WorldWarII(1931-1945)Lesson4AWaronTwoFronts

LearningObjectives

• AnalyzethereasonsforandimpactoftheAllies’“EuropeFirst”strategy.• ExplainwhythebattlesofStalingradandMidwayweremajorturningpoints inthe

war.• DiscusshowtheAlliesput increasingpressureontheAxisinNorthAfricaandEurope.

WorldWarII(1931-1945)Lesson4AWaronTwoFronts

KeyTerms

• DwightEisenhower• GeorgeS.Patton,Jr.• OmarBradley,• unconditionalsurrender• saturationbombing• strategicbombing• TuskegeeAirmen• ChesterNimitz• BattleofMidway

WorldWarII(1931-1945)Lesson4AWaronTwoFronts

AlliedStrategy

TheattackonPearlHarborbroughtAmericaintoWorldWarIIontheAlliedside.ByJune1942,theAllieswerebatteredbutstillfighting.BritishpilotshadfoughtoffaNaziinvasionoftheirisland,whileattheBattleofCoralSea,theU.S.NavyhadfrustratedJapaneseplanstoextendtheirdominationinthePacific.Thoughyearsoffightinglayahead,theAlliesspiedsignsofhope.

AlliedStrategy

GermantroopsmarchthroughBerlin,Germany,tomarkthesurrenderofFrancein1940.InterpretWhatdoes thisphotosuggestaboutthepoweroftheAxisarmiesduringtheearlyyearsofthewar?

AlliedStrategy

AnalyzeChartsHowwerethegoalsofthecountriesfightinginWorldWarIIsimilaranddifferent?

TheEuropeanFront

ThefirstblowAmericastruckagainsttheAxiswasbyfulfillingRoosevelt'spromisetobethe'arsenalofdemocracy.'Americanfactoriesturnedoutmillionsoftonsofguns,tanks,andothersupplies—enough tokeeptheSovietsandBritishbattlingGermanyforyears.Theproblemwasdeliveringtheweapons,food,andmedicalsuppliesthatfueledtheAlliedwarmachine.

TheEuropeanFront

• WarintheAtlantic• SovietsandNazisBattleforStalingrad• WarinNorthAfrica• AlliesTakeOverNorthAfrica

TheEuropeanFront

AmericansailorswatchasAlliedbombersattackaGermanU-boat,1944.Afewminutesafterthisphotowastaken,theU-boatwassunk.

TheEuropeanFront

AnalyzeMapsUsetheinformationonthemaptosummarizethecourseofWorldWarIIinEuropebeforetheBattleofStalingrad.Support youranswerwithevidence fromthemap.

AxisPowersontheDefensive

Germanywasnowonthedefensive,andtheAlliesplannedtokeepitthatway.InJanuary1943,RooseveltandChurchillmetinCasablanca,Morocco,toplantheirnextmove.Theconferenceresultedintwoimportantdecisions.First,theAlliesdecidedtoincreasebombingofGermanyandinvadeItaly.Second,RooseveltannouncedthattheAllieswouldacceptonlyunconditionalsurrender,orgivingupcompletelywithout anyconcessions.Hitler,Mussolini,andTojocouldnothopetostayinpowerthroughapeaceagreement.

AxisPowersontheDefensive

• ItalySurrenders• AlliedBombersAttackGermany

AxisPowersontheDefensive

AmericansoldierswadeashoreduringtheAlliedinvasionofItaly,1943.

AxisPowersontheDefensive

TheB-24Liberator,shownhereinacross-section,wasthekingofAmericanbombersduringthewar,fasterthanprevious planesandabletoflyonlongermissions whilecarryingmorebombs.

TurningPointsinthePacific

WhiletheAlliespursuedtheir'EuropeFirst'strategy,theydidnot ignorethePacific.ThroughMay1942,Japaneseforcescontinuedtoadvancewithseeminglyunstoppablemomentum.TheyhadattackedAmerican,British,andDutchcolonies,winningcontrolofthePhilippines,Malaya,DutchEastIndies,HongKong,WakeIsland,Guam,andBurma.Then,theUnitedStatesstruckback.TheAmericansuccessattheBattleofCoralSeainMay1942servedasawarningthatthewarinthePacificwasabouttochange.

TurningPointsinthePacific

• AmericansTriumphatMidway• AmericansTaketheOffensive

TurningPointsinthePacific

AnalyzeMapsWhywasthelocationofMidwayIslandsosignificant?MakePredictionsWhatimpactwouldaJapanese victoryatMidwayhaveonthewarinthePacific?

TurningPointsinthePacific

TheAmericanaircraftcarrierUSSEnterprise,atleft,underJapaneseattackduringtheBattleofMidway.Explosions frombombs andgunfirearevisible asdarksmokeinthesky.

Quiz:AlliedStrategy

TherelationshipbetweentheAllieswascomplicatedby

A.AmericanneutralityinthefirstyearsofthewarinEurope.B.SovietmistrustofWesternintentions.C.AmericanconcernsoverJapaneseaggressioninthePacific.D.BritishconcernsoveritsbordersecurityintheAtlantic.

Quiz:TheEuropeanFront

WhydidtheAlliesdecidetowageacampaigninNorthAfricaratherthantheEuropeanmainland?

A.ItwouldrequirefewerresourcesandpavethewayforanAlliedinvasionofItaly.B.ItwouldallowtheAlliestogaincontrolofthepreciousoilfieldsintheMiddleEast.C.ItwouldforcetheAxistoretreatfromStalingradandgivetheSovietsachancetoregroup.D.ItwouldpreventtheAxisfromreceivingreinforcementsfromJapan’sIndianOceanfleet.

Quiz:AxisPowersontheDefensive

U.S.andBritishforcesstruckamajorblowagainsttheNazis’capacitytomakewarby

A.helpingdrivethemoutoftheSovietUnion.B.forcingItalytosurrenderandchangesides.C.cuttingoffitsaccesstotherichCaucasusoilfields.D.strategicallybombingGermany’smajorindustrialcenters.

Quiz:TurningPointsinthePacific

4.TheBattleofMidwayisconsideredoneofthemajorturningpointsofthewarbecause

A.iteffectivelydestroyedJapan’sabilityto launchairstrikes.B.iteliminatedJapan’smainrefuelingstationforitsairforce.C.itboughtU.S.forcesmoretimetofocusonthewarinEurope.D.ithaltedtheJapaneseadvanceandputthemonthedefensive.