Fighting World War 2

1942 Europe & Africa Battle of El Alamein Desert of Africa Allied victory led to German retreat in Africa

1942 Europe & Africa Battle of Stalingrad Successful Soviet defense Turned tide for Allies Bloodiest battles in history, 2 million casualties (military and civilian) Stopped German advance into Soviet Union Humiliation for Hitler, who elevated battles importance, lost a lot of trust

1942 The Pacific Theater The Philippines successful Japanese invasion Filipino and US defenses Bataan Death March he invasion of the Philippines had three objectives: To prevent the use of the Philippines as an advance base of operations by American forces; To acquire staging areas and supply bases to enhance operations against the Netherlands East Indies; and To secure the lines of communication between occupied areas in the south and the Japanese Home Islands. The defeat was the beginning of three and a half years of harsh treatment for the Allied survivors, including atrocities like the Bataan Death March and the misery of Japanese prison camps, and the "Hell Ships" on which American and Allied men were sent to Japan to be used as labor in mines and factories.  This torturous march began on April 10th and lasted about 6 days and is known as the Bataan Death March.  Treatment on this march was cruel and almost unspeakable. Without food and water many men died of exhaustion in the grueling heat.  Japanese soldiers beat, bayoneted, shot, and beheaded prisoners for helping slower marchers, using the restroom, and even just for sport.  Prisoners were also subjected to “Oriental Sun Treatment,” where they were forced to take breaks from marching and sit in direct sun for hours on end without shade or water.  Many prisoners went crazy and would risk their lives to get muddy stagnant water.

1942 The Pacific Theater Battle of Coral Sea First air-sea battle in history Allied success First air-sea battle in history Japan seeking to control the coral sea When Japanese landed they were met with an air attack of allied forces Although both sides suffered damages to their carriers, the battle left the Japanese without enough planes to cover the ground attack of Port Moresby, resulting in a strategic Allied victory.

1942 The Pacific Theater Battle of Midway Allied success thanks to code breaking One of the most decisive naval battles during WW2 Thanks in part to major advances in code breaking, the United States was able to preempt and counter Japan’s planned ambush of its few remaining aircraft carriers, inflicting permanent damage on the Japanese Navy. An important turning point in the Pacific campaign, the victory allowed the United States and its allies to move into an offensive position.

1942 The Pacific Theater Battle of Guadalcanal 1st major offensive & success for Allies in Pacific The World War II Battle of Guadalcanal was the first major offensive and a decisive victory for the Allies in the Pacific theater. With Japanese troops stationed in this section of the Solomon Islands, U.S. marines launched a surprise attack in August 1942 and took control of an air base under construction. Reinforcements were funneled to the island as a series of land and sea clashes unfolded, and both sides endured heavy losses to their warship contingents. However, the Japanese suffered a far greater toll of casualties, forcing their withdrawal from Guadalcanal by February 1943.

1943 Europe & Africa Capture of Italy Due to success in Africa Mussolini captured After defeating Italy and Germany in the North African Campaign (November 8, 1942-May 13, 1943) of World War II (1939-45), the United States and Great Britain, the leading Allied powers, looked ahead to the invasion of occupied Europe and the final defeat of Nazi Germany.  hoping an Allied invasion would remove that fascist regime from the war, secure the central Mediterranean and divert German divisions from the northwest coast of France where the Allies planned to attack in the near future.  The Allies’ Italian Campaign began with the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. After 38 days of fighting, the U.S. and Great Britain successfully drove German and Italian troops from Sicily and prepared to assault the Italian mainland. On July 24, 1943, Prime Minister Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) was deposed and arrested. A new provisional government was set up under Marshal Pietro Badoglio (1871-1956), who had opposed Italy’s alliance with Nazi Germany and who immediately began secret discussions with the Allies about an armistice. About two months after he was stripped of power, Benito Mussolini was rescued by the Germans in Operation Eiche ("Oak"). The Germans re-located Mussolini to northern Italy where he set up a new Fascist state, theItalian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana or RSI).

1943 – The Pacific Theater Island hopping campaign US strategy to gain military bases and secure sm. islands in the Pacific The attack was lead by General Douglas MacArthur The US troops targeted the islands that were not as strongly defended by the Japanese. They took control of those islands, and quickly constructed landing strips and small military bases. Then they proceeded to attack other islands from the bases they had established. Slowly the US army moved closer to Japan, taking control of many of the surrounding islands.  Ultimately, the island hopping campaign was successful. It allowed the US to gain control over sufficient islands in the Pacific to get close enough to Japan to launch a mainland invasion. However, the island hopping took a long time and was very costly; even after war was close to ending in Europe it appeared that the war might continue indefinitely in the Pacific.

