End of the War
Agenda
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Bell Ringer: How did America mobilize for war? (5)
Lecture: End of World War II (20)
Group Article activity: Japanese Holdouts (10)
Group Article Activity: The man that survived… twice. (10)
Was the atomic bomb the best solution: Discussion (15)
Aftereffects of the War activity (10)
Quick Review (5)
• HW: Quick quiz next class on the age of World Wars.
• Objective: Students will analyze the reasons for the end of World War
II, and discuss whether the atomic bomb was the correct choice.
The end of Italy, and Mussolini
• After Africa is taken by
the Allies, they attack
Sicily and end Mussolini’s
reign.
• He was found attempting
to flee Italy as a German
soldier.
• Resistance fighting would
continue until 1945.
• Mussolini executed and
hanged in public square.
D-Day
• May, 1944. 3.5 million troops
mobilized to strike on the coast
of Normandy. June, 6th is the
attack date.
• Germans knew an attack was
coming, but thought it was on
Calais beach, farther East.
• Still a formidable German
presence on the beach, with
machine guns and concertina
wire.
• Over 3,000 Americans died on
Omaha beach that day, but by
August France was back in the
hands of the Allied forces.
Battle of the Bulge
• Last major German offensive
of the war. An attempt to divide
British and American forces.
December, 1944
• It ultimately failed.
• Now Hitler faced a war on two
fronts rapidly approaching
Germany.
• He ends up killing himself in
his bunker in April, when
Soviet forces are invading
Berlin.
• Germany would surrender in
May, 1945.
End of War in the Pacific
• Iwo Jima would be
the last major battle in
the Pacific, with
nearly 110,000
Japanese troops
killed in one month.
• Now it was on to
Japan…
The use of the Atomic Bomb
• Instead of facing large
troop losses, Truman
decided to use the
Atomic Bomb on
Hiroshima, then in
Nagasaki.
• Over 110,000 civilians
killed in the two cities.
• Surrender would
occur on September
2nd.
Before the Bombing
After the Bombing
After the War
• London, many cities in
Germany, and parts of the
Soviet Union lay in ruins.
• Conferences were held in
Yalta and Potsdam to discuss
how countries would recover
after the war, and the division
of lands held by Germany.
• United Nations was formed,
with permanent members
controlling a peacekeeping
force.
Nuremberg and Occupation
• Germans were held liable for
the atrocities of the Holocaust.
• 22 leaders charged with
crimes against humanity.
• Hermann Goring kills himself
after being sentenced to
execution, along with 11
others.
• Similar trials occur in Japan as
MacArthur restructures the
government into Democracy.
Questions
1. Should Yamaguchi
have had kids given his
health issues following
World War II?
1. Should the Japanese
troop be held
responsible for his
crimes after the war?