1. The European Theater
Chapter 19 Section 2-4

2. North Africa (Operation Torch)
US invades Morocco and Algeria – 1942
French territories under German control
Commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Ground troops in Morocco led by George Patton
Battle of Kasserine Pass
1st time US troops fought German troops
US outmaneuvered and out fought, but…
By May 1943 German and Italian troops in Africa surrendered to the Allies

3. Stalingrad (1942-1943) Hitler wants to take Stalingrad
City in SU that controlled the Volga River and a major railroad junction
The capture of Stalingrad would cut the Soviets off from the resources they needed to stay in the war
Stalin orders troops to hold the city at all costs
Retreat was forbidden
Battle takes place in the winter
November 1942 – February 1943

4. A Turning Point!
Soviet troops surrounded German troops in Stalingrad cutting off their supply lines
91,000 Germans surrendered
Only 5000 survived the prison camps and returned home after the war
Major turning point in the war!!!!!
Battle of Stalingrad put the Germans on the defensive for the rest of the war

5. The Grand Alliance
By fall of 1942 the war had turned against the Germans
Grand Alliance
Three major allies  Britain, US, Soviet Union
1943 – they agree to fight until the Axis Powers give their unconditional surrender!!!
Unconditional surrender – Axis powers had to surrender w/o any favorable conditions

6. The Holocaust
Holocaust – Hitler and the Nazis try to rid Europe of all Jews
Other “undesirable” groups of people were also exterminated
Final Solution – name of the plan to rid Europe of all the Jews
Decided at the Wannsee Conference (Jan. 20, 1943)
Genocide – physical extermination of a group of people

7. The Camps Concentration camps Extermination camps
Where the healthy people were sent to work as slave labor until they dropped dead of exhaustion, disease and malnutrition
Extermination camps
Where people were sent who were unable to work due to age, health, or handicaps
They were executed usually in mass gas chambers
Attached to concentration camps

8. Hitler at a large political rally

9. Hitler’s Youth (German Boy Scouts!)

10. Jews being “selected for death” upon reaching the concentration camp
Jews being “selected for death” upon reaching the concentration camp. (see woman w/baby)

11. Prisoners fight for food in the camp

12. Children were not spared from starvation

16. Mass grave of prisoners

17. Mass grave

18. Crematorium

19. Crematorium

20. Casablanca Conference (Jan. 1943)
FDR and Winston Churchill (Britain) meet in Casablanca, Morocco
They agree to step up the bombing of Germany
Goal - the progressive destruction of the German military, industrial, and economic system and the undermining of the morale of the German people
They also agree to attack Sicily to hopefully get Italy out of the war

21. Invasion of Sicily Allies invade Sicily in July 1943
By August the Axis had evacuated the island
This creates a crisis in the Italian govt.
Mussolini is removed from office and placed under arrest
The Italian govt. b/g negotiations w/ the Allies
Sept. 8, 1943 Italian govt. announces Italy’s surrender
But…Hitler refuses to lose Italy to the Allies

22. Surrender of Italy
German troops seize control of Italy and put Mussolini back in power
German troops and the Allies fought for almost two years, but…
In May 1945 German troops surrendered
April 1945 – Mussolini is captured, executed, and hung upside down in public

23. Mussolini in Death

24. Tehran Conference (Nov. 1943)
1943 – FDR, Churchill, Stalin meet in Tehran, Iran
Agreements made…
1. Stalin to launch a full scale offensive against Germany when the Allies invade France in 1944
2. Stalin to help the US defeat Japan once Germany was beaten
3. FDR and Stalin agree to break up Germany after the war – so it can never threaten the world again
4. Stalin accepted FDR’s proposal to create an international organization to help keep peace after the war

25. Operation Overlord
D-Day – Invasion of France from Great Britain across the English Channel
June 6, 1944 – Allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy (Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, etc.)
Under US General Dwight D. Eisenhower
History’s greatest naval invasion
Utah Beach went well
German defenses were weak
W/i 3 hours Allied troops captured the beach suffering less than 200 casualties

26. Omaha Beach Allied troops under intense German fire
Troops landing under Omar Bradley
Allies suffered huge losses & almost retreated, but…slowly Allied troops b/g to knock out German defenses
Nearly 2,500 Americans were killed or wounded, but the invasion succeeded
This invasion is what you see at the b/g of the movie Saving Private Ryan!

27. Omaha Beach - France

28. Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944)
Hitler’s last desperate offensive
Goal – to cut off Allied supplies coming through Antwerp, Belgium
Allies are caught by surprise
As German troops race west their lines bulge outward (Battle of the Bulge), but…
By Jan German troops were beaten and b/g to withdraw
The Allies will now enter Germany
The war is pretty much over for Germany

29. Yalta Conference (Feb. 1945)
FDR, Churchill, and Stalin meet in Yalta (Southern Russia)
They discuss…
Stalin suspicious of western power and wants buffer states to protect the Soviets from future western aggression
FDR wants self-determination in western Europe
Self-determination – allow the countries to decide for themselves what kind of govt. they want

30. Yalta Continued… They discussed…
FDR wants the creation of the United Nations
Churchill and Stalin agree to the UN
Post-war Germany would be divided into 4 zones
Each zone governed by a different Allied country
The future of Poland and Eastern Europe was a split b/w FDR and Stalin
Stalin wants control of Poland
FDR wants free elections in Poland

31. Allies Invade Germany
Soviets into Eastern Germany, US into Western Germany
April 30, 1945 – Hitler Dies!
Hitler was in his bunker 55 feet under the city of Berlin
He and his new wife Eva Braun committed suicide
Hitler shot himself
Eva poisoned herself
His secretary pulled Hitler and Eva Braun’s body outside and burned it

32. V-E Day!!!
May 7, 1945 Germany surrenders to the Allies unconditionally!
May 8, 1945 is declared V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day
WWII is over in the European Theater, but…
Now on to the Pacific Theater!