1943 – The Pacific Theater Battle of Leyte Gulf Allied success Destroyed remaining Japanese fleet Ended Japan’s available resources the Allied landing at the Philippine island of Leyte in October 1944 The aerial and naval battle conducted as Allied forces invaded the Philippines began with Leyte Island on October 20. Expecting an invasion, the Japanese fleet command ordered its forces to sea at the very first sign of Allied landings. Due to the effects of previous engagements and to Japan’s precarious fuel situation, however, the Japanese fleet was deployed in a scattered fashion Leyte Gulf was decisive in that it destroyed much of the remaining Japanese surface fleet while virtually ending Japan’s ability to move resources from Southeast Asia to the home islands

1944 Europe & Africa D-Day (Operation Overlord) Allied liberation of Western Europe the Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control.  The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. The Normandy invasion began to turn the tide against the Nazis. A significant psychological blow, it also prevented Hitler from sending troops from France to build up his Eastern Front against the advancing Soviets. The following spring, on May 8, 1945, the Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Hitler had committed suicide a week earlier, on April 30. This battle marked the liberation of Paris and the exile of the Vichy government  A symbolic victory rather than one of grand strategic significance

1944 Europe & Africa August 25 Liberation of Paris  time of patriotism This battle marked the liberation of Paris and the exile of the Vichy government  A symbolic victory rather than one of grand strategic significance

1944 Europe & Africa Battle of the Bulge Hitler’s last offensive Costliest battle ever for US http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-the-bulge Hitler’s last ditch effort to split Allied forces Germans lost so much they were unable to replenish troops and supplies The Battle of the Bulge, so-called because the Germans created a "bulge" around the area of the Ardennes forest in pushing through the American defensive line, was the largest fought on the Western front.

1944 – The Pacific Theater Battle of Iwo Jima (1945) Allied need for base to support long-range bombing against Japan http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima The American amphibious invasion of Iwo Jima during World War II stemmed from the need for a base near the Japanese coast.  Iwo Jima was defended by roughly 23,000 Japanese army and navy troops, who fought from an elaborate network of caves, dugouts, tunnels and underground installations. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the marines wiped out the defending forces after a month of fighting  What the battle did show the Americans was how far the Japanese would go to defend their country – a decision that was to influence the use of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

1944 – The Pacific Theater Battle of Okinawa (1945) Last & biggest of Pacific battles http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa Last and biggest of the Pacific island battles of World War II, the Okinawa campaign (April 1—June 22, 1945) involved the 287,000 troops of the U.S. Tenth Army against 130,000 soldiers of the Japanese Thirty-second Army At stake were air bases vital to the projected invasion of Japan.

1945 Europe & Africa Yalta Conference May 8 Discuss world post WW2 VE Day On this day in 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine. The eighth of May spelled the day when German troops throughout Europe finally laid down their arms On 30 April, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, committed suicide during the Battle of Berlin.

1945 Europe & Africa On this day in 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine. The eighth of May spelled the day when German troops throughout Europe finally laid down their arms On 30 April, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, committed suicide during the Battle of Berlin.

1945 – Manhattan Project Manhattan Project Design & building of atomic bomb Scientists ALBERT EINSTEIN, who fled Nazi persecution, and ENRICO FERMI, who escaped Fascist Italy, were now living in the United States. They agreed that the President must be informed of the dangers of atomic technology in the hands of the Axis powers. Fermi traveled to Washington in March to express his concerns on government officials. But few shared his uneasiness. Einstein penned a letter to President Roosevelt urging the development of an atomic research program later that year. Roosevelt saw neither the necessity nor the utility for such a project, but agreed to proceed slowly. In late 1941, the American effort to design and build an A TOMIC BOMB received its code name — the MANHATTAN PROJECT. The main assembly plant was built at LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER was put in charge of putting the pieces together at Los Alamos. After the final bill was tallied, nearly $2 billion had been spent on research and development of the atomic bomb. summer of 1945, test first bomb in new mexico, blinding flash of light, mushroom cloud reached 40,000 feet, civilian homes windows blown out up to 100 miles away, when cloud returned to earth it created a half mile wide crater

1945 – Manhattan Project August 6 August 9 Hiroshima bombed Nagasaki bombed Hiroshima – explosion wiped out 90% of city and immediately killed 80,000 people, tens of thousands die later because of radiation Nagasaki – 3 days later 40,000 killed

1945 – Manhattan Project August 6 August 9 Hiroshima bombed Nagasaki bombed Hiroshima – explosion wiped out 90% of city and immediately killed 80,000 people, tens of thousands die later because of radiation Nagasaki – 3 days later 40,000 killed

1945 – Manhattan Project August 14 September 2 Japan announces surrender September 2 VJ day  Japan surrenders officially