26.4

Stalingrad

While the Brits and Americans were fighting the Germans in the West, most German forces were fighting the Soviets.

After taking the city of Stalingrad street-by-street, the Soviets counter-attacked in a brutal battle. The Germans would ultimately lose and their Eastern army was decimated.

V-E Day

The Holocaust

In April 1945, the Soviets took Berlin.

Hitler blew his own brains out.

The war in Europe was over.

Upon arriving in Germany, allied forces discovered a number of camps designed to house/kill Slavs, Gays, Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Jews.

This act of mass-genocide was known as the holocaust.

Air Raids

After Italy was taken, the Allies began a series of brutal air raids over Germany.

Over 30,000 civilians were killed in the raids- the Americans and British bombed both civilian and military targets.

D-Day, or "Operation Overlord"

Battle of the Bulge

In December 1944, the Germans tried one last desperate attack at the Battle of the Bulge.

100,000 soldiers died, but the Allies won, marking the last major battle between German and American/British armies.

The German army had also been defeated in the east- all that was left was a race to Berlin.

On June 6, 1944, British, American, and Canadian troops landed on the Northern Coast of France. This attack was known as D-Day.

They met with fierce resistance but were able to take the coast. German Panzer divisions did not arrive, as Hitler's secretary was afraid to wake him to give the order.

August 25- Paris Liberated

The Manhattan Project

F.D.R. Dies

On April 12, 1945, F.D.R. died suddenly. He was always sickly.

Harry Truman, his vice president, takes the reigns as the war continues to defeat the Japanese.

American Manufacturing

During WWII, America had been secretly building a super-weapon.

The nuclear bomb was first tested in July 1945. One of the scientists famously said: "I have become death, destroyer of worlds."

With America's entrance into the war, a sleeping dragon was awoken. America's manufacturing sectors switched to building tanks, weapons, and planes.

The most famous creation was the Sherman Tank- it was a pretty bad tank, with thin armor and little firepower. However we made thousands of them.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Sicily

After taking North Africa, American forces advanced towards Sicily, a province of Italy.

While fighting in southern Italy the Italians overthrew Benito Mussolini.

Harry Truman ordered to bomb to be used on the Japanese.

Two military cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, were destroyed. Japan surrendered. The nuclear age had begun.

North Africa Campaign

We're not done yet....

Deciding that North Africa was the best point of attack, the Americans joined the British against the Germans.

George Patton, an American General, managed to defeat the famous German General Erwin Rommel.

The war with Japan continued. By using a strategy called island-hopping (basically fighting the war one island at a time) America had worn down the Japanese Empire.

The mainland remained, however, and no one was quite sure how to win the war. The Japanese refused to surrender and invading the mainland would result in a million American deaths.

26.4

War in Europe and Africa