Global Struggles Unit 7 1941 - 1960

America and World War II The Early Battles Chapter 21 Section 2

Holding the Line Against Japan American aircraft carriers were out at sea during the attack on Pearl Harbor

Holding the Line Against Japan The Fall of the Philippines After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor they turned their attention to the Philippines General Douglas MacArthur In charge of American Forces Troops ate horses and mules and the conditions were primitive Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to leave MacArthur – “I came through, and I shall return.”

Holding the Line Against Japan The Fall of the Philippines The people remaining on the Bataan Peninsula were forced to become prisoners of the Japanese Marched 65 miles to a Japanese Prison Camp Bataan Death March – ten thousand troops died on the march Philippines finally surrendered to the Japanese

Holding the Line Against Japan The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo Roosevelt wanted to bomb Tokyo but American planes could not reach it unless on an airplane carrier Idea Put B-25 bombers on the carriers and they would be able to reach Tokyo but. . . The B-25 Bombers cannot land on the aircraft carriers Never Fear – There is a solution After bombing Japan the American B-25s will land in China

Holding the Line Against Japan Japan Changes Strategy Admiral Yamamoto wants to attack Midway Island Would lure the American fleet out in the Pacific and he would be able to destroy the fleet

Holding the Line Against Japan The Battle of the Coral Sea The Japanese wanted to attack New Guinea because it would cut off America’s supply lines America sent two carriers to stop the Japanese Both sides launched an all out airstrike New Guinea is able to remain free from the Japanese

Holding the Line Against Japan The Battle of Midway Americans had already learned of Japan’s plan to attack Midway The Japanese fleet ran into an ambush Admiral Yamamoto was forced to retreat Battle of Midway is seen as the turning point in the Pacific for Americans 362 Americans killed 3,057 Japanese killed

Stopping the Germans The Soviet Union was begging Roosevelt to send troops to Europe Great Britain (Churchill) wanted to attack the periphery or the edges of the German Empire Roosevelt agreed with Churchill and he ordered the invasion of Morocco and Algeria

Stopping the Germans The Struggle for North Africa Invade Morocco and Algeria for two reasons Invasion would give the army some experience without a lot of troops Once American troops were in North Africa they could help the British fight the Germans General Erwin Rommel “Desert Fox” Commanded the German Forces

Stopping the Germans The Struggle for North Africa The British forced Rommel to retreat American General Dwight D Eisenhower planned to trap Rommel between two allied forces American troops won their land and advanced into Tunisia while the British headed west In Tunisia the American Forces finally faced the German Army for the first time and did HORRIBLE Americans were outmaneuvered and outfought The British and the Americans troops together were able to push the German troops out of North Africa

Stopping the Germans The Battle of the Atlantic After Germany declared war on the United States German Submarines entered American coastal waters Cargo ships were easy targets Cities on the east coast dimmed their lights People put up black out curtains Drive without their headlights on

Stopping the Germans The Battle of the Atlantic Because of the large number of ships that were sunk oil had to be rationed Government built the first long distance pipeline from Texas to Pennsylvania Convoy System is back in action American airplanes and warships began using new technology Radar, sonar, depth charges

Stopping the Germans The Battle of Stalingrad Hitler ordered the German army to attack the Soviet Union Capture strategic oil fields, factories, and farmlands and Stalingrad Stalingrad If the Germans captured Stalingrad then the Soviet Union would loose their resources Stalin ordered his men to hold the city – Retreat was Forbidden Germans fought from one place to the next but they were not equipped for the cold weather

Stopping the Germans The Battle of Stalingrad Both sides lost about half a million soldiers each The Soviet Union managed to hold onto Stalingrad and push the Germans back The Battle of Stalingrad is seen as the turning point in the European Theater