US intervention and end of WWII

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941

US enters the war December 7, 1941: Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. 2.5 hours later, Japanese officially declared war on the United States and Britain. Dec. 8: Britain declared war. Dec. 8: US Congress declared that a state of war had existed since December 7. Dec. 9: China declared war on Japan, Germany, and Italy. Dec. 11: Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, and the US Congress voted declarations in return.

The Grand Alliance BIG THREE: – Great Britain: Winston Churchill – USA: F.D. Roosevelt – USSR: Josef Stalin Keys to victory: Agreed to: – Europe first (Hitler - greatest evil) – Postpone politics (capitalism vs. communism) – Unconditional surrender (no 1918!)

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But war in the east was decisive Battle of Stalingrad: summer 1942-February 2, 1943 Hitler wanted to take the city. Why?  Named after Stalin  Important port on Volga river  But distraction from oil reserves

Battle of Stalingrad: summer 1942-February 2, 1943 Axis powers advanced (General F. Paulus) Soviets held on Axis supplies started running out Winter came Panzer tanks useless in street fighting Soviets counterattacked (pincer movement) Surrounded Axis forces

Battle of Stalingrad

Street-to-street fighting

Stalingrad Feb. 2, 1943: Paulus surrendered (ignored Hitler). Total Axis losses (Germans, Romanians, Italians, and Hungarians): 800,000 dead. Soviet soldiers: 1,100,000 dead. But turned the tide of the war.

June 6, 1944: D-Day: Battle of Normandy Long period of preparation and planning Largest amphibious landing in history Five beaches:  Utah  Gold  Juno  Sword  “Bloody” Omaha  Significance: opened up a large second front

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Yalta Conference, February 1945 Big Three Key issue: Poland – London Poles (pre-WWII govt.) – Lublin Poles (communists) Sovietization Big Three agreed on “interim governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements in the population... and the earliest possible establishment through free elections of governments responsive to the will of the people.”

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ENDGAME April 25, 1945: Soviet Army first to reach Berlin April 30: Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide May 8, 1945: Victory in Europe!! War in Europe ended

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Trinity Explosion: July 16, 1945

Potsdam Conference, summer 1945 USA: Harry S Truman USSR: J. Stalin Great Britain: W. Churchill, then Clement Atlee Solved nothing Showed sides in emerging Cold War Truman told Stalin about the bomb

End of War with Japan August 6, 1945: Hiroshima Killed 70,000-90,000 people, injuring another 70,000 August 9: Nagasaki Killed 60,000-75,000 and injured about the same number

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August 14, 1945: Japan surrendered Total deaths: ca. 70 million Civilians: 46.5 million; Soldiers: 23.5 million Poland: 16% of 1939 population Lithuania: 14% USSR: 14% Germany: 10% Hungary: 6% Japan: 4.1% China: 3.4% France: 1.35% United Kingdom: 0.9% USA: 0.32%