Essential Question: Why did the Allies allow the USSR to take Berlin? Victory in Europe Essential Question: Why did the Allies allow the USSR to take Berlin?

After D-Day After landing in Normandy the Allies turn to Cherbourg. Cherbourg in need to bring supplies from England into France June 26th Cherbourg was taken

Battle of the Hedgerows D-Day had been a major success, but the surrounding fields of Normandy were hedgerows (dirt walls several feet thick covered in shrubbery-they were built for livestock but allowed Germans to fiercely defend their positions) The battle of the hedgerows ended on July 25, 1944 when 2,500 American bombers blew a hole in German lines and American tanks rushed through As the Allies broke out of Normandy the French resistance-citizens who organized a resistance, staged a rebellion

Allies Liberate France On August 5th Allies launch a second invasion in the south of France. Now Allies Push towards France in all directions On August 25, the streets of Paris were filled with citizens as the city was liberated-three weeks later American troops were only 20 miles from the German border

Battle of the Bulge As the Allies closed in on Germany, Hitler decided to stage one last desperate offensive. His goal was to cut off Allied supplies coming through the port of Antwerp, Belgium. December 16,1944 the battle began with six inches of snow on the ground and bitter cold-German soldiers caught Americans by surprise-as the Germans moved west their lines bulged outward-the attack became known as the Battle of the Bulge

Battle of the Bulge Part of the German plan called for the capture of the town of Bastogne, where several important roads converged. If the Allies held Bastogne, it would greatly delay the German advance. At this town Germans surrounded the American forces that refused to surrender-Eisenhower sent Patton to rescue them- In three days-through a snowstorm-Patton’s troops slammed into German lines-when the weather cleared Allied aircraft began hitting German depots On Christmas Eve out of fuel and weakened by heavy losses-the Germans were forced to stop their move towards Antwerp. Two days later Patton’s troops were in Bastogne. The United States won the Battle of the Bulge and with the German arm being weakened there was little to stop the Allies from entering Germany

Germany nears defeat While the Americans and British were liberating France the Soviets began a massive attack on the Germans in Russia. By the time the Battle of the Bulge ended the Soviets had driven Hitler’s forces back across Poland. By February of 1945, they were only 35 miles from Berlin. Germany was now under attack from the East and West. Soon the Americans would cross the last line of defense-the Rhine River and enter the heart of the Nazi war machine.

Victory In Europe April 18th 1945 American and Russian troops meet at the Elbe River. Americans wait as the Russians take Berlin Hitler orders soldiers to fight to the death April 30th Hitler commits suicide May 7th Germany surrenders