Discussion
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How would you describe the tone
of Churchill's speech?
Churchill's tone is hopeful but
realistic about the challenges ahead.
The European Theater
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German defense of Italy: Allied forces completed their victory in North Africa when
Axis troops surrendered in Tunisia in May 1943. The Allies, led by Great Britain and
the United States, then invaded Sicily and mainland Italy. British leader Winston
Churchill believed Italy to be a vulnerable area among the European areas occupied
by the Axis. The Germans had to help Mussolini create a puppet state in northern
Italy as the Nazis defended Rome. After suffering heavy casualties, the Allies seized
Rome in June 1944.
D-Day and the second front: A massive force of Allied troops left Britain on D-Day,
June 6, 1944, and invaded Normandy in France. The soldiers had to brave mines,
barbed wire, and machine-gun fire. The Nazis responded slowly with reinforcements,
ruining their chances of foiling the invasion. In three months, the Allies built up their
forces, creating a massive second front in Europe. Paris was liberated in August
1944, and then the Allies pushed eastward toward Germany. A daring German
counteroffensive at the Battle of the Bulge failed in early 1945, and the Allied forces
flowed across the western borders of Germany.
Soviet advance through Eastern Europe: After winning the critical Battle of
Stalingrad in 1943, Soviet forces relied on their tanks to push Nazi forces slowly back
toward Germany. A major victory for the Soviets was the Battle of Kursk in July
1943, which featured a huge number of tanks. The Soviets continued their slow but
determined push during 1944. By April 1945, in central Germany, Soviet forces
advancing from the east met up with U.S. and British armies advancing from the
west.
Liberation of concentration camps: Allied forces approaching Germany took
control of concentration camps and liberated the survivors. For the first time,
Germany's enemies got a comprehensive look at the Nazis' horrific crimes against
humanity.
Hitler's suicide and German surrender: In April 1945, Italian resistance fighters
killed Mussolini, and Hitler took his own life in a bunker in Berlin two days later. Hitler
maintained his hatred for Jewish people until the very end, blaming them for the war
Discussion
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Why was the invasion at Omaha
Beach so deadly for the Allies?
The area was heavily defended and
its natural features of an open beach
and high cliffs made it easy to
defend and caused the Allies many
casualties.
Discussion
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Why was Normandy in France
chosen as the landing spot for
the invasion?
It was one of the spots on the
coastline closest to England, and it
had long stretches of beaches.
Discussion
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Why was it so important to keep
the invasion site a secret from
the Nazis?
If the Nazis were sure where the
Allies would land they wouldn't be
forced to spread men and weapons
along the whole coastline.
Discussion
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Why might the concentration camps
have been among the last places to be
liberated by the Allies?
The Nazis hid them far from the front lines
and even moved or abandoned them to
keep the world from knowing what they
were doing to the Jews.
Background
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The Normandy invasion had long been planned, since the
Soviets were continually pressuring its allies to open a front
in western Europe to force Hitler to fight two wars. The
Germans had built heavy fortifications on the French coast,
expecting an assault staged from England. The Allies
tricked the Nazis into believing another army was invading
France at a different location. Bad weather threatened the
invasion and pushed troops past their designated landing
beaches, particularly at Omaha. The beaches were littered
with 4 million land mines, anti-tank barriers, and numerous
gun positions. An armada of 3,000 landing craft, 3,000
support ships, and 13,000 airplanes made up the invasion
force. More than 2,000 soldiers died at Omaha Beach.
Discussion
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Why do you think that the Soviet
Union was so eager for the United
States and Britain to open a second
front in Europe?
If Germany had to fight on two fronts, it
could be defeated more quickly, because it
would have to split its troops and other
resources between two areas.