Download Major Battles of WWII

Bell Ringer – Monday, April 7, 2014
What are your academic and personal
goals for the last quarter of your middle
school career?
Agenda:
1. Bell Ringer / Attendance
2. Vote on Eighth Grade Dance Theme
3. WWII Battle Maps
8th Grade Dance Options:
1. The 1920s/Great Gatsby
2. Summer/Island
3. Starry Night
Major Battles of WWII
WWII Battle Map Instructions
• We will look at 12
major battles of
WWII.
• As we look at each
battle, locate and
identify it on your
map.
• Add the title and a
brief description by
the matching
number below the
map.
1.
Descriptions
You will also need to take some
notes on your own paper
Background: War in Europe!
• In Sept. of 1939, Germany invaded Poland.
• England and France immediately declared war.
• The speed of the German advance surprised and
crippled the Allies.
• By June of 1940, France surrendered to Germany.
The Battle of Britain
• June-October, 1940
1. The Battle of Britain (The Blitz)
• Led by Winston Churchill,
the British stood up to
constant bombing raids as
Germany prepared to
invade.
• Blitzkrieg – Germany’s a
swift military attack using
tanks supported by aircraft,
designed to defeat the
opposition quickly
• The R.A.F. fought in the air
to slow the bombing.
• 10s of thousands of British
died but they did not
surrender.
1. The Blitz (cont.)
People slept in the “Tube” and
had to constantly fight fires to
keep all of London from
burning down.
Churchill’s famous speech kept
up morale.
•http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=KwiXruIWGLw
•(Battle of Britain)
•http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=L90BCEVH41U
(Churchill excerpt)
2. Stalingrad
Nov.-Dec.
1942
Hitler defeated by winter and Soviet
determination.
2. Stalingrad
• After giving up on the invasion
of England, Hitler turned to
attack Russia (former ally).
• The Blitzkrieg was halted in
Stalingrad where Stalin was
willing to suffer significant
casualties to stop the Germans.
• The Soviets lost over 500,000
soldiers in that 1 battle.
(Civilian casualties higher, but
unknown)—More than U.S.
lost in entire war.
3. Tunisia Campaign
Nov. 17, 1942 – May 13, 1943
3. Tunisia Campaign
• At first, the German Blitzkrieg
was victorious in Africa.
• E. Rommel (German Leader)
was fast & successful, but
became too spread out to
support his troops.
• British troops cut him off from
Egypt (to the east).
• American troops under Patton
cut him off from the West.
3. Tunisia Campaign
• This campaign represents the
first major Allied victory over the
Axis Powers.
• German and Italian forces were
driven out of N. Africa.
• Cut off from oil supplies.
G.S. Patton
4. D-Day: The Normandy Invasion
• June 6, 1944.
• Largest
Amphibious
assault in
history.
• British,
American, and
Canadian Forces
attacked German
forces in France.
4. D-Day: The Normandy Invasion
• Germans had built
“Atlantic Wall” from
Denmark to Spain.
• Before the amphibious
invasion, 1,000s of British
and American troops
parachuted behind
enemy lines.
• Hours before dawn, Naval
ships bombarded the
German defenses.
4. D-Day: The Normandy Invasion
• 156,000+ Allied soldiers
(Day 1)Led by American
General D. Eisenhower.
• 10,000 Allied casualties
• ~9,000 German
casualties
• (1st 2 days)
• Established Allied
“foothold” in Europe.
• “Beginning of the end”
D-Day Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPU4p7UQOtU
5. Battle of the Bulge
• December 16,
1944-January 28,
1945
• Last-ditch effort of
Nazi attack in
Europe.
A.K.A. “Battle of the
Ardennes”
5. Battle of the Bulge
• Hitler wanted to force
the Allies into peace
after the success of DDay.
• Re-started the
Blitzkrieg.
• Attempted to split Allied
Army in Belgium.
• Surrounded
inexperienced troops in
Bastogne.
5. Battle of
the Bulge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a8fq
GpHgsk
Battle of the Bulge Video)
• American troops
withstood freezing
temperatures and
constant bombardment
during the siege.
• Americans took
advantage of German
fuel shortages to
outrun and
outmaneuver the
Germans.
