1. World War II
The Battles

2. World War II
European Theater

3. BATTLE OF BRITAIN
With France defeated, Hitler prepared to invade Britain but first needed to defeat the British Royal Air Force (RAF)
A major battle between RAF and the German Luftwaffe ensued for air superiority.
First all-air battle in history.

4. Battle of Britain
From July-September 1940 the RAF and Luftwaffe battled intensely.
With the help of new radar technology that alerted fighters to incoming enemy planes the RAF won the battle.
Hitler cancelled his invasion plans in Sept. 1940

5. Battle of the Atlantic
As U.S. aid to Great Britain increased, Germany tried to Britain off from the United States completely.
Germany employed their U-Boats to sink cargo ships en-route to Europe.
This began the longest battle of WWII, which lasted for nearly the duration of the war.

6. Battle of the Atlantic
In order to protect Allied cargo ships from German attack the Allies organized their vessels into convoys that were protected by Allied navies.
Advances in radar and sonar technology also allowed land based bombers to force German submarines farther from the coasts of Allied nations.
“The Battle of the Atlantic was the dominating factor all through the war. Never for one moment could we forget that everything happening elsewhere, on land, at sea or in the air depended ultimately on its outcome.”
— Winston Churchill

7. Germany First
Once the U.S. joined the war a decision had to be made…who do we attack first?
Japan was expanding its control throughout the Pacific. Germany and Italy controlled most of Europe and were advancing in North Africa and the Soviet Union.
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill decided that Germany posed the greatest threat and that Japan would have to wait.

8. North Africa and Italy
In Sept Italian forces already Libya attacked Egypt hoping to capture the Suez Canal. They were driven back by British forces.
The fighting in North Africa can be characterized as a 2 year back and forth battle between the Axis and Allied powers that resulted in Allied victory in early 1943.
Axis forces were led by Erwin Rommel “The Desert Fox”
Allied forces were led by Bernard Montgomery and Dwight Eisenhower.

9. North Africa and Italy
With the Axis powers defeated in North Africa, the Allies next focused their efforts on an invasion of Italy.
As Allied forces began advancing through Italy, the Italian government overthrew fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
In an effort to save Mussolini, Hitler sent many German forces to defend Italy from an Allied advance.
After fierce fighting the Allies captured Rome in June 1944.
Mussolini was captured and executed by Italian resistance fighters in April 1945.

10. Battle of Stalingrad: July 1942- Feb.1943
Germans saw Stalingrad as essential to their campaign in southern Russia, while Soviet forces were determined to defend their vital industrial and transportation center.
A bitter battle with heavy casualties (around 2 million).
In Nov. Soviet forces launched a counter-offensive leading to their eventual victory.
Significance: Soviets were then on the offensive for the rest of the war, one of the bloodiest battles in history, and turned the tide in favor of the Allies.

11. D-Day
With Germany on the retreat in the East and Italy defeated in the South, the Allies decided that an invasion of France was the next necessary step.
The operation would require the largest amphibious invasion in the world’s history. Planning began in late 1943 and required the utmost secrecy and deception.
On June 6, 1944 the Allied armada crossed the English Channel to begin “Operation Overlord”. The invasion forces attacked 5 different beaches in the Normandy region of France.

12. D Day
Despite heavy losses the invasion was a success as Allied forces were able to secure the 5 beaches and begin forcing German fighters out of France.
Germany suffered from confusion and the absence of Rommel, thinking the invasion was a distraction from a real invasion elsewhere as well as Allied air support.
Significance: Led to the liberation of France by late August, By the following spring, Germany was defeated. Called “the beginning of the end of the war in Europe”.

13. Battle of the Bulge
As Allied forces were advancing throughout France and towards Germany itself Hitler launched a last ditch offensive to try to split the U.S. forces and regain control of a key Belgian port.
The offensive caught the Americans by surprise, outnumbered and without air support.
The Americans fought valiantly until reinforcements arrived and began pushing the depleted Germans back.

14. Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was very costly for both sides.
Nearly 100,000 Americans lost their lives
The battle ended Germany’s ability to wage offensive war.
As 1945 began Germany was in a general retreat being pushed back by the Soviets in the East and US and British forces in the West.

15. World War II
Pacific Theater

16. Japan Advances across Pacific
General Tojo of Japan continued his policy and ideas of expansionism.
Japan had taken many British colonies in the Pacific.
Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia.

17. War in the Pacific Land controlled by the Japanese
Hong Kong
Burma
Thailand
Indonesia

18. Japan Advances across the Pacific
The Japanese expected an attack from the United States after Pearl Harbor.
Therefore, the Japanese were trying move fast and grab U.S. territory in the Pacific like Guam and Wake Island.

19. General MacArthur takes a stand
U.S. and Filipino forces made their stand against the Japanese invasion. However, Manila (capital of Philippines) fell quickly to the Japanese.
After this happened U.S. and Filipino troops retreated across Manila Bay to the Bataan Peninsula.

20. Bataan Death March
The remaining U.S. and Filipino troops remaining on the Bataan peninsula surrendered soon afterward.
The Japanese marched these 70,000 soldiers to prison camps.
The Japanese treated the prisoners harshly during their 65 mile forced march.
This was known as the Bataan Death March.
400-1,000 Americans died
As many as 10,000 Filipinos died

21. Bataan Death March

22. Halting Japan’s Advance
At this point no one could stop Japan. Many Americans feared the Japanese would attack the west coast of the United States.
To stop the Japanese, the Allies needed to defeat the Japanese Navy.

23. Battle of the Coral Sea
The U.S. had figured out where the Japanese were going to strike next because we broke their code.
The U.S. navy moved in and cut off Japan just northeast of Australia in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
The battle was the first defeat for the Japanese in the Pacific.

24. Battle of Midway
Just after the Battle of the Coral Sea, the U.S. learned about another Japanese plan.
The United States intercepted a Japanese fleet at Midway.
Battle of Midway took place for 3 days.
Much of the war took place in the air trying to sink each others aircraft carriers.
When the battle was over the United States had severely damaged the Japanese navy by sinking 4 aircraft carriers. Only one U.S. carrier was sunk.

25. Battle of Midway

26. Taking the Offensive
Allied commanders began thinking of plans to attack Japan itself.
The Allies planned to conquer one Pacific island after another, landing on only the most important islands.
The idea was that they would move closer to Japan while isolating Japanese troops. This is called island hopping.

27. Allies Begin to Take Back Islands
The Allies began to take back and capture many of the islands.
The Japanese gathered to stop the Allied invasion in the largest naval battle in history, Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Both sides suffered heavy losses, but in the end the Allies had won.

28. Back to the Philippines
MacArthur had promised to return the Philippines after the Bataan Death march.
March 3, 1945 they captured Manila and the Philippines was taken by the Allies.
Manila

29. Closer to Japan
In 1945 the war against Japan was entering the final phase.
Allied forces got closer to Japan.
Bombing Tokyo
Battle of Iwo Jima
Despite Japanese methods such as kamikaze planes the Allies defeated Japan.
The Allied powers now looked to attack Japan directly.

30. Kamikaze Pilots

31. Battle of Iwo Jima

32. U.S. Attacks on Iwo Jima and Tokyo