World War II (Part III)

D-Day, the Normandy Invasion (code named Operation Overlord) Began on June 6th, 1944 This led to the liberation of France and the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany

After D-Day After D-Day, Allied troops (US & British) pushed east through France Paris was liberated from German control in August 1944 Allies continued east into Germany

Last German offensive, the Battle of the Bulge FDR was elected to a fourth term in office in 1944 with a new Vice President, Harry S. Truman Last German offensive, the Battle of the Bulge

Photo taken during the Battle of the Buldge

YALTA CONFERENCE, 1945: FDR, CHURCHILL AND STALIN MET TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF EUROPE AFTER THE WAR.

Hitler & Eva Braun Model, actress, girlfriend of Hitler Married Hitler April 29, 1945 Both committed suicide together on April 30, 1945 (Braun took a cyanide pill; Hitler took pill and shot himself in the head) 33 when she died, he was 56 Corpses were burned outside the bunker

German Field Marshall Wilhelm Keitel surrenders at Soviet headquarters in Berlin, May 9, 1945. The war in Europe is over!

NEWSPAPERS CELEBRATE THE SURRENDER OF GERMANY BUT WARN THERE IS STILL JAPAN TO DEFEAT

War in the Pacific & the Decision to Drop the A-Bomb

MAP SHOWING INVASIONS OF IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA

Famous photograph of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima taken by Joe Rosenthal in February of 1945

U.S. INVASION MAPS OF OKINAWA

American casualties on Okinawa would exceed 68,000 American casualties on Okinawa would exceed 68,000. Of the nearly 16,000 servicemen killed the burden fell to the naval forces: 8,343 dead sailors, coast guardsmen and marines, the highest toll in naval history. Much of the naval loss was due to the Japanese use of kamikaze suicide plane attacks.

Most of the pilots were extremely young Leyte Gulf the Kamikaze pilots Most of the pilots were extremely young

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT DIED ON APRIL 12, 1945.

destruction was unimaginable, Japan STILL refused to surrender The Enola Gay dropped “little boy” over the city of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945 destruction was unimaginable, Japan STILL refused to surrender

On August 9th a second Atomic Bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki

ON AUGUST 10TH THE JAPANESE SURRENDERED Formal surrender, Tokyo Bay, September 2nd, 1945 aboard the U.S.S. Missouri

VJ DAY, AUGUST 14, 1945 WORLD WAR II ENDS

CAPTURED NAZI LEADERS ON TRIAL FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY German War Crimes: Nuremburg Trials CAPTURED NAZI LEADERS ON TRIAL FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY