The U.S. in World War II

http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-05.jpghttp://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-05.jpg The U.S. in World War II http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-06.jpg http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-02.jpg http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/ Section 1: Mobilizing for Defense Section 2: The War for Europe and North Africa Section 3: The War in the Pacific Section 4: The Home Front

Effect of World War II on U.S. • New Technology • New Prosperity • New Position of Power in the World Visit: http://www.ww2sci-tech.org/exhibit/dark.html http://www.ww2sci-tech.org/poster/poster.php

Eastern Europe Western Europe North Africa / Italy Far East / Pacific Soviets v. Germany Allies v. Germany Allies v. Germany / Italy Allies v. Japan Theatres of War http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/lessons/ushistory/ww2/europeantheater.htm

Which Area to Concentrate on First?? • Germany First • Defeat of Japan will not end the war, but defeat of Germany will leave Japan all alone • Closer cultural ties with countries occupied by Germany • Germany most direct threat to the Western Hemisphere, European Trade, the Atlantic Ocean, and Latin America • Fear Germany might develop weapons powerful enough to take over the world. (Nuclear and Rockets) • Germany might defeat Soviet Union and eliminate the two front war that is an allied advantage.

Battle of the Atlantic • Hitler’s U-boats cause huge losses to American ships that are lifeline to Britain • Convoy System escorted by destroyers • Use of Sonar – Sound Navigation Ranging Apparatus • Use of Radar – Radio Detecting and Ranging Equipment • Ariel surveillance • Crash Shipbuilding Program • Mid-1943 the tide turns http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-61.jpg

Eastern Front • Siege and Battle of Stalingrad • August 1942 to Feb. 1943 • Germans lost 150,000 and 91,000 were captured • Soviets lost 1,100,000 defending the city • Turning point of war • Hitler wouldn’t allow a retreat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Front_1942-05_to_1942-11.png

Opening A Western Front • Soviets pressure British and U.S. to open a second front • Looked at a cross channel invasion • British and U.S. decide they are not ready for this and opt to invade North Africa

North Africa • Operation Torch • Nov. 8, 1942 • 1st major Allied Amphibious operation in European Theatre of North Africa • Dwight D. Eisenhower – commander • Landings in Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers (see map page 572) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch

General Erwin Rommel • “Desert Fox” • Commander of German Afrika Korps • German forces surrender in May 1943 • Forced to take poison after he is implicated in the plot to kill Hitler

Casablanca Conference • January 1943 • Churchill and Roosevelt • Agree to accept only Unconditional Surrender of Axis Powers • Look at amassing large army to invade France across the English Channel • Agree to the invasion of Italy first

Italian Campaign • Invasion of Sicily - Operation Husky • July 1943 • Mussolini forced to resign • Invasion of Italian Peninsula • Sept. 1943 • Germans plan to hold Italy • Bloody Anzio • 4 months • 25,000 Allied Causalities • 30,000 Axis Causalities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy

Mussolini’s Fate • Mussolini rescued by the Germans and installed as a puppet dictator in German controlled Italy • Mussolini discovered by Italian Partisans in April, 1945, as he attempted to sneak across the Austrian border with his mistress • Mussolini and his mistress were killed and hung upside down in a plaza in Milan http://www.custermen.com/ItalyWW2/ILDUCE/Mussolini.htm http://www.comandosupremo.com/Mussolini.html

The U.S. in World War II