Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource Major Battles Outline European Theater Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945) The Battle of the Atlantic lasted from the beginning of the war to the end, and the prize was control of the American and other allied shipping. The first few years of the campaign saw tremendous victories for the Germans who were able to sink allied shipping with impunity as the allies were not yet using convoys,. When the allies did begin using convoys, the Germans changed their tactics from sending out individual submarines to cover a certain area or roam until they found a target, to gathering several U-boats together in a wolf pack and attacking whole convoys. The wolf pack method proved successful for a time. As the battle wore on, the allies used advances in aircraft, escort carriers, sonar, and depth charge technologies to turn the tide in their favor in the Atlantic. By the last year of the war, German submarines were virtually useless, for the allies controlled the sea and the air both day and night. Losses among German U-boat crews, which amounted to 75% or higher, were the highest of any service on either side during the war. Result: Allied victory Battle of Britain (August 13-September 17, 1940) For over a month, the skies over Britain were filled with aircraft from the British Royal Air Force defending England against the bombing raids of the German Luftwaffe. Germany began its air campaign against Britain on August 13, 1940, in preparation for an invasion of the island nation. What the Germans did not count on was the tenacious defense of the Royal Air Force. The Germans needed to attain air superiority before they could begin their invasion, so they concentrated their attacks on British airfields and aircraft using a variety of fighters and bombers. The British responded with Hurricanes and Spitfires and the use of radar, which allowed them to see the German formations even before they left French airspace. In late August, the Germans changed their tactics from bombing airfields to bombing cities, especially London, and thus began the continued campaign against civilians, which lasted throughout the rest of the war. The Germans greatly underestimated the strength of the British and combined with mounting losses, abandoned their planned invasion. The Royal Air Force had won the Battle of Britain. Result: British victory Stalingrad (September 12, 1942-January 31, 1943) As the Germans advanced through Russia during Operation Barbarossa, they extended their lines from Leningrad in the North to Stalingrad in the south, and Stalingrad had to be taken in order to secure the Caucasus and create a route to the Middle East. But the Soviets held the German advance at Stalingrad on the Volga River and were determined that the Nazis would advance no further. The Battle of Stalingrad saw bitter, bitter, bitter, fighting, much of it houseto-house and hand-to-hand. Winter set in, and the Germans were woefully unprepared. They did not have winter clothing and were unaccustomed to fighting in such weather. With the advance stopped, the Soviets began to encircle the German army and slowly choke it off from supplies and reinforcements. Goering tried to resupply the trapped German army from the air, but could not muster enough aircraft to deliver a fraction of what was needed. Hitler refused to allow the army to retreat from Stalingrad, sealing the fate of 100,000 men. The Russian noose slowly tightened. Field Marshall Frederich Paulus, unable to breakout, surrendered what was left of his army on January 31, 1943. Result: Decisive Soviet victory Kursk (July 5-13, 1943) By 1943, the Soviets had reversed some of their losses to the German invasion, and had even managed to create a bulge in the German lines around the town of Kursk. In an Attempt to straighten his lines, Hitler launched Operation Citadel on July 5, 1943, starting what would become known as the Battle of Kursk. Allied intelligence tipped off the Russians that the Germans were about to launch their attack, and the Soviets were ready. The Germans gained initial success, driving as far as 25 miles into the bulge. But the Russians, who had built a classic defense-in-depth, held and the Germans were stopped. From that point onward, until the end of the war, the Germans were on the defensive against the Soviets. Not only was Kursk the turning point in the war on the Eastern Front, it was also the largest tank battle in military history, with some 1,200 tanks slugging it out on July 12, 1943. Result: Soviet victory February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 1 of 7 High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource Normandy Invasion (June 6, 1944) June 6, 1944, saw the largest amphibious assault landing in military history. The allies, who were stalled in Italy, needed to land on mainland Europe and open another front against the Germans. Normandy, on