1. The Battle for “Omaha Beach,” pages 516 & 517 … Imagine being in this situation … What would you do?

2. Major Questions to Consider Over Next Few Weeks: (1) How did the U.S. impact the outcome of WWII, leading to Allied victory? (2) Was the decision to drop the atomic bomb by the United States justified? (3) How did the role of the U.S. in world affairs change because of its involvement in WWII?

3. Tehran Conference - Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 1943 * Following Agreements: [1] Invasion of W. Europe [2] Soviet Union offensive once W. Europe front opened up [3] Germany divided [4] Soviet Union would help U.S. against Japan, once Germany was defeated [5] All parties agree to an international peace- keeping organization

4. “Atlantic Wall” - Extensive German fortifications

5. LCVP – “Higgins Boats”

6. Operation Overlord – “D-Day” * Western European Invasion Purpose: open-up a third front and put the Axis Powers (Germany really) on the defensive * Strategy: - “Operation Fortitude” (Bodyguard) (the decoy) - Weather considerations - Paratroopers dropped night before - Aerial attacks on German defenses - Warships bomb German defenses from the sea

7. * Terrain: * Size of force: - Normandy landing was the largest seaborne invasion in history * Omaha Beach:

8. Operation Overlord – “D-Day” * D-Day Objective: By the end of the day, the forces were to have established a bridgehead five miles (8 km) deep

9. The Battle for “Omaha Beach,” pages 516 & 517 … Imagine being in this situation … What would you do?

10. Omaha Beach Recreation

11. Omaha Beach Today

12. Remember when Stalin agreed to launch an offensive when the Allies – United Kingdom and the United States – invaded Western Europe?

13. Operation Bagration -June 2 to Aug. 19, 1944 -Soviet Offensive -Almost complete destruction of Nazi “Army Group Center.” -Largest German defeat in WWII Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive -These offensives lead to the Soviet repossession of Belarus and Ukraine -Almost complete liberation of western Soviet Union -Soviet Offensive -Almost complete destruction of Nazi “Army Group South.” -Soviets advance through Ukraine into Romania -July 13 to Aug. 29, 1944 -“Maskirovka”

15. Vistula–Oder Offensive -Jan. 12 to Feb. 22, 1945 -Soviet Offensive covers 300 miles from Vistula River in U.S.S.R. to 43 miles from Berlin

16. Battle of the Hedgerows – ends on July 25 Hobart’s Funnies – many prototypes used to advance through terrain in Normandy Operation Overlord – “D-Day” Churchill Crocodile Transit Churchill AVRE Sherman Tank w/ Churchill ARK Churchill ARK

17. LCVP – Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel LST – Landing Ship Tank * Allied forces began having supply issues, as advance was too quick & lack of deep- water ports Supply Issues – LST & LCVP

18. Fall of 1944 – Western Front -Battle of Scheldt -Battle of Aachen -Battle of Hurtgen Forest