The European Front

Germany’s reaction to US entrance to war… Attacks shipping vessels along the coast…easy to see! U.S. response Black out curtains Convoy system U.S. is able to continue shipping! Why would the Germans attack the U.S. coast? -to destroy the goods being produced by the U.S. for war & effect the U.S. economy even more…

1st Plan of Attack Northern Africa Why Here??? Experience for the Military Help regain control of the Suez Canal Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria….also the Suez Canal in Eygpt…that is how England got supplies from colonies.. Eisenhower is the Commanding General and he chose General Patton to take control of the ground troops.

Eisenhower was a brilliant mind- 5 star general and Supreme Leader of the Allied forces Patton- loved by his troops, always believed in leading from the front lines. Known for his vulgor language/speeches. He many times was taken from posts because of what he said about USSR or Germans or Liberals. Participated in N.Africa and D-Day and was a military governor of a part of Germany before dying form injuries suffered in a car crash.

Taking the “soft underbelly” Allies take Sicily by August 1943 Move into Italy & Italians surrender…arrest Mussolini. Takes 1 month to take Sicily and then into Italy… Germany will take back Northern Italy south to Rome for a while and place Mussolini in power again (rescued him from prison). Musollini was caught on his way north and executed. He was then hung upside down in the public square to prove his demise.

Turning Point of War Hitler tries to take the USSR Stalingrad is an important location for communication and trade. It also holds access to oil, which is must needed by the Germans at this time.

USSR surrounds the Germans 91,000 Germans surrender 6 months of hard combat USSR surrounds the Germans 91,000 Germans surrender **Almost 1 million German soldiers died during this battle Why would this be considered a turning point?

The Big 3 Stalin, Churchill & Roosevelt meet in Tehran in 1943… USSR would participate in attack on France by attacking Germanys Eastern borders. Agreed to split Germany after the war Agreed to create a peacekeeping organization after the war

Germans attempt to attack the USSR brought them into the war

Operation Overload Invasion of France: -Germans knew it was coming just not when or where -strategic advantage for the Allies

Germans though Calais, Allies put stuff in Dover to throw them off… Decision was made at the last minute by Eisenhower….they only had 3 days and so it happened June 6, 1944

paratroopers

German Counterattack Battle of the Bulge… Dec. 1944 Surprised the U.S. and created a bulge in the front line. Patton arrived from the south 3 weeks later Allies win Germans have huge losses- 100,000.

This is the end… Jan. 1945 both fronts are miles from German border. March 7th Allies cross the Rhine River April USSR enters Berlin April 30th Hitler commits suicide May 7th Germany surrenders V-E day- May 8th Roosevelt died April 12th 1945

International Military Tribunal Nuremberg & Tokyo Trials- put leaders and lower-ranking officials on trial Execution & Prison time To rid the world of egregious harm that was created.