1. D-Day & Battle of the Bulge
December 20, 2016

2. Summary
1941: Pearl Harbor
Pacific: McArthur/ Bataan Death March
Battle at Midway (1942)
Guadalcanal (February 1943)
Japan tries to capture AUSTRALIA (March 1943)
Europe: Allies push Germans & Italians out of North Africa (May 1943)
Allies on OFFENSIVE/ Axis on DEFENSIVE
Pacific Goal: Island Hopping Strategy
Also in 1943…U.S. creating NEW WEAPON that will change warfare forever
Allies invade Italy (Eisenhower in command)
Go in from Sicily (2 miles from Italy)
Capture Mussolini but he escapes
Hitler rescues
October 1943: Italy joins Allies
Italy declares war on Germany
Soviets headed towards Germany from EAST
And fighting Germans in France

3. Soviets have done most of fighting in Europe & their troops are dwindling
December 1943: Stalin insist that U.S. & Britain get there to invade Germany from West
Force Germany to divide troops
2 Front war
Churchill against the invasion
German U-boats in channel; recalls numerous WWI deaths; not prepared
But…Eventually agree crossing English Channel best way to enter Europe
PLAN: U.S. & Britain will invade France & march towards Germany
Invasion code named “OPERATION OVERLORD”
Mission set for June 5, 1944
6 months of preparation

4. Normandy Invasion
Most experienced officers used
Years of training in U.S. & England
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower planned invasion
Operation Overlord a.k.a. D-Day
Involved over 50 divisions
Invaded 50 mile stretch of beach in Normandy, France
Mission takes place June 6, 1944 (6:30AM)
Largest fleet EVER assembled
156,000 soldiers
73,000 are American
15,500 are U.S. paratroopers
11,000 planes
5000 ships
5 beaches in Normandy
Omaha, Utah, Juno, Gold, & Sword
Omaha MOST DANGEROUS
Over 10,000 casualties/ 2500 American

5. Battle of the Bulge December 21, 2016

6. August 1944: Allies liberate Paris
Following D-Day:
Germany hopeless
2 front war
Soviets to the EAST
U.S. & England to WEST
August 1944: Allies liberate Paris
Hitler ordered to destroy but generals disobeyed
September 1944: Operation Market Garden
Netherlands
Unsuccessful/ Americans retreat
Forced to go through Belgium
Battle of the Bulge
Starts December 16, 1944 – Feb. 1945
Hitler’s counterattack to D-Day
Germans attack through Ardennes Forest
Belgium, Luxembourg

7. German Advantage: Foggy/ snow storm
Prevent planes from sending aid
Germans ALMOST succeeded
Created “bulge” in allies lines
Germans stopped by Allies in Bastogne
Surrounded/ outnumbered
U.S. troops hold & fight despite frostbite & German bombing
January 1945: Skies clear / bomb
Patton’s army storms Bastogne
Push Germans back & crippled them
80,000 Allied casualties/ 100,000 German
Hitler no more reserves
February 1945: Soviets reach outskirts of Berlin
April 12, 1945: FDR dies
Harry Truman takes over as U.S. President
April 28: Mussolini captured & executed
U.S./ Britain 50 miles west of Berlin