land near Nenouville, France 1:55: Paratroopers dropping in & around Sainte Mere-Eglise

Victory in Normandy Allies captured Cherbourg by end of June August 1944: France is liberated Germany forced to fight on two fronts

Casualties Allies Germans 2,499 American deaths 1,914 British & Canadian deaths 209,000 total casualties (killed, wounded, missing) 4,000-9,000 total casualties estimated At least 200,000 total casualties

Operation Market Garden

What was it? Sept. 17 – 27, 1944 British led invasion of the Netherlands & Germany Even bigger than D-Day Goals: Liberate cities of Arnhem, Eindhoven & Nijmegen Capture German industrial center at Ruhr

Importance All three cities are on the Rhine River Trying to push German forces back in Germany on multiple fronts

Failure Offensive stalled Bad weather made it difficult to move American 3rd Army ran out of fuel II. Germans launched major counter-offensives III. Arnhem not taken, only bridge in tact that still crossed the Rhine

Operation Watch on the Rhine

What was it? Last major German counter offensive Allies thought it to be impossible to do Goal is to split the Allied front Weakest point is the American line in Belgium Creates a 30 mile by 60 mile bubble in the line I. 101st Airborne surrounded in town of Bastogne

Battle of the Bulge December 16,1944 – January 25,1945: German offensive in the Ardennes Mountains (Belgium, France, & Luxembourg) 3 German armies, 250,00+ troops Lieutenant General George Patton’s 3rd Army neutralized offensive at Bastogne U.S. Army suffered 100,000+ casualties

American Army No winter clothing Low ammunition Cold food, no fires Many suffered from frost bite

Victory in Europe April 30, 1945: Hitler commits suicide May 8, 1945: Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender to General Eisenhower V-E Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcMk85ZsBh0