Retaking Europe
Unit 4
Lesson 6
(Section 25.2)
Objectives:
Evaluate US mobilization efforts.
Analyze Allied war goals and strategies for
victory.
Identify key events and major turning points
in WW2.
Describe the liberation of Europe.
Warm Up:
What world events
forced the US to
abandon its policy of
isolationism and move
from neutrality to
involvement in WW2?
Review
Identify 5 things the
US did to mobilize for
the war.
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Evaluating the Situation
Axis Domination 1940-1942
Allied War Strategy
Allied War Strategy
1. Dem. Euro
2. New Internatl
Org.
3. Hitler 1st- Thru
FRA
4. Japan 2nd
Allied War Strategy
1.
3.
4.
Dem Euro
2. British Empire
Limited Soviet influence
Hitler 1st- From N. AFR
Allied War Strategy
1. SURVIVAL
2. Hitler Immediately,
need Allies to open W.
Front
Turnaround: Allied Offensive
Handout Blank Map
Battle of the Atlantic
North African Campaign
Italian Campaign
War in Soviet Union
Allied Invasion Western Europe
Battle of the Bulge
German Surrender
Battle of the Atlantic
1942-43
Goal: Stop GRM
wolf packs cutting
supplies to Allies
Turnaround: Convoy,
Sonar/Radar, # of
ships
N.Africa – “Operation Torch”
Nov 1942
Goal: Stop
Rommel’s ‘Afrika
Corps’ from
claiming oil, Suez
Canal
Turnaround: GB
@ El Alamein, US
@ Morocco and
Algeria
Surrender: May 43
@ Tunisia
Casablanca Conference – Euro 1st, Uncondtl Surrender
Italian Invasion – “Oper Shingle”
Summer 43
Goal: Attack “Soft
Underbelly” of Axis,
divert attention
Turnaround: ITL
people throw out
Mussolini…Jan 44
Bloody Anzio
Surrender: June 1944
liberate Rome,
Mussolini captured
April 45
War in Soviet Union
Why break NonAggression Pact?
“Living Space”
Oil & food
Why successful?
USSR poorly trained &
armed, unprepared
Oppressed by Stalin
support GRM troops
Total destruction
Stalin said leave
nothing for GRMNS
Defending Stalingrad
1942-43
Goal: Defend
rail/industrial center,
oil fields
Turnaround: Winter
42, Soviet
counterattack / tactics
(house-to-house)
Surrender: Feb 43
(~1.5m dead)
W.Euro – “Operation Overlord”
D-Day:June 6, 1944
Allied Goal: Invade
Euro center
Tactics: Massive
land, air & sea
invasion Normandy,
FRA
Turnaround: Allied
attrition (1 mil
troops by July)
Surrender: Aug ’44
liberate Paris, Sept
free neighbors
FDR Wins 4th Term!
Nov 1944 – FDR and Truman (VP)
Battle of the Bulge
Dec 16, 1944
GRM Goal: Last ditch effort,
Split Allied defenses, force proAxis peace
Turnaround: Winter (froze
oil/weapons), GRM uses up
reserves
(largest battle WW2, US ever)
Surrender: Jan 15, 45
The Yalta Conference
Feb 1945
FDR, Churchill, Stalin
Postwar World
GRM split 4 zones
• Berlin as well
E.Euro elections
• Stalin breaks promise
USSR enter war w/JPN
FDR Dies– April 12, 1945
Victory in Europe
April 25, 1945:
Soviets storm
Berlin
April 28, 45:
Mussolini
executed
April 30, 45:
Hitler suicide
May 8, 1945:
VE DAY!!
Victory in Europe
Closure
If you were a newspaper journalist, what
would you write about the US contribution
to victory in Europe?