1. Reviewing Key Battles for WWII
Battles to discuss from the packet:
Battle of Midway
The Battle of the Atlantic
Stalingrad
D-Day
Battle of the Bulge

2. Battle of Midway
June 1942
Admiral Chester Nimitz intercepted Japanese code
U.S. launched surprise attack on Japan at Pacific island called Midway
U.S. was successful in the Battle of Midway

3. Battle of Midway
The Japanese lost 4 carriers, a heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers, some 275 planes, at least 4,800 men, and suffered heavy damage among the remaining vessels of their fleet.
American losses included 1 carrier, the Yorktown, a destroyer, about 150 planes, and 307 men

7. Battle of the Atlantic
1939 – 1945 (Jan – July 1943 were decisive)
German U-Boats were sinking unprotected U.S. and other Allies' merchant ships
Allies began using convoys to protect ships
The Allies also used a sonar system to detect German U-Boats
The Germans were very successful in the beginning, but by mid , the Allies had the upper hand

8. "The Battle of the Atlantic was the only thing that really
frightened me" - Winston Churchill.

9. Battle of Stalingrad (June 1941 – January 31, 1943)
Germans violated nonaggression pact with Soviet Union and attacked
Hitler hoped to captured Soviet oil fields
Germans nearly won (controlled 9/10 of the city)
Winter of 1943 hit

10. Battle of Stalingrad cont…
Hitler forced Germans to stay put
Soviets used to their advantage and won
Soviets lost 1,100,000 people in this battle
Turning point in WWII and from that point on, Soviet army began to move westward towards Germany

12. Normandy Invasion (D-Day)
June 6, 1944
During this time, Soviet Union was pushing into Poland and Allies were pushing North in Italy
Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Patton influential in leading attack
3 million ally troops to attack

18. D-DAY June 6, 1944

20. Normandy Invasion cont.
D – Day
Ø       60 mile stretch of beach
Ø       156,000 troops
Ø       4,000 landing craft
Ø       600 warships
Ø       11,000 planes
Ø       Largest land-sea-air operation in history
Ø       Omaha beach known as one of the most
brutal areas

22. Normandy Invasion cont.
The battle continues
 W/in 1 month, a million more troops arrive in France
 September 1944, France was freed from
Nazi control

23. Battle of the Bulge December 16, 1944
German tanks broke through American lines (80 mile front)
Fought in Belgium - Germany was trying to capture Antwerp
Very brutal war - one of the most extensive of U.S. military (120 American GIs captured and mowed down by SS machine guns and pistols)

25. Battle of the Bulge Cont.
Germans were winning in the beginning
120,000 Germans died (also lost 600 tanks and guns and 1,600 planes – leading to defeat))
80,000 Americans died
Americans won, but were close to losing

26. “Island-hopping”
US forces elected to focus on capturing only certain strategic islands in the Pacific – ones that would allow US bombers to get within striking range of Japan and create a safe route for troop and supply movement

27. Firebombing of Japan
Gen. Curtis LeMay ordered the use of napalm (jellied gasoline) bombs on Japanese cities because his bombers were having trouble hitting their targets
The napalm was designed to start massive fires, which would ensure the destruction of the desired military targets, but would also lead to heavy losses of civilian life
Mar. 9, 1945: firebombing of Tokyo killed over 80,000; by the war’s end, 67 Japanese cities had been destroyed using napalm

29. Douglas MacArthur
1880 – 1964
Seasoned veteran of WWI, highly decorated soldier who had won the Medal of Honor
Had vowed to return to the Philippines when forced to evacuate in 1942
Led US effort to retake the Philippines and proclaimed “I have returned” when he finally landed in Oct. 1944
Later was US commander of occupied Japan after WWII and led UN forces in the Korean War

30. Review Questions from the Packet
Why was the Battle of Midway considered a turning point in the Pacific Theater?
What did the Allies do to win the Battle of the Atlantic?
Explain why D-Day’s success was so vital to an Allied victory.
What strategy did the United States Navy use to advance across the Pacific?