Pushing Back the Axis
Ch. 21 Section 4
Striking Germany and Italy
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Casablanca Conference
– Idea was to attack the
“soft underbelly” of
Europe.
Italy will quit if Allies
invade their homeland.
Germans eventually
retreated, but with a high
Allied cost. (300,000)
Eisenhower: Commander of the
European Theatre
Operation Overlord (D-Day)

Allied troops land at
Normandy, begin
liberation of France.
 The largest
amphibious
operation in history
succeeds.
Battle of the Bulge

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Last large German
counter attack against
American and British
troops is halted.
Goal was to stop Allied
supplies coming in thru
Belgium.
Germans eventually
retreat, left with little
resources to prevent
Germany from Allied
attack.
The War Ends in Europe V-E Day

Germany is assaulted
on 2 fronts.

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Allied forces West
Soviet forces East
German defenses
crumble
Hitler kills himself
(appoints Karl Doenitz
as successor)
Eisenhower insists on
unconditional surrender
V-E Day May 8, 1945
Truman Becomes President

FDR died just before
V-E day, Truman
becomes pres.
 Truman will have to
make critical
decisions in the
coming months
The Battle of Iwo Jima

Victory in the Battle of
Leyte Gulf enables
MacArthur to return to
the Philippines (Oct.
1944)
 US Marines land on Iwo
Jima, over 6,800
marines are killed before
the island is captured.
 Why Iwo Jima?
Firebombing Japan

Gen. LeMay ordered
the use of firebombs
on Japanese targets
 Use of napalm was
controversial.
 80,000 deaths
 ½ of the urban area
was destroyed.
The Invasion of Okinawa

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Despite widespread
destruction, Japan
showed few signs of
surrender
US officials prepared for
a Japanese invasion
Okinawa was chosen for
its geographic
importance.
Okinawa was captured
in June 1945