Download War-time Conferences

War-time Conferences
• During the war, the Allied
leaders met often to discuss war
strategy; they would also discuss
what would happen once victory
was achieved
• Of the seven conferences that
occurred, there were three that
were regarded as being the most
important:
1. Tehran, Nov-Dec 1943:
• Held in Iran
• It was the time where the big
three (Roosevelt, Churchill, &
Stalin) met
• The meeting did not achieve
much, but cordial relations were
established between the two
democratic leaders and the
dictator, Stalin
Wartime Conferences II
• Yalta, Feb 1945:
• Southern Soviet Union
• Numerous decisions re: Germany
were made
a.
b.
c.
Germany would be divided into
“zones of occupation” once the war
ended
War Crimes court would be est. in
Nuremburg
Stalin promised to hold “free”
elections in the countries he
liberated from the Nazis
• He did not do this…
• Potsdam, July 1945:
• Held near Berlin
• Former war Allies (war over) were
to make decisions about the
future of Germany
• Supposed to be a planning session
for the peace conference
• Democrats and Communist no
longer trusted each other
• Set the stage for the next war
instead, that being the Cold War
Canada after WWII: The Effects
• Economic Effects:
• Canada’s economy grew due to all of its
contributions to the war effort
• Economy boomed, but so to did the
national debt = $10 billion
• Industrial and manufacturing production
grew to overtake agriculture as the #1
economic sector in Canada
• Politics:
• CAN gained international recognition,
est. as a “middle player”, took on a
greater role world-wide
• CAN played a big role in creation of
United Nations
• CAN troops recognized for action in
Dieppe, Hong Kong, Normandy, and
the Liberation of Holland
• PM King averted conscription crisis
• CAN government became more
involved in live of Canadians, social
safety net was strengthened
• Civil Rights improved, contribution of
ethnic groups advanced the cause
Canada after WWII: Effects II
• Social Effects:
• Women gained greater recognition for their
contribution to the war effort
• Canada became a more tolerant nation, as it
eventually accepted displaced persons and refugees
from Europe.
• Canada experienced a “baby boom”, and a significant
way of immigrants (included “war brides”)
• Canada lost 42,000 to the war
WWII Casualties
Immigration to CAN post WWII
• Pier 21:
• Much like after WWI, Pier 21 in Halifax, NS was a portal for immigrants to
Canada after WWII
• 1947, it officially reopened for processing immigrants
• Big challenge, processing all of the war brides from England, Scotland, and
Wales
• 48,000 war brides and 22,000 children were processed at Pier 21; 500,000 other
newcomers arrived at Pier 21 including displaced people and refugees
A quick recap: D-Day June 6/44
• Normandy Landing: Operation Overlord:
• Allied invasion of German-held Europe (Coast of France). Planned to use naval
and aerial bombardment to knock out German defences
• One year in preparation, most complex military operation every attempted
• Largest CAN military operation of WWII: 14,000 Soldiers, 100 ships, and 36
bomber squadrons from RCAF
• CAN forces were assigned the beachfront code-named Juno – 8 kms of
coastline, 1 of 5 targets at Normandy
D-Day Recap II
• Within one week, 300,000 Allied soldiers on the shores of Normandy
– after one month: 1 million soldiers & 200,000 Allied military
vehicles
• Allies finally had a foothold in Europe from which they could begin pushing
back the German armies
• Casualties:
• 5,000 CAN, more than 200,000 Allies in total.
• Germany 200,000 killed, wounded or missing; equal number captured
• Germany lost similar amount of soldiers, however they were beginning to run low on
replacements; Allies seemed to have a limitless supply…
Liberation of Holland, May 1945
• Following D-Day, Canadian troops distinguished themselves in a year
long battle with the Allied forces pushing the German armies out of
France and Western Europe
• May 5, 1945, Canadian forces drove the Nazis out of Holland, forcing their
retreat & surrender.
• Important: allowed Allies to keep on moving forward towards
Germany
Berlin, 1945
• Late April 1945, Soviet & American forces met in Germany, south of
Berlin. Soviets turned their attention to destroying the city…
• April 30, 1945: Hitler commits suicide… or did he?
• Some say he, along with Eva Braun committed suicide, their bodies then
torched, some say he fled to Argentina and lived to 73 years dying in
1962…
• Only “real” evidence is dental records from remains that the Russians said
they had found in a crater near Hitler’s bunker, these remains were
“destroyed” in 1970… (Side note: Stalin really really wanted proof of
Hitler’s death)
• Other “sources” say these records were tested in 2009, and came back as
belonging to a female..
V-E Day
• May 8, 1945 – V-E Day was declared when the last German Troops
Surrendered
End of WWII in Pacific
• March 1945, Americans began the systematic fire bombing of Tokyo.
It was believed that this would urge the Japanese to surrender.
• There were many losses of life and property, but no surrender…
• Prior to this, the United States had another plan up their sleeve
Manhattan Project
• March 1943, USA had funded a very secret, very expensive project to
determine if they could create Atomic Bombs
• 1945, Pres. Harry S. Truman (Roosevelt died earlier that year) learned
of successful Atomic test…
• He now had another option to end the war in the Pacific
• Top-secret effort cost $2 Billion and employed 120,000 personnel
• “Fat Man” & “Little Boy”
Truman’s Decision
• June 1, 1945: US Secretary of War recommended that the bombs
should be dropped without warning on Japanese military targets in an
Urban Setting
• US Scientists felt that dropping the bomb over an isolated area, giving
the Japanese an example of what could come was best idea
• Truman rejected this, stating it was “impractical” and had no trouble
making a “military” decision
• Felt that this would shorten the war and save American lives
Hiroshima, Aug 1945
• If USA attempted a conventional attack on Japan, USA military
planners could expect 1 to 1.5 million casualties and 12-18 months of
fighting
• Therefore, Truman elected to drop “Little Boy” on City of Hiroshima (340,000
inhabitants)
• Ground Zero: 540,000 degree Fahrenheit; beyond “meltdown zone”
there was an immense firestorm gutted the city, destroying 60,000 of
92,000 buildings
• Official death count: 78,000 – 60,000 later died of bomb-related injuries or
diseases…
Nagasaki: August 9, 1945
• Since Japan did not surrender immediately, Truman ordered that “Fat
Man” on Nagasaki
• Of 250,000 inhabitants, 35,000 killed
• 170,000 people killed as a result of A-bombs
V-J Day, August 14, 1945
• On August 14, Victory in Japan was established as the Japanese
Government sued for peace
• World War II was “officially” over…