1. FRIDAY, 9/8/17: MOSCOW, MIDWAY, & STALINGRAD
WW2 BATTLES: PART 1
FRIDAY, 9/8/17: MOSCOW, MIDWAY, & STALINGRAD

2. WW2=ONE BIG WAR?
WORLD VS. NAZI’S?

3. Significant Battles of WW2:
‘Most significant’ is not the same as ‘most decisive’, ‘biggest’, ‘greatest’, ‘bloodiest’, ‘most skillful’ or ‘most successful’
‘Significant’ means that the battle had a major effect on later military and political events, if not the final outcome of the war.

4. 1. Moscow: Oct. 2, 1941-Jan. 1942:
Took place between Oct. 2, 1941-Jan. 1942
Hitler wanted to ‘cut the heart out’ of Russia
German’s had: 1 million men, 1,700 tanks, 19,500 artillery guns, and 950 combat aircraft: 50% of all the German men in Russia, 75% of all the tanks, and 33% of all the planes….
…AND TO DEFEND MOSCOW, THE RUSSIANS HAD…
Under 500,000 men, less than 900 tanks and just over 300 combat planes.

5. “It is the Führer’s unshakable decision to raze Moscow and Leningrad to the ground, so as to be completely relieved  of the population of these cities, which we would otherwise have to feed through the winter. The task of destroying the cities is to be carried out by aircraft.”
“The Führer has reaffirmed his decision that the surrender of Moscow will not be accepted, even if it is offered by the enemy.”
Further instructions to the German army from Hitler were that gaps could be left open for people in Moscow to escape into the interior of Russia where administrating them would cause chaos.

6. End of Battle of Moscow:
The setback at Moscow meant that the Blitzkrieg strategy of Hitler and his generals had failed
The USSR would not be knocked out of the war in just a few months
The northern and central parts of the Soviet front now held firm
The Third Reich could not win a war of attrition

7. 2. Midway: June 4-7 1942: COMBATANTS: U.S. AND EMPIRE OF JAPAN
LOCATION: MIDWAY ISLANDS
“WE ONLY NEED 5 MINUTES!”-U.S DIVE BOMBERS

8. Midway: U.S. Victory: RESULT: DECISIVE AMERICAN VICTORY
1ST NAVAL DEFEAT IN 300 YEARS
The Midway victory allowed the Americans to take the strategic initiative in the South Pacific.

9. 3. Stalingrad: Nov Jan. 1943:
FIGHT FOR THE CITY OF STALINGRAD IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA
3 MONTH BATTLE AND TURNING POINT OF THE WAR

10. The Location of the Battle:
TSARITSYN- UNTIL 1925
STALINGRAD
VOLGOGRAD -SINCE 1961

11. KEY FIGURES AT STALINGRAD:
Freidrich Paulus
Georgi Konstantinovitch Zhukov

12. Soviet advantages, disadvantages, and strategy:
Soviet and German soldiers fighting in the ruins of Stalingrad

13. German advantages, disadvantages, and strategy:
GERMAN SOLDIER AT THE ICY SURRENDER AT STALINGRAD 

14. Significance of the Battle of Stalingrad:
First major German loss/surrender during World War II
Marked the end of Germany's advances into eastern Europe and Russia
The Third Reich was now on the defensive
German morale lowered and German army weakened
“We have to hide this news from the German people.”-Hitler