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Discussion . How would you describe the tone of Churchill's speech? Churchill's tone is hopeful but realistic about the challenges ahead. The European Theater.
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Discussion • How would you describe the tone of Churchill's speech? Churchill's tone is hopeful but realistic about the challenges ahead.
The European Theater • German defense of Italy: Allied forces completed their victory in North Africa when Axis troops surrendered in Tunisia in May 1943. The Allies, led by Great Britain and the United States, then invaded Sicily and mainland Italy. British leader Winston Churchill believed Italy to be a vulnerable area among the European areas occupied by the Axis. The Germans had to help Mussolini create a puppet state in northern Italy as the Nazis defended Rome. After suffering heavy casualties, the Allies seized Rome in June 1944. • D-Day and the second front: A massive force of Allied troops left Britain on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and invaded Normandy in France. The soldiers had to brave mines, barbed wire, and machine-gun fire. The Nazis responded slowly with reinforcements, ruining their chances of foiling the invasion. In three months, the Allies built up their forces, creating a massive second front in Europe. Paris was liberated in August 1944, and then the Allies pushed eastward toward Germany. A daring German counteroffensive at the Battle of the Bulge failed in early 1945, and the Allied forces flowed across the western borders of Germany. • Soviet advance through Eastern Europe: After winning the critical Battle of Stalingrad in 1943, Soviet forces relied on their tanks to push Nazi forces slowly back toward Germany. A major victory for the Soviets was the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, which featured a huge number of tanks. The Soviets continued their slow but determined push during 1944. By April 1945, in central Germany, Soviet forces advancing from the east met up with U.S. and British armies advancing from the west. • Liberation of concentration camps: Allied forces approaching Germany took control of concentration camps and liberated the survivors. For the first time, Germany's enemies got a comprehensive look at the Nazis' horrific crimes against humanity. • Hitler's suicide and German surrender: In April 1945, Italian resistance fighters killed Mussolini, and Hitler took his own life in a bunker in Berlin two days later. Hitler maintained his hatred for Jewish people until the very end, blaming them for the war in his final political testament. Germany finally surrendered to the Allies on May 7, 1945.
Discussion • Why was the invasion at Omaha Beach so deadly for the Allies? The area was heavily defended and its natural features of an open beach and high cliffs made it easy to defend and caused the Allies many casualties.
Discussion • Why was Normandy in France chosen as the landing spot for the invasion? It was one of the spots on the coastline closest to England, and it had long stretches of beaches.
Discussion • Why was it so important to keep the invasion site a secret from the Nazis? If the Nazis were sure where the Allies would land they wouldn't be forced to spread men and weapons along the whole coastline.
Discussion • Why might the concentration camps have been among the last places to be liberated by the Allies? The Nazis hid them far from the front lines and even moved or abandoned them to keep the world from knowing what they were doing to the Jews.
Background • The Normandy invasion had long been planned, since the Soviets were continually pressuring its allies to open a front in western Europe to force Hitler to fight two wars. The Germans had built heavy fortifications on the French coast, expecting an assault staged from England. The Allies tricked the Nazis into believing another army was invading France at a different location. Bad weather threatened the invasion and pushed troops past their designated landing beaches, particularly at Omaha. The beaches were littered with 4 million land mines, anti-tank barriers, and numerous gun positions. An armada of 3,000 landing craft, 3,000 support ships, and 13,000 airplanes made up the invasion force. More than 2,000 soldiers died at Omaha Beach.
Discussion • Why do you think that the Soviet Union was so eager for the United States and Britain to open a second front in Europe? If Germany had to fight on two fronts, it could be defeated more quickly, because it would have to split its troops and other resources between two areas.