the French Coast, was chosen as the location to begin. Many things contributed to the success of the landing. First, the allies initiated a bombing campaign against German targets in France--a campaign that started months before the actual invasion. Second, a deception campaign convinced the Germans that U. S. General George S. Patton would lead the invasion of Europe at the Pas-de-Calais; thus, the Germans reinforced that area with valuable troops that might otherwise have been used in Normandy. Even after the initial invasion, Hitler was still convinced that the Normandy invasion was a ruse, and the real invasion would come at Calais. Third, a massive build-up of troops and material making sure everything needed was available. Fourth, the invasion was meticulously planned, down to the very last detail. The allies landed five divisions on five beaches. Two American divisions landed on Omaha and Utah beaches while two British divisions and one Canadian landed on Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches. Behind German lines, the allies dropped 2 American airborne divisions and one British, making eight divisions landing somewhere in France on the first day of the battle. Resistance was relatively light on all the beaches except Omaha Beach, where the outcome was in doubt for most of the day. Once a beachhead had been secured, the allies poured men and material onto it. They slowly moved inland away from the beach, but failed to achieve a full breakout until late in July and early August. Once the breakout was accomplished, the Allies drove the Germans through France to the German Frontier when winter set in, slowing down the offensive. Result: Allied victory Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944- January 16, 1945) In a desperate attempt to regain the initiative, halt the allied advance, and retake the port of Antwerp, the Germans, in December 1944, launched their last major offensive of the war. Thirty German divisions were secretly massed in the Ardennes Forest and then thrown against a weakened American line on December 16, 1944. The Americans were completely taken by surprise, and the Germans made excellent headway. At Bastogne, a vital road interchange, members of the 101st Airborne Division held out against the German attack, completely cutoff from reinforcements and supplies. Patton's Third Army, fighting south of the Ardennes, disengaged from the enemy, turned north, and within several days, engaged the Germans in the Ardennes and relieved Bastogne. By December 22, the German advance had stalled, while the Americans were able to mass more and more men and armor. In January 1945, the Americans attacked from the north as well, but were unable to cut off the German retreat. However, the bulge was closed and the Allies again went on the offensive, this time against considerably weakened Germans, who had used most of what they had left in the Ardennes Offensive. Result: American victory El Alamein (October 23-November 4, 1942) In the summer of 1942, the British Eighth Army and the German Afrika Corps faced each other in western Egypt. General Erwin Rommel, commanding the Afrika Corps, tried to punch through the British lines, but failed. In late October, it was the Eighth Army's turn to go on the offensive. On October 23, 1942, General Bernard Montgomery, commanding the British Eighth Army, launched an attack against the German line, which was extremely strong and well defended, especially by hundreds of thousands of land mines. The British attacked first on the Germans' left flank, achieving surprise. The Germans countered, but were unable to repel the attackers. Rommel reinforced those areas under assault, thus leaving other parts of his line exposed. Montgomery took advantage of this and initiated another attack on November 1. Rommel, short on supplies, began to retreat, but was ordered by Hitler to stand and fight. But with the Afrika Corps in danger of being completely destroyed, Hitler allowed Rommel to continue his withdrawal. Result: Decisive British Victory Invasion of Sicily (July 10-August 17, 1943) Once the Germans had been defeated in and expelled from North Africa, the allies began their plans to land on the European mainland. The first target was Italy. But before any landings could begin on Italian shores, the Germans had to be removed from the Island of Sicily. The allied invasion of Sicily began on July 10, 1943, when over 180,000 men hit the beaches or were airdropped onto the island, defended by only two German divisions. Syracuse was taken on the first day; Palermo on July 22; and Catina on August 5. February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 2 of 7 High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource The Germans began evacuating their forces, as did the Italians on August 11, and were able to get some 100,000 men and their equipment off the island. On August 16, the Americans beat the British to