Map of Europe (WW2)

France

Le Havre was an important port city during World War II because it was a major supply and transportation hub for the German forces in France. It also had a large naval base and submarine pens that posed a threat to the Allied shipping and invasion plans. The Allies wanted to capture Le Havre to secure a vital port for their own operations and to prevent the Germans from using it as a stronghold.Le Havre was also a symbolic target for the Allies, as it was one of the first cities to be liberated by the Free French forces in 1940, before they were driven out by the Germans.

United Kingdom

London was a very important city in World War II, as it was the capital of the United Kingdom and the British Empire. London was central to the British war effort, as it was the location of the government, the military headquarters, the intelligence services, the media, and the financial sector. London was also a major transport hub and a cultural center, attracting many visitors from the Commonwealth and overseas1

However, London also faced many challenges and dangers during the war, as it was the main target of the German air force, the Luftwaffe.

Germany

Berlin was a very important city in World War II, as it was the capital of Nazi Germany and the center of Hitler’s regime. Berlin was also a major industrial, cultural, and political hub, as well as a strategic target for the Allied forces.

Turkey

Ankara, the capital of Turkey, played a significant role in World War II as the center of Turkish diplomacy and politics. Turkey was officially neutral for most of the war, but it had close ties with Nazi Germany and maintained trade relations with the Axis powers. Turkey also faced pressure from the Allies, especially Britain and the Soviet Union, to join their side or at least allow them to use Turkish territory and the Straits for military purposes. Ankara had to balance its interests and security concerns, as well as its historical and ideological differences with both sides.

Russia

Moscow, the capital and largest city of the Soviet Union and Russia, played a crucial role in World War II as a political, military, and symbolic center of resistance against Nazi Germany. Moscow was one of the primary objectives for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, codenamed Operation Barbarossa, which began on June 22, 1941. The German army group that advanced toward Moscow was Army Group Center, commanded by Field Marshal Fedor von Bock. The Soviet forces that defended Moscow were part of the Western Front, commanded by Marshal Semyon Timoshenko and later by General Georgy Zhukov.Moscow also served as the headquarters of the Soviet government and the Supreme Command of the Soviet armed forces, led by Joseph Stalin. Stalin coordinated the Soviet war effort with the Western Allies, especially Britain and the United States, through diplomatic and military channels. Stalin met with Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt at the Tehran Conference in November 1943 and discussed a two-front war against Germany and the future of Europe after the war.

Summary of WW2

The war had a profound impact on Europe and its people. Millions of people were killed, wounded, or displaced by the war. Many countries were occupied and oppressed by the Axis powers, who committed atrocities and genocide against civilians, especially Jews and other minorities. The war also caused widespread destruction and devastation of cities, infrastructure, and the environment. The war also changed the political and social landscape of Europe, leading to the emergence of new ideologies, movements, and organizations.