1. WWII In A Day 1939 to 1945

2. Major Players Allies Axis FDR - U.S. Stalin - Soviets (Russia)
Churchill – British
Charles de Gaulle - Exiled French
Hitler – Germany
Mussolini - Italy
Tojo (and Hirohito) - Japan
Allies
Axis

3. Beginning Of WWII
Hitler took over parts of Austria, Czechoslovakia, and finally Poland (Soviet Russia took the other ½ of Poland). The alliance between Stalin and Hitler would soon fade.
Poland was a great example of Hitler’s Blitzkrieg.
With Poland invaded even though Britain and France didn’t want another war they declared one.

4. Blitz
Blitzkrieg used tanks to quickly crush opponents. France fell shortly after the German attack.
The Blitz was the aerial bombing of Britain and its citizens by the Luftwaffe.

5. European Theater
Hitler
Stalin
After failing to take Britain in the Blitz Hitler attacked the Soviet Union (Russia) in Operation Barbarosa… catching Stalin by surprise!
The British and Soviets were fighting to just survive, but the Soviets were slowly pushing the Germans back.
The battle of Stalingrad signaled the turning point in Europe. Soviets lost more men here than the U.S. lost in the whole war.

6. Yalta Conference
Big 3…
Decide the terms of post war Europe

7. Operation Torch
U.S./Britain attack Nazi occupied N. Africa and then Italy.
Mussolini falls from power but fighting continues in Italy for most of the war.

8. Operation Overlord
Largest sea borne invasion in history, involving almost three million troops.
British, Canadian, and U.S. troops landed at Normandy, France.

9. Final Solution to the “Jewish Problem” 1942-1945
Extermination Camps.
SS units followed the German army and eliminated Soviets/Jews/handicapped/etc.
Gas/rail/crematoriums used.
White Rose of Munich….

10. V-E Day
U.S. and British started bombing German cities, one famous one was Dresden.
Soon after the fall of France to the Allies with Soviets invading from the East the Germans attempted a last try for victory, the Battle of the Bulge (which failed).
V-E Day = Victory in Europe

11. Dresden: A picture of Destroyed Europe