1. The War For Europe and North Africa
Allied forces led by the US and Great Britain battled Axis Powers for control of Europe and North Africa

2. Winston Churchill and FDR
December 9, 1941
“Now that we are, as you say, ‘in the same boat’, would it not be wise for us to have another conference…the sooner the better”
Churchill to FDR
This is the beginning of the close alliance between the two nations.

3. The Allies War Plan December 22, 1941
Churchill gets to White House to meet with FDR
Talk for the next 3 weeks about who to attack first
Japan or Germany
Churchill persuades FDR that Italy and Germany pose a greater threat than Japan
Allies agree to attack Germany first and win back Europe.
By liberating Europe, they would have more resources to attack Japan next.

4. The Battle of the Atlantic
After the attack of Pearl Harbor, Hitler ordered U-boats to attack on US’s eastern seaboard
Goal was to cutoff food and supply lines to Europe.
Very effective for first couple of months
April – July 1942
768 ships sunk off the Atlantic Shore

5. The Allies Response To The German Attack
Began using convoys
Groups of ships traveling together for mutual protection
Same as in WWI, but this time they had sonar and radar
Could find and destroy U-boats and planes easier
1943
Allies command the seas

6. The Battle on The Eastern Front
Hitler advanced into Russia in June 1941
November 1941
Bitter cold stopped German advancement in its tracks
Were just outside of Moscow and Leningrad
Spring 1942
Hitler took the offensive and captured Southern Russia to the Volga River

7. The Battle for Stalingrad
August 1942
Now that Hitler controlled the south, he went north to Stalingrad
Stalingrad =very large industrial city in Russia.
Luftwaffe bombed the city for weeks until the German army showed up.
September 1942
Germans had control of 9/10 of the city.
Russians lose 4.5 million citizens in battles.

11. The Turning Point of The War

12. The Turning Point of The War
1942 saw an early winter in Russia
Stalin saw this as an opportunity to regain the city
Germans were not prepared for the cold
Hitler refused to retreat until Spring.
January 1943
Germans surrendered because they were being frozen to death
Russians lose 1,100,000 soldiers
More than all American deaths during WWII

14. The North African Front
While the Battle of Stalingrad was raging
Stalin pressured UK and US to open a ‘second front’ in Western Europe
Would force Hitler to divert troops from the Soviet Front
Churchill and FDR felt they were not prepared to attack mainland Europe yet
Decided to invade Axis controlled North Africa
Operation Torch

15. Operation Torch Dwight D. Eisenhower November 1942
American general in command of operation
November 1942
107,000 Allied troops land in Morocco & Algeria in Africa
Chased the ‘Afrika Korps’
led by Nazi general Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox)
May 1943
Allies controlled North Africa

16. Operation Torch

17. The Italian Campaign Early 1943 Summer 1943
Before the battle for Africa is won
FDR and Churchill meet commanders in Casablanca
Agree to only accept the unconditional surrender of the Axis Powers
Axis Powers must accept all conditions set by Allies
FDR and Churchill agree to attack Italy next
Summer 1943
Allies take Sicily, Italy
Italian government forced Mussolini to resign and be arrested

18. Hitler Attempts to Aid Mussolini
May ‘44
Battle of Anzio, Italy
Nazi Army loses 30,000 soldiers
Allies lose 25,000
Summer 1945
Italy is liberated and Germany retreats
April 1945
Mussolini was caught trying to escape Italy

19. Heroes In Combat Among the heroes in Italy were the Tuskegee Airmen
All-black pilots who fought and won against the Luftwaffe in Italy
2 Distinguished Unit Citations
Military’s highest award
100 Distinguished Flying Crosses

20. Allies Move To Liberate Europe