World War II
The Road to Victory in Europe
Before our entry into WWII, the
Allies were losing on all fronts!
The Atlantic Charter
FDR and Churchill meet. The two
pledge “A peace that will afford all
nations the means of dwelling in
safety inside their own boundaries.”
This is known as the Atlantic
Charter, and lays the basis of today’s
United Nations.
President Roosevelt talks of
“Four Freedoms”
“In the future days which we seek to
make secure, we look forward to a
world founded upon four essential
human freedoms.”
Freedom of Speech
• The first is freedom of
speech and expression
--everywhere in the
world.
Freedom of Worship
• The second is freedom
of every person to
worship God in his
own way-- everywhere
in the world.
Freedom from Want
• The third is freedom
from want, which,
translated into world
terms, means economic
understandings which
will secure to every
nation a healthy
peacetime life for its
inhabitants --everywhere
in the world.
Freedom from Fear
• The fourth is freedom from
fear, which, translated into
world terms, means a worldwide reduction of armaments to
such a point and in such a
thorough fashion that no nation
will be in a position to commit
an act of physical aggression
against any neighbor -anywhere in the world.
Propaganda
The 4 Freedoms were illustrated by
Norman Rockwell, and became great
propaganda posters in the U.S..
What does GI stand for?
• Government issue.
• Everything worn and
issued to you to use
while in service.
All ethnic and racial backgrounds
fought during WWII.
• The Navajo served as
radio operators, they
developed a code
based on their
language.
• The Japanese could
not break this code!
Although in internment camps. .
• Many Japanese
volunteered to
fight.
• They were allowed
to in early 1943.
• Their unit was the
most decorated unit
in American
History.
Women in WWII
• They were
used in all
areas except
combat.
• Is this good or
bad?
• What were
their jobs?
So now we have
soldiers, what is our
plan?
The Battle of the Atlantic
• German subs
were trying to
isolate Great
Britain.
• It was very
difficult to get
food and
supplies in.
North Africa campaign
• Generals Montgomery
(Great Britain) and
Eisenhower (U.S.)
fight their way through
Africa.
They meet in Tunisia
• And trap Rommel’s
forces.
• 240,000 Italians and
Germans surrender.
• The U.S. force is
making a difference!!!
The Casablanca Conference
• Roosevelt and
Churchill decide to
concentrate on Europe
before trying to win
the war in the Pacific.
• They want
unconditional
surrender.
July 1943
• General George Patton
(U.S.) attacks Sicily, Italy.
• It falls in 38 days.
• Mussolini is overthrown.
• (It takes until April 1945
for the Germans in N.
Italy to surrender.)
War in the Soviet Union
• Hitler needs living
space to the east.
• He breaks his pact
with Stalin and
launches an attack
against the Soviet
Union.
PACT
What can the Soviet Union do?
• Russia’s Red Army
soldiers were poorly
equipped and not
well trained.
• German ground
troops moved into
Soviet territory.
They begin rounding
up and executing
civilians.
The Soviets begin a scorchedearth policy.
• They destroy everything useful to the
enemy as they retreated.
• (It does hurt the enemy, but it also hurts
your own homeland.)
• What do you think these would be?
Useful items to the enemy.
Stalin wants help
• But the Allies decide
to invade Italy
instead.
• (This will make for ill
feelings, and the rise
of the Cold War)
September 1942
• Germany bombs
Stalingrad. This lasts
for more than 2
months
• The Soviets take
positions in the rubble
and engage in houseto-house fighting.
Troops in the streets of Stalingrad
The road of death
Fighting for each floor of every
building.
Stalingrad’s front line
Fighting in the streets
Fighting in the rubble
January 1943
• The Soviet’s
counter-attack and
surround
Germany’s army.
• 90,000 Germans
surrender
• The Battle of
Stalingrad was the
turning point of the
war in the east.
With Stalingrad in Russian hands
The allies will begin a massive
assault on Germany.
D-Day
• George Marshall was
the army chief-ofstaff,
• He was later credited
for the allied victory
• Named Time’s person
of the year in 1943
and 1947.
D-Day
• The invasion
was led by
Dwight
Eisenhower.
• (A future U.S.
President)
The D-Day plan
• The RAF (Great Britain) began a technique
called carpet bombing, where bombs were
scattered over a wide area.
• Allied bombing also intensified.
• They hoped to soften Germany for the
planned allied invasion.
Where was this happening?
• Many countries
were building up
troops in southern
England.
• Germany
strengthened their
defenses along the
French coastline.
In preparing for the invasion. .
Germany adds
machine gun emplacements
barbed wire fences on beaches
land and water mines
June 6, 1944
• The largest landing by
sea in history begins.
• The ships crossed the
English Channel
• Bombers were
pounding Germany at
Normandy, France.
23,000 British and American
soldiers were dropped behind
enemy lines. D-Day, the code
name for the invasion had begun.
150,000 allied troops and
equipment begins coming ashore.
August 1944
• American troops
liberate Paris
• Later we cross the
western border of
Germany.
• 2 months after our
invasion, we are
sending Germany
back.
The Battle of the Bulge
• Germany will not give
in
• they reinforce their
army, some draftees as
young as 15.
• They counter-attack in
Belgium and
Luxembourg.
• This becomes known
as the Battle of the
Bulge.
The German attack overwhelms
the American forces. But
General Patton moves his army in
to stop the German advance
The end is near for Germany
March 1945
• American troops cross
the Rhine River and
advance towards
Berlin.
• At the same time the
Soviets move in from
the east.
One month later
• April 1945
• Soviets are in Berlin
• The city was 80%
destroyed by the
bombing.
• April 25, 1945 Russian and American
troops meet at the
Elbe River
Hitler refuses to flee Berlin
• May 1, 1945- German
government
announces that Hitler
has committed suicide.
• His wife Eva Braun is
also dead. (cyanide
tablets)
May 8- Germany surrenders
• American soldiers
celebrate V-E day or
Victory in Europe
• The war in Europe
was over, but Japan
still had to be
defeated.
Before the fall of Germany
• February 1945leaders meet at the
Yalta conference.
• Roosevelt, Churchill
and Stalin
• They plan for the postwar world.
• As a result of this
meeting, Germany
would become divided
into zones
The agreements at the Yalta
conference were not fulfilled and
would lead to problems between
the Soviet Union and the western
allies.
Take a breath, study. You have
learned a lot.
12 question fill-in-the-blanks quiz is
coming up.