North Africa El Alamein Europe Battle of Britain Stalingrad Normandy Landings Dday Pacific Pearl Harbor Midway Iwo Jima and Okinawa Hiroshima and Nagasaki Three Theatres of the War ID: 695298
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Station #2
Major Battles of World War IISlide2
North Africa: El Alamein
Europe: Battle of Britain ,Stalingrad, Normandy Landings (D-day)
Pacific: Pearl Harbor, Midway, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Three “Theatres” of the WarSlide3
War Matchups
Allied Powers (after Germany invaded Poland in 1939)
Great Britain
France
Soviet Union
CanadaAustraliaLater the United States in 1941 after Pearl Harbor
Axis Powers
Germany
Italy
JapanSlide4
War Strategies
Allies
In Europe:
Defeat Hitler first
In Pacific:
“Island Hopping”Axis
In Europe: Germany
Take Soviet Oil Fields
Defeat Great Britain before US enters (bombing raids)
Submarine warfare on war supplies to Great Britain from US
In Pacific: Japan
Take over main islands of Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, HawaiiSlide5
El Alamein: North Africa
August-November, 1942
Location: Deserts of North Africa
Germans, led by “Desert Fox” Erwin Rommel, attempting to overtake Suez Canal and cut Allied supply lines.
Key Allied victory.
Hitler attempting to control Middle Eastern Oil and attack Soviet Union from South.This Ally victory kept the supply lines open and stopped German advance on the Soviet Union from the South.Slide6
Battle of Britain: Europe
July 10, 1940-October 31, 1940
Air attack by the Germans over the G.B.
After taking France the German forces moved north on Great Britain.
The British Royal Air Force (RAF) was able to fight off the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).
This victory for the British delayed Hitler’s amphibious land invasion and turned his focus to the Soviet Union in 1941.Slide7
Stalingrad: Europe
Winter of 1942-1943
Located in Russia
Hitler, full of pride, desires to take the city because of the name (Stalin-grad). Named after their leader Joseph Stalin.
Thousands of German soldiers died.
Germany attempting to overtake Soviet oil fields.Hitler’s military stopped by the harsh winter and lack of supplies in the Soviet Union.This battle stopped German control in Eastern Europe.Slide8
Normandy (D-day): Europe
June 6, 1944
Location: Beaches of France (Omaha Beach)
Led by Dwight Eisenhower (future President after the war) American and Allied troops attack German controlled beaches of France.
Hundreds of American casualties.
Victory stopped German control of Western EuropeFrance liberated from German control.Slide9
Pearl Harbor: Pacific
December 7, 1941
Japanese surprise air strike against American base in Hawaii in early morning hours on a Sunday.
Japanese attack Americans over an embargo (ban on trade) placed on Japan of oil and steel.
Japanese needed this to fuel their take over of China.
United States declares war on JapanSlide10
Midway: Pacific
June, 1942
Location: Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Japan.
After Pearl Harbor attacks.
Japan attempting to seize control over entire Pacific Ocean (control trade).
American victory started “Island Hopping” campaign to get closer to Japan.Americans would take island by island getting closer to Japan.Slide11
Iwo Jima, Okinawa: Pacific
Feb. 1945
Part of the “Island Hopping” Campaign
Located: Islands of Japan
Key airfields located on these islands.
Victories for Americans here brought us closer to Japan for future bombing raids.Ended Japanese control over the Pacific OceanThousands of casualties on both sides. Among the bloodiest battles.
Japanese soldiers and civilians committed suicide , known as “Kamikazes” rather than surrender or become POW’s. Slide12
Atomic Bombs: Hiroshima, Japan
Monday, August 6, 1945
First city: Hiroshima
Atomic bomb nick-named “Little Boy”
2/3 of Hiroshima was destroyed
70,000 died instantlyAnother 70,000 within 5 years of radiation poisoning.Slide13
Atomic Bombs: Nagasaki, Japan
After Japan refused to officially surrender.
3 Days, later, August 9
th
, the Americans drop another atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki
Americans threaten Japan with continued bombings unless a formal surrender is issued.The Japanese surrender…