1. Turning Point Battles of WWII

2. War in the Pacific

3. Coral Sea
May 1942
New kind of naval warfare- airplanes fought from aircraft carriers (attacked ships)
Allies stopped Japan’s southern expansion for the 1st time.

5. Battle of Midway
June 1942
The Japanese (Yamamoto) were headed to the key American airfield.
Nimitz let Japan start to attack 1st and then attacked Japanese planes
332 Japanese Planes & all 4 aircraft carriers destroyed.

7. Battle of Guadalcanal August 1942 (6 months)
Japan was building an air base there
Battle for control of the island- many died of Malaria
Japanese lost 2/3 of their men and abandoned the “Island of death”
Start of the island hopping campaign
Now Americans were on the offensive

9. Europe turning point battles

10. Stalingrad SU vs. GER August-Feb. 1942
German goal: Capture Stalingrad (industrial center)
City destroyed (bombings) but SU did not surrender
Hitler’s men trapped again in the Russian Winter. 70% died and the rest surrendered
Germans are now on the defensive

11. El Alamein GB (Britain) vs. Germany October- Nov. 1942 in Egypt
Massive frontal attack took the Axis powers by surprise
Rommel’s army was beaten & retreated West
Later Rommel was trapped between US and UK armies & was defeated.

12. D-Day USA/GB vs. Germany June 6, 1944
Known as: Invasion of Normandy or Operation Overlord
Greatest land & sea attack in history 12

14. Basic Facts Eisenhower: Commander of the Allied Forces
Paratroopers & bombings in German territory before the beach invasion
Allies crossed the English Channel to get to the French beaches
Transporting-150,000 men and 30,000 vehicles & supplies
Around 9,000 Allied casualties the 1st day 14

15. 15

16. Omaha Beach 16

19. 19

20. Significance
By Sept France, Belgium, Luxembourg & most of Netherlands were liberated
Allies could now look to Germany
Balance of Power tipped in Allies Favor 20

21. Battle of the Bulge US/GB vs. Germany December 1944
Germany tanks break through Allies defensive lines
Allies eventually pushed back the Germans
Allies were able to advance into Germany