The European Theater Chapter 19 Section 2-4

North Africa (Operation Torch) US invades Morocco and Algeria – 1942 French territories under German control Commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower Ground troops in Morocco led by George Patton Battle of Kasserine Pass 1st time US troops fought German troops US outmaneuvered and out fought, but… By May 1943 German and Italian troops in Africa surrendered to the Allies

Stalingrad (1942-1943) Hitler wants to take Stalingrad City in SU that controlled the Volga River and a major railroad junction The capture of Stalingrad would cut the Soviets off from the resources they needed to stay in the war Stalin orders troops to hold the city at all costs Retreat was forbidden Battle takes place in the winter November 1942 – February 1943

A Turning Point! Soviet troops surrounded German troops in Stalingrad cutting off their supply lines 91,000 Germans surrendered Only 5000 survived the prison camps and returned home after the war Major turning point in the war!!!!! Battle of Stalingrad put the Germans on the defensive for the rest of the war

The Grand Alliance By fall of 1942 the war had turned against the Germans Grand Alliance Three major allies  Britain, US, Soviet Union 1943 – they agree to fight until the Axis Powers give their unconditional surrender!!! Unconditional surrender – Axis powers had to surrender w/o any favorable conditions

The Holocaust Holocaust – Hitler and the Nazis try to rid Europe of all Jews Other “undesirable” groups of people were also exterminated Final Solution – name of the plan to rid Europe of all the Jews Decided at the Wannsee Conference (Jan. 20, 1943) Genocide – physical extermination of a group of people

The Camps Concentration camps Extermination camps Where the healthy people were sent to work as slave labor until they dropped dead of exhaustion, disease and malnutrition Extermination camps Where people were sent who were unable to work due to age, health, or handicaps They were executed usually in mass gas chambers Attached to concentration camps

Hitler at a large political rally

Hitler’s Youth (German Boy Scouts!)

Jews being “selected for death” upon reaching the concentration camp Jews being “selected for death” upon reaching the concentration camp. (see woman w/baby)

Prisoners fight for food in the camp

Children were not spared from starvation

Mass grave of prisoners

Mass grave

Crematorium

Crematorium

Casablanca Conference (Jan. 1943) FDR and Winston Churchill (Britain) meet in Casablanca, Morocco They agree to step up the bombing of Germany Goal - the progressive destruction of the German military, industrial, and economic system and the undermining of the morale of the German people They also agree to attack Sicily to hopefully get Italy out of the war

Invasion of Sicily Allies invade Sicily in July 1943 By August the Axis had evacuated the island This creates a crisis in the Italian govt. Mussolini is removed from office and placed under arrest The Italian govt. b/g negotiations w/ the Allies Sept. 8, 1943 Italian govt. announces Italy’s surrender But…Hitler refuses to lose Italy to the Allies

Surrender of Italy German troops seize control of Italy and put Mussolini back in power German troops and the Allies fought for almost two years, but… In May 1945 German troops surrendered April 1945 – Mussolini is captured, executed, and hung upside down in public

Mussolini in Death

Tehran Conference (Nov. 1943) 1943 – FDR, Churchill, Stalin meet in Tehran, Iran Agreements made… 1. Stalin to launch a full scale offensive against Germany when the Allies invade France in 1944 2. Stalin to help the US defeat Japan once Germany was beaten 3. FDR and Stalin agree to break up Germany after the war – so it can never threaten the world again 4. Stalin accepted FDR’s proposal to create an international organization to help keep peace after the war

Operation Overlord D-Day – Invasion of France from Great Britain across the English Channel June 6, 1944 – Allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy (Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, etc.) Under US General Dwight D. Eisenhower History’s greatest naval invasion Utah Beach went well German defenses were weak W/i 3 hours Allied troops captured the beach suffering less than 200 casualties

Omaha Beach Allied troops under intense German fire Troops landing under Omar Bradley Allies suffered huge losses & almost retreated, but…slowly Allied troops b/g to knock out German defenses Nearly 2,500 Americans were killed or wounded, but the invasion succeeded This invasion is what you see at the b/g of the movie Saving Private Ryan!

Omaha Beach - France

Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944) Hitler’s last desperate offensive Goal – to cut off Allied supplies coming through Antwerp, Belgium Allies are caught by surprise As German troops race west their lines bulge outward (Battle of the Bulge), but… By Jan. 1945 German troops were beaten and b/g to withdraw The Allies will now enter Germany The war is pretty much over for Germany

Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945) FDR, Churchill, and Stalin meet in Yalta (Southern Russia) They discuss… Stalin suspicious of western power and wants buffer states to protect the Soviets from future western aggression FDR wants self-determination in western Europe Self-determination – allow the countries to decide for themselves what kind of govt. they want

Yalta Continued… They discussed… FDR wants the creation of the United Nations Churchill and Stalin agree to the UN Post-war Germany would be divided into 4 zones Each zone governed by a different Allied country The future of Poland and Eastern Europe was a split b/w FDR and Stalin Stalin wants control of Poland FDR wants free elections in Poland

Allies Invade Germany Soviets into Eastern Germany, US into Western Germany April 30, 1945 – Hitler Dies! Hitler was in his bunker 55 feet under the city of Berlin He and his new wife Eva Braun committed suicide Hitler shot himself Eva poisoned herself His secretary pulled Hitler and Eva Braun’s body outside and burned it

V-E Day!!! May 7, 1945 Germany surrenders to the Allies unconditionally! May 8, 1945 is declared V-E Day Victory in Europe Day WWII is over in the European Theater, but… Now on to the Pacific Theater!