1. Major Battles and End of WWII

2. Guiding Question: What battles were major TURNING POINTS that swung the course of WWII in favor of the Allies?

3. Japanese Strategy
After Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded the Philippines and Indonesia and planned to invade both Australia and Hawaii
Japan hoped America would just accept Japanese domination of the Pacific rather than wage a bloody war to reverse Japanese gains

4. North Africa
The British were fighting the Germans and Italians in North Africa
Wait… why were European countries battling in Africa?

5. North Africa
Battle of El Alamein: German forces threatening to seize Egypt and the Suez Canal were defeated by the British
This defeat prevented Hitler from gaining access to Middle Eastern oil supplies

6. Europe
Battle of Stalingrad: German forces besieged the Russian city of Stalingrad
A long, cold, and bitter battle

7. Europe
Hundreds of thousands of German soldiers were killed or captured in the months-long siege
Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad prevented Germany from seizing Russian oil fields and was THE turning point against Germany in the east
Bloodiest battle in human history (1.5 million casualties)

8. vid

9. D-Day
American and Allied troops under General Eisenhower landed in German-occupied France on June 6, 1944
Largest amphibious invasion in history

11. D-Day
Despite intense German opposition and heavy American casualties, the landings succeeded and the liberation of western Europe from Hitler had begun

12. vid

13. Pacific Battle of Midway: Japanese forces moved toward Midway Island
If the Japanese destroy American base on Midway, they will be able to invade Hawaii

14. Midway
Americans had broken the Japanese code, and new the attack was coming
Though out numbered, the US won the battle

16. Midway
This American victory ended the Japanese threat to Hawaii and began a series of American victories which brought the war closer to Japan
TURNING POINT

17. Pacific
Iwo Jima and Okinawa: Big battles where Americans invaded Japanese-held islands
Though America won these battles, they were incredibly costly in American and Japanese lives

18. Pacific
Showed America that the Japanese intended to fight fiercely for every square mile of Japanese territory
Even Japanese civilians were armed with swords and bows and arrows and would rather commit suicide than surrender

19. VE-Day Write this on your notes: May 8, 1945
European Allies accept Germany’s surrender
Hitler had killed himself in a bunker as Russian troops approached

20. Atomic Bomb
Over the course of World War II, American and German scientists were both working on developing nuclear weapons
America developed them first

21. Atomic Bomb
As the war winded down, it became clear that for America to defeat Japan, the US would have to invade Japan itself
This was a scary prospect because of the casualties for both Americans and Japanese would be horrendously high

22. vid

23. Atomic Bomb
America decides instead to use atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Tens of thousands of civilians killed in both cities

24. Question Is it OK to kill civilians if it helps your cause is just?
What if killing them ‘saves lives’ in the long run?
What about 9/11?

25. Japan Surrenders
Shortly after the bombs are dropped, Japan surrenders, avoiding the needs for American invasion

26. Writing Activity
On a separate sheet of paper, tell me if you think the use of the atom bomb on Japan was justified
About 5 GOOD sentences
Tell me why you think what you think
Legit to kill enemy civilians?
Did it save lives?