Messina, located on the northeastern tip of the island. The remaining Germans evacuated on August 17. Result: Allied Victory Salerno (September 9-September 16, 1943) Almost a month after the allies secured Sicily; they began their invasion of Italy, with the first landing at Salerno on September 9, 1943. The landing, commanded by General Mark Clark, met little resistance in most areas, but the Germans put up a fierce fight in a few pockets and prevented the allies from moving off the beaches. The allied invasion eventually stalled and heavy fighting ensued. However, the Germans were unable to bear the allied air attacks and began to withdraw on September 16. The allies were then able to expand their beachhead and within two weeks entered the city of Naples. The Italian campaign had begun. Result: Allied victory Pacific Theater Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) On December 7, 1941, the Japanese, under the command of Admiral Yamamoto, launched a surprise attack on the American forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack inflicted heavy losses on the Americans who were caught completely unaware. Among the losses were 2,400 killed, six battleships sunk (including the USS Arizona), 3 destroyers sunk, 3 light cruisers sunk, and 164 aircraft destroyed. Fortunately for the Americans, their aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers were at sea and remained untouched. Result: Japanese Victory The Battle of Coral Sea (May 4-8, 1942) The Japanese, under the command of Vice Admiral Inoue Shigeyosh, attempted to invade and occupy Port Moresby but were met by United States, British, and Australian Naval forces under the command of Admiral Jack Fletcher. The battle was carried out almost exclusively by naval aircraft on both sides. Attacks were made on each other's carriers, with the United States losing the Lexington and the Yorktown being seriously damaged. The Japanese carrier Shokaku was also seriously damaged while the Zuikaku emerged unscathed. The Battle of Coral Sea was the first Naval Battle where the enemy ships never saw each other, and this would become the norm for naval battles in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Result: Japanese tactical victory and American strategic victory The Battle of Midway (June 4-7, 1942) After their setback at Coral Sea, the Japanese turned their attention to one of the United States' last Pacific holdings-Midway Island. The Japanese plan, drawn up by Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of Pearl Harbor, was to invade Midway Island, from which the Japanese could stage an invasion of Hawaii, completely expelling the Americans from the Pacific. However, having broken the Japanese codes, the Americans, under Admiral Chester Nimitz, knew what was coming and sent out all its carriers; the Enterprise, the Hornet, and the Yorktown, which had been repaired since the Battle of Coral Sea and which the Japanese had thought they had sunk. The Japanese force consisted of 4 aircraft carriers and an invasion fleet, built around several battleships. The Japanese launched their attack on Midway Island on the morning of June 4, 1942, inflicting heavy damage to the island. Unbeknownst to them, however, the American carrier task force, commanded by Admiral Fletcher, was waiting for them. The Japanese carriers were spotted and attacked by American torpedo bombers while the Japanese bombers were still on the decks of their carriers being refueled and rearmed for another attack on Midway. Caught by surprise, the Japanese were unable to launch any fighter protection, and were forced off course. Just as the torpedo bombers were finishing their work (most were shot down) the American dive-bombers appeared. With virtually no opposition in the air, the divebombers attacked, sinking 3 of the 4 Japanese carriers. One carrier escaped and launched an attack against the American carrier force, severely damaging the Yorktown and knocking her out of commission. The two remaining American carriers launched an attack and sank the remaining Japanese carrier; bringing to 4 the total number of carriers lost by the Japanese Navy. On June 7, a Japanese submarine finished off the Yorktown with a torpedo. The American victory at Midway was decisive and put the Japanese on the defensive for the remainder of the war. Result: Decisive American victory February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 3 of 7 High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource Guadalcanal (August 1942-January 1943) On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division (U.S.) landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The Marines, commanded by Major General Alexander Vandegrift, met little resistance as they came ashore and headed for their objective--an unfinished airfield, later named Henderson Field. Once the airfield was relatively secure, Marine aviators began operating from there. This small