6. V-E Day
• Tuesday, May 8,
1945.
• Official German
Surrender.
6. V-E Day
• “Victory in Europe”
• After the failure of
the “Bulge”,
German defeat was
imminent.
• Allies began
bombing German
Cities.
• 1,000s of civilians
were killed in the
raids.
Dresden,
February
1945
6. V-E Day
• Soviets invaded Berlin 4/30/1945.
(Atrocities committed)
• Hitler committed suicide the same
day.
• Germany surrendered
unconditionally on May 8.
“Garden Entrance”
to Hitler’s bunker.
His body was said
to be burned right
outside.
Bell Ringer - Tuesday, April 08, 2014
What events led to Germany’s surrender in
WWII?
Agenda:
1. Bell Ringer / Attendance
2. WWII Battle Maps
The War in the Pacific
• Place the
major battles
and events on
the map of
the Pacific.
• Include notes
below and on
your own
paper.
1. Pearl Harbor
• Dec. 7, 1941
• Japanese surprise
attack bombing
raid.
• 7:48 am
• 2,402 Americans
Killed; 1,247
wounded.
• 18 ships lost or
damaged
2. The Philippines
• Dec. 8, 1941
• U.S.
stronghold in
the Pacific.
• Japan
attacked
directly after
Pearl Harbor
2. The Philippines
• Gen. Douglas
MacArthur withdrew
to Bataan, then was
ordered to leave his
men.
• They received severe
treatment at
Japanese hands.
• Known as the
“Bataan Death
March”.
2. The Philippines
• After 4 months of
fighting, 70,000+ troops
surrendered.
• Forced to march 65
miles to a prison camp.
• 1,000s died on the
march.
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=OPlfhVEw-7U
3. The Coral Sea
• May 7-8,
1942
• First ever
naval
battle
fought
only w/
Aircraft
Carriers
3. The Coral Sea
• Technically, another
Japanese victory, but
really a “tie”.
• First time in the war
that Americans
stopped the
Japanese advance.
• Prevented Japanese
from establishing an
airbase to threaten
Australia.
4. Midway
Only 3.85 sq
mi. of land!
• June 4-7,
1942
• Considered
the “highwater mark”
of Japan in
WWII.
• A tiny “atoll”
NE of Hawaii
4. Midway
• Japanese planned
to avenge Coral Sea
and Doolittle Raids.
• Farthest West that
they got.
• Planned surprise
attack,
• Americans
intercepted and
outmaneuvered
Japanese.
Shows
heavy
number of
naval
fighters
used!
USS Yorktown
after a divebomber raid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v4I6RGRW50
5. Iwo Jima
Only 8 sq. mi.,
but very
important
• Feb-March,
1945
“Among the
Americans who
served on Iwo
Island,
uncommon
valor was a
common
virtue."
-Admiral C. Nimitz
5. Iwo Jima
• Navy began bombing
Japanese bunkers there
in 6/1944 (9 months of
bombing!)
• 36-day assault resulted
in more than 26,000
American casualties,
including 6,800 dead
• Of ~20,000 Japanese,
only ~1,000 survived.
5. Iwo Jima
• Established an
airbase from which
the main islands of
Japan could be
continuously
bombed.
• Allowed US to
create a “total
blockade” (air and
sea)
• Beginning of end
for Japan
6. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• August 6,
1945
• First use of
Atomic
weapons in
History.
• “Little Boy”
dropped on
Hiroshima
• “Fat Man”
dropped on
Nagasaki
6. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Truman Explanation:
http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=nfEXSTfPqjw
6. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• U.S. began developing
nuclear weapons in 1940
under codename:
“Manhattan Project”.
• (Some) Military used rising
casualties in Pacific as
reason to use the bomb.
• Hiroshima was leveled on
8/6/45, then Nagasaki 3 days
later.
• Japan surrendered
unconditionally on 8/15/45
6. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Explosion wiped out 90
percent of the city
• Immediately killed
80,000 people
• 10s of thousands more
would later die of
radiation exposure.
Bell ringer Review of WWII
• Define the following words: aggression, total war
• What country was invaded to start World War II?