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World War II 2 – Battles and Strategy
Aim:
Date:
Objective Questions
Key words
1.
2.
A. Start of the War
“In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and
overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold
and speak to you myself. For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war. Over and over again, we have
tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies; but it has been
in vain. We have been forced into a conflict…There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the
battlefield, but we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we
keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then with God's help, we shall prevail.
May He bless and keep us all.”
- King George VI, September 3, 1939 (Movie The King’s Speech is based off of this)
Is the excerpt of King George’s speech bias or neutral? Find specific examples in the quote.
B. Battles
Highlight or underline the most interesting fact from each battle.
Operation Barbarossa (June 22, 1941)
Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the Soviet Union with 600,000 motor vehicles and 750,000 horses.
Having expected a rapid Soviet collapse, German planners had failed to equip their troops for winter warfare. The Axis
powers made it all the way to Moscow before the weather allowed Soviet troops to push them back. (Remember
Napoleon?!?!)
Battle of Midway (June 4, 1942)
The attack on the island of Midway was a ploy by the Japanese to draw the American carrier fleet into a trap so they could
destroy the American fleet and invade Hawaii. The Americans managed to destroy 4 Japanese carriers and effectively
destroy Japan’s naval strength.
Operation Torch (November 1942)
Operation Torch was the invasion of North Africa. The landings enabled the Allies to make the landings in Italy.
Invasion of Normandy D-Day (June 6, 1944)
The battle began months before the invasion, when Allied forces began bombing the region. More than 300 planes
dropped 13,000 bombs over Normandy. Six parachute regiments, with more than 13,000 men, also went ahead to cut
railroad lines, blow up bridges, and seize landing fields. The Nazis were now fighting a “two-front war”. The Allies
eventually conquered Berlin, Hitler’s headquarters. Five days later, Hitler killed himself. Germany surrendered
completely in 1945.
Battle of the Bulge (December 1944- January 1945)
It was a German surprise attack against the Allies during heavy overcast weather. Due to the weather, the Allies were
originally unable to use their air force. However, the weather cleared and the Allies came in and attacked German forces
and supply lines causing the Germans to lose the battle. The battle was the largest and bloodiest battle of the war.
C. The Pacific Front Rages On
By the summer of 1945, Japan was the only country that was still fighting. Japanese soldiers and civilians would not stop
the war effort until directly instructed to surrender by their Emperor. Throughout almost all of Japanese history, the
Japanese people have obeyed their emperor without questioning him in any way. In March 1945, U.S. Marines captured
the island of Iwo Jima, a strategic Japanese stronghold (close to Japan). As American troops moved closer to Japan, they
faced attacks by kamikaze pilots. These Japanese suicide pilots sank Allied ships by crashing their bomb-filled planes
into them. Even though the Allies won control of Okinawa, an island close to Japan, the Japanese were still willing to
fight. The only question was how to deliver the knockout blow to the Japanese, making them unwilling and unable to
fight anymore.
How would you describe the Japanese fighting spirit?
Positive of Kamikaze Pilots
Negative of Kamikaze Pilots
D. The Manhattan Project
Nazi scientists discovered how to split the nucleus of a uranium atom, releasing an incredible amount of power. The
famous scientist Albert Einstein was worried that the Nazis would try to use this new nuclear power to make a destructive
weapon. President Roosevelt wanted to make this “atomic” weapon before the Nazis did and created a secret program
called the Manhattan Project to achieve this goal. By the summer of 1945, the U.S. successfully exploded the first atomic
weapon in the deserts of New Mexico. President Roosevelt died and the new president, Harry Truman, knew very little
about the bomb. However, since the Japanese refused to surrender, President Truman was desperate to end the war. He
now had a difficult decision to make: Should he use this destructive weapon to put a quick end to the Pacific war with
Japan?
Explain the goal of the Manhattan Project.
VIDEO - Describe the effects of using an atomic bomb.
VIDEO - Why was the atomic bomb a controversial weapon?