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Key WW2 Battles

2. I. The War in 1941
i. Because World War II took place all over the world, it is often divided into different “theatres” by historians.
a. Western European Theatre (France)
b. Eastern European Theatre (USSR)
c. Pacific Theatre (Japan)
d. African Theatre (Northern Africa)
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

3. II. Operation Barbarossa
i. With his enemies to the west all but defeated, and frustrated with his inability to invade Britain, Hitler turns his attention to the Soviet Union.
ii. June 22, 1941, Hitler attacked the USSR.
a. Operation Barbarossa ( )
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

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SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941

5. Operation Barbarossa a. Barbarossa caught Stalin by surprise.
iii. Stalin was not ready for Hitler’s attack
a. Barbarossa caught Stalin by surprise.
b. Soviets pushed back quickly. By December, Nazis were only thirty kilometers from Moscow
c. Allies begin to look for ways to help the USSR out. “Any enemy of the Nazis is a friend of ours.”
d. Stalin pleaded with the Allies to open a second front, but the delay in its opening would cause big problems b/w the USSR and the West in the future.
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

6. iv. MOTHER WINTER SAVED USSR FROM BEING CONQUERED
Operation Barbarossa
iv. MOTHER WINTER SAVED USSR FROM BEING CONQUERED
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

7. Battle of Stalingrad: Winter of 1942-1943
German Army
Russian Army
1,011,500 men
1,000,500 men
10,290 artillery guns
13,541 artillery guns
675 tanks
894 tanks
1,216 planes
1,115 planes

8. Operation Barbarossa
v. German army was not equipped for the cold Soviet Winter and had to call off their advances until Spring.
vi. This gave Stalin more time to build his military.
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
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16. III. Africa 1941
i also saw Nazi victories in Southern Europe and Africa
ii. Mussolini, with Hitler’s help, took over Greece and Yugoslavia.
iii. In an attempt to gain control over the Suez Canal, the Nazis invade North Africa. They need this area to get oil and control the Mediterranean.
iv. Despite strong British resistance, Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, is able to close in on the Suez Canal.
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

17. IV. American Aid to Europe
i. In 1941, the Americans under President Roosevelt, ended their isolationism and started helping out the Allies.
a. Lend-Lease Act: gave Roosevelt the authority to lend money and machinery to any country fighting fascism.
b. Americans begin to build their military to prepare for war.
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

18. V. Pearl Harbour Meanwhile in the Pacific:
Japan's attack on Manchuria (1931) had given them many of the natural resources they had been looking for except oil and rubber.
- Japan relied on trade with the USA for oil
Japan’s attack on China spread into Indochina and threatened to interfere with the Americans sphere of influence in South East Asia
The Americans cut off Japanese oil supply in response
American soil in Indochina happened to be full of oil.
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
October 12, 2018

19. Indochina
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SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941

20. Pearl Harbour
ii. Japan decides to eliminate the American Pacific navy as it was the only real opposition to their movement in Indochina.
iii. Japan uses European distraction as an opportunity to attack Pearl Harbour.
a. December 7, 1941
b. With Pacific fleet in need of repair, Americans opt to enter the war in Europe first. The Allies decide to open a second front in Italy.
c. This meant they had to go through Africa first.
SS 30 WWII - The War in 1941
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25. World War II Turning Points of 1942-1943
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SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points

26. I. USA Gets Involved
i. In order to invade Italy, the Allies needed to control North Africa.
ii. Even before the American invasion of Africa, British tank commander Montgomery had begun to beat the Germans back.
a. Battle of El Alamein
iii. The Americans were to help in Montgomery’s battle against the “Desert Fox” of Germany
SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points
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27. SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points 1942-1943
Rommel vs. Montgomery
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SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points

28. SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points 1942-1943
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29. SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points 1942-1943
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30. USA Gets Involved v. By May 1943, the Allies control North Africa.
iv. Montgomery was placed under the command of American Dwight Eisenhower who would one day be president.
v. By May 1943, the Allies control North Africa.
vi. Once in control, the Allies honour their promise to Stalin and open a second front in Italy.
SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points
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31. II. Battle of Stalingrad
i. Huge turning point of the war.
ii. Battle of Stalingrad
iii. This is the biggest defeat of the war for Germany.
a. Germans lose over 250,000 troops.
iv. The Soviet Army was able to outflank the Germans. As a result, the German army was crushed.
a. They only had to retreat and wait out winter and it would not have happened.
b. Mother Winter saved the Soviets and crushed the Germans
SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points
October 12, 2018

32. Battle of Stalingrad a. All started with the Battle of Stalingrad.
v. By the time the Allies had invaded Italy in 1943, the Soviets had stopped the German advance on the eastern Front and were ready to launch an offensive attack of their own.
a. All started with the Battle of Stalingrad.
SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points
October 12, 2018

33. III. Attack on Fortress Europe
i. Because of the Alps, in northern Italy, the Allies would have been unable to reach Berlin from their position in Southern Italy.
ii. This meant the Allies were going to have to launch another invasion in Europe.
iii. Before the invasion of Northern France, the Allies soften Germany up with a bombing campaign.
a. 1942, Allies launch a strategic bombing campaign against the Germans
b. Bombing was not very accurate and many civilians lost their lives.
SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points
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34. SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points 1942-1943
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35. Attack on Fortress Europe
c. Dresden refugees are killed in a fire bombing by the allies.
d. In June 6, 1944, the Allies launched “Operation Overlord”. This is the invasion of Northern France
a. D-Day = Deliverance Day = Operation Overlord = June 6, 1944
SS 30 WWII - Tuning Points
October 12, 2018