A Look at how World War II Ended End of the War A Look at how World War II Ended

European Theater The Allied Powers closed in on Germany and they were close to winning the war. The Soviet Union was rushing in on Berlin, Germany from the east, and the Allied Powers led by the U.S. was rushing in from the West.

The Death of Hitler Hitler was forced to go into hiding in April of 1945 (towards the end of the war). In the bunker he got reports from his generals saying that the German army was losing.

Instead of being caught by the Allied Powers, Hitler committed suicide. Hitler had his body burned by one of his close friends. Why do you think Hitler killed himself?

V-E Day A couple days after Hitler killed himself, the Soviet Union and its tanks rolled into Berlin and took over the capital of Germany! The Germans were forced to surrender on May 7, 1945! The Allied Powers won in the European Theater!

Berlin, Germany 1945

Victory in Europe Day!

Pacific Theater World War II was not done! The war was still waging in the Pacific Theater The Allied Powers were fighting against the Japanese Although the island hopping technique was working, the fighting was really bloody.

Iwo Jima The Allied Powers defeated the Japanese on the island of Iwo Jima and were so close to Japan!

Iwo Jima

President Truman President Roosevelt died while being President on April 12, 1945 - 10 days before V-E Day. Vice President Henry Truman became the new President of the United States He was in charge of the war now.

President Truman

Truman’s Decision Truman had a huge decision to make! He knew to defeat Japan: he either needed to invade Japan or drop this new bomb called the Atomic Bomb on Japan.

Dropping the Bomb If Truman decided to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan, he knew that the Japanese would be forced to surrender, but he would kill thousands if not millions of Japanese people Why wouldn’t Truman want to drop the Atomic bomb?

Drop the Bomb! Truman decided to drop the Atomic bomb on two cities in Japan: Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He decided to drop the bomb instead of invading so he could save the lives of American troops!

Aftermath 140,000 Japanese died in Hiroshima 80,000 Japanese died in Nagasaki Thousands others died years later from cancer caused by the radiation from the Atomic bomb!

V-J Day September 2, 1945, the Hirohito and the Japanese surrendered to the Americans. They did not want to have another atomic bomb dropped on them. This day is known as Victory in Japan Day.

WWII WORLD WAR II ENDED The Allied Powers defeated the Axis Powers in the European and Pacific Theaters!

Why was NATO created? US would rather provide economic aid than be part of a military alliance Britain and France press for US military support