1. Mr. Marinello * US History
The End of World War II
Mr. Marinello * US History

2. The Yalta Conference
In February of 1944, the leaders of the three major powers meet in Crimea to discuss the impending end of the war
Franklin Roosevelt – The United States
Winston Churchill – United Kingdom
Joseph Stalin – The USSR
Each man had a different agenda
Roosevelt wanted the Soviets to begin a war with Japan and potentially invade the island
Stalin agrees, giving the US a major advantage in the war with Japan

3. The Legacy of Yalta
After the agreement at Yalta, Stalin led the effort to influence and control Eastern European countries, making them satellite states of the Soviet Union.
As the Soviets move west defeating the Nazi’s the claim new lands for themselves.
Stalin installs a Communist government in Poland
Stalin annexed other nations and added them to the communist sphere of influence.
The Soviets are poised to liberate Berlin from the Nazis.

4. The Noose Tightens on Germany
The successful invasion of continental Europe started the clock on the end of Hitler’s aggression.
D-Day: June 6, 1944
The Soviets are pressing from the West, the Americans and British from the east and south.

5. Roosevelt’s Fourth Term
Franklin Roosevelt is elected to an unprecedented 4th term in office in the election of 1944
He is sworn in to office in January of 1945 and dies of a massive stroke on April 12, He was 63 years old.
He is succeeded by his Vice President, Harry S. Truman
Roosevelt’s legacy is still being debated today

6. The End of Nazi Germany
The Battle of Berlin (16 April 1945 – 2 May 1945),
Hitler and key staff members lived in the armored, underground Führerbunker.
On the streets the remaining Nazi soldiers fought street to street battles with the Soviets for control of the city.
On 30 April 1945, Soviet troops surround the Reich Chancellery,
Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide in his Führerbunker.
By May 8, the remaining German soldiers had surrendered in Berlin and all German troops in Europe had surrendered to Allied troops.
This was the end of World War II in Europe.

7. Aftermath of the War in Europe
A war crimes tribunal was created in November of 1945
A series of military tribunals in which Nazi leaders were tried for their actions during the war.
Several of Hitler’s top lieutenants were not tried because they, along with Hitler committed suicide before capture.
Nuremberg established the precedent that national leaders can be held accountable for their action during a war.

8. The End of the War in the pacific
The surrender of Germany in May of 1945 does not automatically trigger the surrender of Japan.
Japan still controlled large areas of land.
Many believed that the battles to re-take this land and conquer Japan would be very costly.
Truman and Churchill decide to bomb Japan with the newly developed nuclear weapons created by the Manhattan Project.
Hiroshima was selected as a bombing site
At 8:15 am August 6, 1945, American bombers dropped one nuclear bomb, Little Boy, on the city
80,000 people died in the blast
The bomb only detonated 2% of the uranium available

9. Japan Refuses to Surrender
After the bombing of Hiroshima, the Japanese government refuses to surrender
On August 9, 1945, The US bombed the port city of Nagasaki
75,000 people are killed by this bombing
On August 12, Emperor Hirohito decides to surrender to the Allies.

10. A Grim distinction
The United States is the only nation to use a nuclear weapon during a war or on populated areas.
There is intense speculation as to why Truman used the bomb
The cost of invasion would be too high
He wanted to show Stalin that we had the capabilities