An Overview of Early
American Involvement
REMEMBER: The war had already been going on for
almost 3 years before we joined!
In the Pacific…
Doolittle’s Raid (1942)
• following Pearl Harbor
the Japanese quickly took
over parts of mainland
Asia, Southeast Asia, and
the Philippines
• Lt. Colonel Doolittle led
16 bombers on an attack
against Tokyo and other
major Japanese cities
• Weakened Japanese
morale
Battle of Coral Sea (1942)
• five day battle where the
Japanese were trying to take
over Australia
• Japanese vs. Americans &
Australians
• all fighting was done by
planes
• first time a Japanese attack
had been stopped
• Japan wanted to seize
this island near Hawaii
• U.S. broke a Japanese
code allowing us to
successfully defend the
island
• the U.S. bombed and
destroyed Japanese
aircraft carriers, a
cruiser, and 250 planes
• turning point in War in
the Pacific
• led to the Island
Hopping Campaign
Battle of Midway (1942)
Island Hopping Campaign
• American strategy
in the Pacific
• began after the
Battle of Midway
• Allies began to
move from island to
island in the Pacific,
seizing control from
the Japanese
• Allies began
moving closer and
closer to Japan
In Europe & North Africa
Battle of the Atlantic (1941 – 1943)
• Battle between Britain and Germany over control of
Atlantic Ocean
• From 1941 to 1943 Germany dominated the battle
using U-Boats to destroy cargo ships
• With American aid, by 1943 Allies were able to
control the Atlantic
• Significant because U.S. now able to safely provide
supplies, weapons, soldiers to war in Europe
Battle of Stalingrad (1941 – 1943)
• Germans wanted to destroy
the major industrial city
• quickly gained control of
90% of city, then the winter
set in
• Soviets surrounded the
city, trapping the Germans
• at the end of January 1943
Germans surrendered
• turning point on Eastern
Front – Soviets began to
move westward towards
Germany
North African Front (1942 – 1943)
• Allied Offensive – “Operation Torch”
• Allied invasion of Axis controlled North Africa
• American General Eisenhower fought against German
General Rommel (“desert fox”).
• Allied victory
Italian
Campaign
(1943 – 1945)
• Allies moved North
from Africa towards
Italy
• quickly captured Sicily
•Allies invade mainland
Italy
• Italians no longer support Axis & Mussolini overthrown in
Italy
• Hitler sent German forces to Italy to fight the Allies
• Northern Italy is controlled by Germany while Southern
Italy supports the Allies
• Fighting continued in Italy, until Germany was near
collapse
In Summary:
After the U.S. joins….
Battle of the Atlantic: By mid 1943 Allies controlled the
Atlantic
Battle of Stalingrad: January 1943 Germans surrendered to
Russians
North Africa: May 1943 Germans surrendered to American
& British troops
Italy: Mussolini arrested, and new Italian government joins
Allies fighting the Germans (in Italy)
Pacific: The U.S. was able to stop the Japanese from
acquiring new land.
Last Stop in
Europe…
France & Germany
How do we kick the Germans
out of France and invade Germany?
D-DAY!!!
Part I
Part II
Part III