Major Battles and End of WWII

1. Major Battles and End of WWII

2. Guiding Question: What battles were major TURNING POINTS that swung the course of WWII in favor of the Allies?

3. Japanese Strategy • After Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded the Philippines and Indonesia and planned to invade both Australia and Hawaii • Japan hoped America would just accept Japanese domination of the Pacific rather than wage a bloody war to reverse Japanese gains

4. North Africa • The British were fighting the Germans and Italians in North Africa • Wait… why were European countries battling in Africa?

5. North Africa • Battle of El Alamein: German forces threatening to seize Egypt and the Suez Canal were defeated by the British • This defeat prevented Hitler from gaining access to Middle Eastern oil supplies

6. Europe • Battle of Stalingrad: German forces besieged the Russian city of Stalingrad • A long, cold, and bitter battle

7. Europe • Hundreds of thousands of German soldiers were killed or captured in the months-long siege • Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad prevented Germany from seizing Russian oil fields and was THE turning point against Germany in the east • Bloodiest battle in human history (1.5 million casualties)

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9. D-Day • American and Allied troops under General Eisenhower landed in German-occupied France on June 6, 1944 • Largest amphibious invasion in history

11. D-Day • Despite intense German opposition and heavy American casualties, the landings succeeded and the liberation of western Europe from Hitler had begun

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13. Pacific • Battle of Midway: Japanese forces moved toward Midway Island • If the Japanese destroy American base on Midway, they will be able to invade Hawaii

14. Midway • Americans had broken the Japanese code, and new the attack was coming • Though out numbered, the US won the battle

16. Midway • This American victory ended the Japanese threat to Hawaii and began a series of American victories which brought the war closer to Japan • TURNING POINT

17. Pacific • Iwo Jima and Okinawa: Big battles where Americans invaded Japanese-held islands • Though America won these battles, they were incredibly costly in American and Japanese lives

18. Pacific • Showed America that the Japanese intended to fight fiercely for every square mile of Japanese territory • Even Japanese civilians were armed with swords and bows and arrows and would rather commit suicide than surrender

19. VE-Day • Write this on your notes: • May 8, 1945 • European Allies accept Germany’s surrender • Hitler had killed himself in a bunker as Russian troops approached

20. Atomic Bomb • Over the course of World War II, American and German scientists were both working on developing nuclear weapons • America developed them first

21. Atomic Bomb • As the war winded down, it became clear that for America to defeat Japan, the US would have to invade Japan itself • This was a scary prospect because of the casualties for both Americans and Japanese would be horrendously high

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23. Atomic Bomb • America decides instead to use atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki • Tens of thousands of civilians killed in both cities

24. Question • Is it OK to kill civilians if it helps your cause is just? • What if killing them ‘saves lives’ in the long run? • What about 9/11?

25. Japan Surrenders • Shortly after the bombs are dropped, Japan surrenders, avoiding the needs for American invasion

26. Writing Activity • On a separate sheet of paper, tell me if you think the use of the atom bomb on Japan was justified • About 5 GOOD sentences • Tell me why you think what you think • Legit to kill enemy civilians? • Did it save lives?