1. End of Hitler and Third Reich Apr-May 1945

2. APRIL-MAY 1945 The Fall of Hitler and the Third Reich

3. German Failures Mount After the Battle of the Bulge, Germany is on the defensiveBattle of the Bulge Fighting in the Ardennes

4. The Reich in its Death Throws Hitler relies on technology to save Germany This includes the V1 and the V2, which were aimed at London  First V1 launched toward London one week after the D-Day landings Rocket Launch Sites

5. Turning to Technology The V1 rocket is considered a “guided” weapon  Vergeltungswaffe (Retaliation weapon 1)  Mostly it was pointed in a direction and could accurately hit a city, not a target within a city Prisoners in concentration camps often assembled the rockets that prolonged the war

6. Turning to Technology V2 Rocket  Vergeltungswaffe (Retaliation weapon 2)  Worlds first long range ballistic missile An estimated 12000 concentration camp prisoners died making the weapon that killed an estimated 9000 British

7. Launch Failures Video Link

8. Last Hope Nazis tried to create a nuclear weapon, but were not fast enough  Nazi politicization of academia drove many out of Germany and Jewish scientists were purged from Germany hindering Nazi attempts at developing an atomic weapon Hitler’s scientists created new jet fighters Hitler orders the defense of Germany to the last man

9. ME-62 Jet Fighter LINK

10. The Final Weeks On Nov. 20 th, 1944, Hitler retreats from his headquarters at Rastenburg and goes to Berlin  He will not leave Berlin ever again On Feb 4 th 1945, Allies meet at Yalta to discuss post-war plans Allies allow Soviets to enter Berlin first

12. Fall of Berlin Soviets begin their assault on Berlin April 16 th, 1945 Hitler commits suicide April 30 th, 1945 and the Soviets occupy the Reichstag that night Hitler shot himself; his wife of one day used cyanide and he poisoned his dogs

13. Results General Alfred Jodl signs the surrender for all German forces May 7 th 1945 WW II is over in Europe Nazi war crimes revealed Many top Nazi leaders will be put on trial at Nuremberg More will be hunted for decades Will lay foundations for Cold War

14. Cold War Begins

15. Operation Paperclip LINK