1. THETHEAMERICAN CENTURYAMERICAN CENTURYWorld War IIWorld War IIExamples of American SuperpowerExamples of American Superpower- The D Day Landings- The D Day Landings : ending the war in Europe: ending the war in EuropeOrganisation / Military Commanders / Invasion / CasualtiesOrganisation / Military Commanders / Invasion / Casualties- The Atomic Bomb- The Atomic Bomb : ending the war in the Pacific: ending the war in the PacificCreating the Bomb / Yalta and Potsdam / Strategic choices / Hiroshima and NagasakiCreating the Bomb / Yalta and Potsdam / Strategic choices / Hiroshima and Nagasaki

2. The D Day Landings June 6The D Day Landings June 6thth19441944Operation Overlord : the liberation of North West FranceOperation Overlord : the liberation of North West FranceOperation Neptune : the Normandy LandingsOperation Neptune : the Normandy Landings7000 maritime vessels7000 maritime vessels156 000 soldiers of 10 different156 000 soldiers of 10 differentnationalitiesnationalities"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven thesemany months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in yourmany months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in yourcourage, devotion to duty and skill in battle."courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle." General Dwight EisenhowerGeneral Dwight Eisenhower 3. The Actors and the Military situation in 1944The Actors and the Military situation in 1944General Dwight (Ike) Eisenhower American Allied Supreme Commander forOperation Overlord and later president ofthe USA 1952-1960Karl RudolfGerd vonRundstedtCommander ofGerman forces inthe West andreponsible for thedefence of theAtlantic Wall. Hehad to reportdirectly to Hitlerand depended onHitlers decisionsbefore being ableto act.Erwin RommelThe Desert Fox,respected Germancommander,responsible for thedefence of theAtlantic Wallaround Normandy.Finally forced tocommit suicideafter hisparticipation in thefailed attempt toassassinate Hitler 4. Strategic Situation in 1944The Atlantic WallThe Atlantic Wall built over a four year period, the German defences againstinvasion in the West stretched from Norway to Sapin, over 2400km long. The mostheavily defended point was the Ebglish Channel between Dover and the Pas-de-Calais the most obvious place for an allied invasion. 5. Opertaion Neptune : the Normandy LandingsOpertaion Neptune : the Normandy LandingsOriginally planned for the 5thJune, it was postponed due to bad weather and roughseas. The allies needed clear skies, a full moon and a low tide in Normandy. Abreak in the weather allowed Eisenhower to give the go-ahead for the 6thof June.7000 vessels and 156 000 soldiers sailed across the Channel to invade westernFrance. 6. German beach defences on Omaha Beach : cross-sectionGerman beach defences on Omaha Beach : cross-section 7. Conclusion : secrecy and diversionary tacticsConclusion : secrecy and diversionary tacticsOperation Overlord : over 2 million soldiers landed in Normandy. Allied casualtiesamounted to over 200 000 of whom more than half were American : 20 838 killed,94 881 wounded and 10 128 missing in action a high price to pay.Opertaion FortitudeCaen fell on June the 7th, followed by Caen in August afetr a long, hard battle and thenParis was libertaed on August 25th. From then, it was a race for Berlin but the Germansmounted a final defence in the Ardennes at the Battle of the Bulge but the war waslost ... 8. The A Bomb : Hiroshima and Nagasaki or Ending the War in the PacificThe A Bomb : Hiroshima and Nagasaki or Ending the War in the PacificRESEARCH :RESEARCH :- the Manhattan Project- the Manhattan Project- Island Hopping- Island Hopping- the Potsdam Declaration- the Potsdam Declaration- Little Boy and Fat Man- Little Boy and Fat Man- Targets : Hiroshima and Nagasaki why ?- Targets : Hiroshima and Nagasaki why ? 9. The Manhattan ProjectThe Manhattan project lasted from 1942 to 1945. It was a top secretproject to create an atmic device before the Germans could do so. Itemployed 135 000 people over the period and cost a massive $2 billion.The plan involved teams from the UK, Canada and obviously the USA.The first atomic device was successfully exploded on July 16th1945 inNew Mexico. From then on, the US knew it had the ultimate weapon to endthe war and no longer needed Soviet help in the Pacific!"I am become Death, the destroyerof worlds." Robert OPPENHEIMER 10. Military Strategy: Island Hopping or the A Bomb?Island hopping was a militarystrategy which aimed atavoiding direct conflict withstrong Japanese defences andconcentrated on taking smallerislands in order to isolate theJapanese they could whither on the vine General MacArthur calculated it coud cost a million American lives. 11. The Potsdam Conference and DeclarationAt Potsdam, relations had worsened between the USA and the USSR. Truman hadreplaced Roosevelt and did not appreciate the communists.He needed to show that theUSA was no longer dependent on Soviet aid in the Pacific he was informed atPotsdam that the A bomb was ready for use it could be used as both a both militaryand political weapon."We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of allJapanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith insuch action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction." 26thJuly 1945 12. Targets: Hiroshima and NagasakiHiroshima and Nagasaki were both military targets yet both had been spared theterrifying incendiary bombing attacks suffered by other Japanese cities. They wereleft intact before the bombing so that the damage caused by Little Boy and Fat Mancould be correctly analysed it was pre-meditated. The Americans argued it wouldcost fewer lives than the Island Hopping policy. 13. Little Boy and Fat ManUranium 235 16kt explosion66000 immediate deaths and 69000 injuredHiroshima August 6th1945 Nagasaki 9thAugust 1945Plutonium 239 21kt explosion40000 immediate deaths and 20000 injured