1. Victory in Europe and the Pacific

2. Why it Matters In 1942 and 1943 the Allies turned back Axis advances
In 1944 and 1945 they attacked Germany from the west and east
U.S. advanced across the Pacific and created a new weapon that would change warfare and global politics

3. Planning Germany’s Defeat
Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin discussed starting a second front in France
In November 1943, they met at the Tehran Conference in Tehran, Iran
Agreed to a second front in France and defeating Germany by Land, Sea, and Air
Given the code name Operation Overlord

5. D-Day Invasion of Normandy
Eisenhower served as supreme commander and landed on Normandy Beach
Allies created a fictional army at Calais, west of Normandy, to deceive the Germans
It worked, Hitler sent his top tank division to Calais

6. Beaches Code Named

7. Heroes Storm the Beaches
June 6, D-Day- Allies hit Germany in force
Attempted to destroy Nazi transportation and communication and soften beach defenses
Four of the beaches saw low casualties
Omaha- an American assigned beach- had tough opposition

8. Omaha The Germans dug trenches and structures to fire heavy artillery
The beach was covered with deadly guns and mines
Some soldiers were dropped too far from the beach and drowned from heavy packs
Others were met with a rainstorm of bullets, shells, and death
Allies were able to gain a toehold in France

10. Battle of the Bulge Hitler’s counter attack
Hitler did take the Americans by surprise by creating a bulge in the American line, but they were able to hold on
When the weather cleared, Allied forces were able to attack back and began pushing the Germans out of France

11. Victory in Europe
Americans celebrated V-E day (Victory in Europe)

12. Advancing in the Pacific
American strategy of island hopping
Capturing some Japanese held islands and ignoring others on a steady path toward Japan
Kamikaze pilots deliberately crashed planes into American ships
The U.S. and MacArthur still pushed forward

13. Iwo Jima U.S. marines faced a determined enemy
36 days of fighting left 23,000 marines dead
But the U.S. was successful in taking the island

14. Okinawa Even deadlier than Iwo Jima
Contained a vital air base necessary for a planned invasion of Japan
Most complex and costly operation of island hopping strategy
50,000 casualties
Japan was low of fuel and ammunition and virtually defenseless

15. Truman Makes His Decision
Truman understood the ethical issues of using the bomb
Axis powers also had nuclear capabilities and no way to tell how close they were to developing a bomb
Chief priority was to save American lives
the current campaign could cost up to 1,000,000 lives
The decision was not difficult for Truman

17. Victory in the Pacific
On August 15, 1945 the Allies celebrate V-J Day (Victory in Japan)
Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945
The most costly war in history was over
As many as 60,000,000 people, mostly civilians, had died in the conflict