1. Part 7 Amphibious Invasions
World War Two
Part 7
Amphibious Invasions

2. From the Sea
While the Soviets pushed back Germany fighting the majority of its forces, they desperately wanted the Allies to open a second front…the allies delayed
The allies launched a series of invasions by sea….Large Ones: Amphibious Invasions
and…Small Ones: Amphibious Assaults
And knocked Italy out of the war.

3. The Fall of Italy The Invasion of Sicily
June – August A combined British/American force invades and takes the island…Patton uses a series of amphibious assaults to be first in Messina
The Loss of Sicily causes anti-fascist uprisings
July 24, 1943 Mussolini is Overthrown
Sept. 3, 1943 Italy signs a secret armistice it takes effect on Sept. 8

4. Germans take over Italy…and lose it
The German Army was prepared and takes over Italy
Sept 9, The Allies invade the Italian Peninsula at Salerno and Taranto
Using Amphibious Assaults like Anzio the Allies gradually push back the Germans
By August 1944 they have reached the City of Piza.

5. D-day
The Soviets still need a second front…in Italy the allies are fighting only One German Army Group…They are fighting Six!
The Soviets insist on an second “Western Front”
To prevent this Hitler has heavily fortified the coast of Europe
The Greatest Amphibious Invasion ever is done on June 6, 1944 on the Shores of Normandy
Over 4000 ships carried 176,000 troops and equipment…With great losses they succeeded

6. The Western Front
The allies expanded the “beachhead”
August 1944: Patton’s 3rd Army broke through at Avranche, took all of Brittany and out flanked the Germans Surrounding them by Aug 8.
The Germans retreated …Paris is Liberated by August 25, 1944
By September 4, 1944 most all of France is freed!