WAR IN EUROPE

Pearl Harbor to V-E Day

1941-1945

As World War II began for the United States in 1941, President Roosevelt…

decided to concentrate first on the war in Europe

(Germany First strategy)

and to place the Pacific war on

hold

Quiz Time :Name of the battle in which … The Axis

Organized “wolf packs” = German U-boats The Allies

Used convoys to protect merchants’ vessels dropped depth charges from destroyers bombed submarine bases deployed the new technology of radar

Battle of the Atlantic

Two Fronts the Allies split Europe into two theaters of

operation the Americans and the British fighting in the

western half the Soviets fighting in the eastern half

Quiz Time : On what “front” in late 1942 did …

Hitler’s advance peak The axis defeat here began the Axis decline

on the European continent

Russian Front

Battle of StalingradNov.1942 - Feb.1943

Quiz Time : In what area did … The first major U.S. effort against the

Germans occur

(U.S. with British)

North Africa

Nov.1942 – May1943

Quiz Time : Where did … a major Allied victory that stopped the

German advance toward the Suez Canal occur ?

occurred near the Egyptian city of

El Alamein

November 4, 1942

Quiz Time : Where did …

a major Allied defeat occur during the North African campaign ?

Significant as the first large-scale meeting of American and German forces in WWII

green and untested American troops suffered heavy casualties in a humiliating rout

described as when the amateurs first met the professionals

As a result of the defeat , the U.S. Army instituted a number of sweeping changes

the next encounters - U.S. troops considerably stronger

at Kasserine pass in Tunisia

Feb.19-25, 1943

Italian Campaign The major consequence of the Allied conquest of Sicily in August 1943 = Italy’s unconditional surrender Italians removed Mussolini from power & switched

to the Allied side After the Italian surrender, the German army

poured into Italy and stalled the Allied advance

Quiz Time :What was the name of the meeting in which … President Roosevelt and Prime Minister

Churchill announced that their principal war aim was to force the UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER of both Germany and Japan

criticized mainly by opponents who believed that such surrender would encourage the enemy to resist as long as possible

Casablanca Conference

Jan.14-24,1943

Quiz Time :Name of the meeting in which … The “Big Three” (FDR, Churchill, Stalin) Plan for the opening of a second front in

Europe

Teheran Conference

Jan. 1943

Allied invasion of France postponed until 1944 because

of British reluctance and lack of adequate shipping

the North African campaign tied up large amounts of Allied resources

the invasion of Italy required so much time and effort that it set the Allied timetable back a year

Impact of the Italian front on World War II delayed the D-Day invasion allowed the Soviet Union to advance further into

Eastern Europe

Quiz Time : What was the name of the battle in which … The cross-channel invasion of Normandy

to open a second front in Europe commanded by General Dwight

Eisenhower

D-DayOPERATON OVERLORD

June 6,1944

Presidential Election

Nov.1944

Quiz Time

Why was Franklin D. Roosevelt considered “the forgotten man” at the Democratic Convention in 1944 ?

because so much attention was focused on who would gain the vice presidency

the Democrats nominated a moderate in place of the liberal vice president

Quiz Time

Although the Republicans attempted to take advantage of the people’s unhappiness with war time regimentation, FDR won the election.

What was the primary reason for his winning the election ?

because the war was going well

the Democrats won the presidency and maintained control of both houses of

Congress

Quiz Time : What was the name of the battle… That occurred during the final days of World

War II In which German troops mounted their last

serious resistance in Western Europe

Battle of the Bulge

Dec. 1944

1944 and 1945

Allied attempts to end the war in Western Europe included Destroying German cities with massive

bombing raids (Berlin, Dresden) Invading France with a gigantic naval, air, and

land force (D-Day) Attacking German forces in central Europe

with large armies of tanks and infantry

V-E Day

1945 SEE Victory & German Surrender Timeline handout