WorldWarII(1931-1945)Lesson4AWaronTwoFronts
LearningObjectives
• AnalyzethereasonsforandimpactoftheAllies’“EuropeFirst”strategy.• ExplainwhythebattlesofStalingradandMidwayweremajorturningpoints inthe
war.• DiscusshowtheAlliesput increasingpressureontheAxisinNorthAfricaandEurope.
WorldWarII(1931-1945)Lesson4AWaronTwoFronts
KeyTerms
• DwightEisenhower• GeorgeS.Patton,Jr.• OmarBradley,• unconditionalsurrender• saturationbombing• strategicbombing• TuskegeeAirmen• ChesterNimitz• BattleofMidway
WorldWarII(1931-1945)Lesson4AWaronTwoFronts
AlliedStrategy
TheattackonPearlHarborbroughtAmericaintoWorldWarIIontheAlliedside.ByJune1942,theAllieswerebatteredbutstillfighting.BritishpilotshadfoughtoffaNaziinvasionoftheirisland,whileattheBattleofCoralSea,theU.S.NavyhadfrustratedJapaneseplanstoextendtheirdominationinthePacific.Thoughyearsoffightinglayahead,theAlliesspiedsignsofhope.
AlliedStrategy
GermantroopsmarchthroughBerlin,Germany,tomarkthesurrenderofFrancein1940.InterpretWhatdoes thisphotosuggestaboutthepoweroftheAxisarmiesduringtheearlyyearsofthewar?
AlliedStrategy
AnalyzeChartsHowwerethegoalsofthecountriesfightinginWorldWarIIsimilaranddifferent?
TheEuropeanFront
ThefirstblowAmericastruckagainsttheAxiswasbyfulfillingRoosevelt'spromisetobethe'arsenalofdemocracy.'Americanfactoriesturnedoutmillionsoftonsofguns,tanks,andothersupplies—enough tokeeptheSovietsandBritishbattlingGermanyforyears.Theproblemwasdeliveringtheweapons,food,andmedicalsuppliesthatfueledtheAlliedwarmachine.
TheEuropeanFront
• WarintheAtlantic• SovietsandNazisBattleforStalingrad• WarinNorthAfrica• AlliesTakeOverNorthAfrica
TheEuropeanFront
AmericansailorswatchasAlliedbombersattackaGermanU-boat,1944.Afewminutesafterthisphotowastaken,theU-boatwassunk.
TheEuropeanFront
AnalyzeMapsUsetheinformationonthemaptosummarizethecourseofWorldWarIIinEuropebeforetheBattleofStalingrad.Support youranswerwithevidence fromthemap.
AxisPowersontheDefensive
Germanywasnowonthedefensive,andtheAlliesplannedtokeepitthatway.InJanuary1943,RooseveltandChurchillmetinCasablanca,Morocco,toplantheirnextmove.Theconferenceresultedintwoimportantdecisions.First,theAlliesdecidedtoincreasebombingofGermanyandinvadeItaly.Second,RooseveltannouncedthattheAllieswouldacceptonlyunconditionalsurrender,orgivingupcompletelywithout anyconcessions.Hitler,Mussolini,andTojocouldnothopetostayinpowerthroughapeaceagreement.
AxisPowersontheDefensive
• ItalySurrenders• AlliedBombersAttackGermany
AxisPowersontheDefensive
AmericansoldierswadeashoreduringtheAlliedinvasionofItaly,1943.
AxisPowersontheDefensive
TheB-24Liberator,shownhereinacross-section,wasthekingofAmericanbombersduringthewar,fasterthanprevious planesandabletoflyonlongermissions whilecarryingmorebombs.
TurningPointsinthePacific
WhiletheAlliespursuedtheir'EuropeFirst'strategy,theydidnot ignorethePacific.ThroughMay1942,Japaneseforcescontinuedtoadvancewithseeminglyunstoppablemomentum.TheyhadattackedAmerican,British,andDutchcolonies,winningcontrolofthePhilippines,Malaya,DutchEastIndies,HongKong,WakeIsland,Guam,andBurma.Then,theUnitedStatesstruckback.TheAmericansuccessattheBattleofCoralSeainMay1942servedasawarningthatthewarinthePacificwasabouttochange.
TurningPointsinthePacific
• AmericansTriumphatMidway• AmericansTaketheOffensive
TurningPointsinthePacific
AnalyzeMapsWhywasthelocationofMidwayIslandsosignificant?MakePredictionsWhatimpactwouldaJapanese victoryatMidwayhaveonthewarinthePacific?
TurningPointsinthePacific
TheAmericanaircraftcarrierUSSEnterprise,atleft,underJapaneseattackduringtheBattleofMidway.Explosions frombombs andgunfirearevisible asdarksmokeinthesky.
Quiz:AlliedStrategy
TherelationshipbetweentheAllieswascomplicatedby
A.AmericanneutralityinthefirstyearsofthewarinEurope.B.SovietmistrustofWesternintentions.C.AmericanconcernsoverJapaneseaggressioninthePacific.D.BritishconcernsoveritsbordersecurityintheAtlantic.
Quiz:TheEuropeanFront
WhydidtheAlliesdecidetowageacampaigninNorthAfricaratherthantheEuropeanmainland?
A.ItwouldrequirefewerresourcesandpavethewayforanAlliedinvasionofItaly.B.ItwouldallowtheAlliestogaincontrolofthepreciousoilfieldsintheMiddleEast.C.ItwouldforcetheAxistoretreatfromStalingradandgivetheSovietsachancetoregroup.D.ItwouldpreventtheAxisfromreceivingreinforcementsfromJapan’sIndianOceanfleet.
Quiz:AxisPowersontheDefensive
U.S.andBritishforcesstruckamajorblowagainsttheNazis’capacitytomakewarby
A.helpingdrivethemoutoftheSovietUnion.B.forcingItalytosurrenderandchangesides.C.cuttingoffitsaccesstotherichCaucasusoilfields.D.strategicallybombingGermany’smajorindustrialcenters.
Quiz:TurningPointsinthePacific
4.TheBattleofMidwayisconsideredoneofthemajorturningpointsofthewarbecause
A.iteffectivelydestroyedJapan’sabilityto launchairstrikes.B.iteliminatedJapan’smainrefuelingstationforitsairforce.C.itboughtU.S.forcesmoretimetofocusonthewarinEurope.D.ithaltedtheJapaneseadvanceandputthemonthedefensive.