Germany has taken over most of Europe… But now Stalin is Hitler’s enemy, which allows Germany to be pushed back from the east But, how will we take back mainland Europe?

Mussolini forced to resign 7/1943 The War in Europe The Plan: First Europe, than the Pacific Why? The Italian Campaign: From Africa 11/42 – Eisenhower in Africa 7/43 – Invade Sicily 6/44 – Rome (Germany takes over the fighting in Italy) Mussolini forced to resign 7/1943

D-Day: Operation Overlord June 6, 1944 Led by Eisenhower – our future president. When this happened, Hitler threw all of his forces West, which ensured his defeat in the east – which allows for the Soviet advance westward. WE TRICKED HITLER! Operation Fortitude – decoy tanks – we set them in England and in Norway – Hitler believed that we were going to invade, but didn’t know where – he believed it would actually happen in Calais, which is northern France Normandy was thought to be the trick – but it’s where it actually happened! Dday – 9,000 troops died

General Dwight D. Eisenhower prior to D-Day SUPREME HEADQUARTERS: ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower prior to D-Day Our Home Fronts have given us an superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world marching together to Victory! I have full confidence in your devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! Good Luck! And let us all beseech blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Five weeks before they bombed pont du hoc – bc the big guns – that caused the germans to remove that gun and put in a decoy – rangers took over pont du hoc, they were successful! Full moon – pilots needed to see Needed to go at a time when tide was low enough to where they could see obstacles but not so low that they were far from the beach Waters needed to be calm German officers who were in Normandy actually left the day before – the weather reports were so bad that they didn’t think an invasion would happen, AND, Erwin Rommel, the guy who fought in North Africa, was gone in Berlin because it was his wife’s birthday. Normandy battles lasted for 80 days – took them that long to get to Paris. Omaha was the hardest beach to conquer -

The first wave

Arromanches! Churchill built a harbor so that they could transport goods into France! It had roads! That could hold tanks!

QUICK DISCUSSION What was the impact of America’s industry on the war? What was the impact of the invasion?

Paris Patton retakes Paris 8/1944

Battle of the Bulge 12/1944 Ardennes Forest in Belgium -Terrible cold weather -Last major European battle of WWII

1944: ALLIES CLOSE IN December 1944 – January 1945 – Allied victory at the Battle of the Bulge Allies weren’t prepared and were caught off-guard by Hitler’s blitzkrieg Germans had a fuel shortage – Allies were able to hold their defense 100,000+ died

1945: AXIS COLLAPSES March 1945 – Allies cross the Elbe River into Germany and link up with the Soviets April 28, 1945 – Mussolini shot by resistance fighters April 30, 1945 – Hitler commits suicide May 7, 1945 – Germany surrenders V-E Day – May 8, 1945 **Soviets had terrible technology and Germany had great technology – they wanted to get to Berlin to steal that.

VICTORY!!! March 1945 within 50 miles of Berlin. USSR takes Berlin (Why?) FDR dies 4/12/1945 -Truman VP May 8, 1945 V-E Day (Victory in Europe)