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Reflection:
• This is the last PowerPoint of this unit and
as it is said, “hindsight is 20/20.”
• Take a minute to reflect on the decisions
made before and during the war. What
things did the United States do right?
What should the United States have done
differently? Explain you answers –
minimum of five sentences
On the Western Front
• Following the victory at the
Battle of the Bulge the Allies
launched an attack all along the
Western front
• March 1945 American troops
cross the Rhine River into
Germany.
U.S. troops crossing the Rhine
• By April German defenses
crumbled and American forces
close within 70 miles of Berlin.
On the Eastern Front
• The Soviets began a massive attack on German troops
in Russia
• The Soviet troops moved through Poland into
Germany
• By April the Soviets reached the outskirts of Berlin.
Germany Surrenders
• On April 30th with the Soviet
troops one mile from his
bunker, Hitler committed
suicide.
• On May 7th 1945, Germany
surrendered.
• President Roosevelt did not live
to see the defeat of Germany.
He died of a stroke April 12th,
25 days before the end of the
war in Europe.
Soviet soldiers hoist their flag at
the pinnacle of the Reichstag
Harry S. Truman
• Harry S. Truman had been
Vice President for 82 days
when Roosevelt died.
• Like most Americans, he
knew nothing about the
Manhattan Project.
• On the day he was put in
office he was informed of
the secret project.
Truman being sworn into office
Ultimatum given to Japan
Potsdam Declaration signed by
Harry S. Truman, Winston
Churchill, and Chiang Kia Sheik
• June 22, 1945 U.S. forces
capture the island of
Okinawa. The U.S. now has
control of an island 350
miles from the main land of
Japan. Operation Downfall
could now be put into play.
• On July 26, 1945, The U.S.
issued the Potsdam
Declaration which outlined
the terms of surrender by
the Japanese
Operation Downfall or Atomic Bombs?
• In August Japan refused the
terms of Potsdam
Declaration.
• The U.S. wanted
unconditional surrender and
the Japanese wanted the
Emperor to remain in power.
• Truman now needed to
decide whether to go ahead
with Operation Downfall or
to use atomic bombs.
Hiroshima & Nagasaki
• Rather than risk more
American lives in an invasion,
Truman issues the order to
drop an atomic bomb on
Hiroshima on Aug. 6th .
• The Japanese still did not
surrender.
• Truman then issues an order
for another bomb to be
dropped on Aug. 9th. It is
dropped on Nagasaki.
Soviet Union Declares War on Japan
• In all, 200,000 Japanese die
and more than 100,000
buildings are destroyed
when the atomic bombs
were dropped.
• On the same day the bomb
is dropped on Nagasaki,
the Soviet Union declares
war on Japan.
• On Aug. 15th Japan
surrenders.
The End of the War
• Hitler and Mussolini are dead,
and Hirohito is just a figure
head with the United States
Japan.
• The Second World War is
over.
• The world leaders, Truman,
Churchill, and Stalin set the
terms of peace.
In the End…
• The total estimated human loss of life caused by
World War II was roughly 72 million people.
• The civilian toll was around 47 million, including 20
million deaths due to war related famine and
disease.
• The military toll was about 25 million, including the
deaths of about 4 million prisoners of war in
captivity.
• The Allies lost about 61 million people, and the Axis
lost 11 million.
The question will always remain:
Was it worth it?
Reflection:
• This is the last PowerPoint of this unit and
as it is said, “hindsight is 20/20.”
• Take a minute to reflect on the decisions
made before and during the war. What
things did the United States do right?
What should the United States have done
differently? Explain you answers –
minimum of five sentences