detachment of aviators became known as the Cactus Air Force. The Japanese responded quickly to the American landing, first by sending a naval task force which attacked an American and Australian screening force off Savo Island, sinking several American ships and an Australian ship, and losing several of their own. This action forced the American navy to withdraw, leaving the Marines on their own. The Japanese then began landing more of their own forces on Guadalcanal, and on August 18, launched an assault with the Ichiki Detachment (900 men strong) against the well-defended Henderson Field. The assault was an utter disaster for the Japanese. All 900 men were killed in what was named the Battle of Tenaru River. But even as the Japanese continued to land more and more troops on Guadalcanal, the Americans kept gaining more territory. By October 1942, the 1st Marine division had been reinforced with the 2nd Marine Division and the Army's American Division. From November 12-14 another major naval action (The Battle of Guadalcanal) was fought for the strategic island. The Japanese were attempting to land more reinforcements, but were met by the U.S. Navy and the Cactus Air Force. The Japanese lost six ships, including two battleships, while the Americans lost nine ships. Even though the Americans lost as many ships as they did, they still thwarted the Japanese landing. By the end of January 1945, The American build up of troops exceeded 50,000 Marines and Soldiers. Cut off from further reinforcements and supplies, the Japanese withdrew its remaining forces--some 13,000 men, and the Americans held the island. In total, the U.S. lost nearly 2,000 and over 4,000 were wounded. The Japanese lost several thousand and also lost the island of Guadalcanal. Result: American victory Iwo Jima (February 19-March 27, 1945) On February 19, 1945, as part of its Island Hopping campaign in the Pacific, the United States landed two Marine Divisions (4th & 5th) on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima. The goal of the invasion was to capture the island and the three airstrips it contained and use them in the air war against the Japanese home islands. The Japanese, commanded by Lieutenant General Tadamichi, did not resist the initial Marine landing, but instead, came out of their bunkers, which they had built to survive a 72-day naval bombardment after the Marines were well ashore. They gave a much stronger defense than was anticipated, inflicting heavy casualties on the Americans. In all, the United States Marines lost nearly 6,000 and over 17,000were wounded in a campaign expected to last two weeks, but what instead took nearly a month and a half. Besides being one of the most famous battles of World War II, Iwo Jima also produced one of the most famous photos of the war--the raising of the American flag by five Marines on top of Mount Suribachi (captured on the 5th day of fighting). The photo was also the inspiration for the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, DC. Result: American victory Okinawa (April 1-June 22, 1945) On April 1, 1945, the United States army landed on the Japanese island of Okinawa, the closest the Americans had yet been to the Japanese home islands. The landing, under the command of Lieutenant General Simon Buckner, consisted of nearly 200,000 troops (2 Marine Divisions and 2 Army Divisions) and would be the last major American assault in the Pacific. Because Okinawa was a Japanese island (not just a Japanese-held island), the defense was fiercer than usual. Like Iwo Jima, the Japanese defenders waited until the Americans were ashore before beginning their resistance. The Marines pushed north on the island while the Army moved south--two major airfields were taken in the first few days of fighting. Okinawa saw the largest use of Kamikazes by the Japanese since the beginning of the war. Nearly 2,000 individual sorties were launched against the invading and supporting fleets; inflicting heavy casualties (almost 5,000 sailors) and material loss (sinking over 30 ships). The Japanese suffered over 65,000 casualties defending Okinawa, with the Americans losing nearly 12,500 (Marines, Army, and Navy). Result: American victory February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 4 of 7 High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource Power Point Rubric 1) All the required data is in the presentation. (See Power Point Required Data form) 2) The font size on every slide is large enough to read on the large screen. Font and background colors contrast to improve readability. 3) There are no more than 2 slides that are all text. 4) All clip art, photo scans, artwork, graphics, animation, sound, backgrounds, etc. enhance the presentation and are there for a purpose which can be explained if necessary. 5) There is at least one map slide, which serves a useful purpose (it is not just there because a map is required.) 6) For every data segment, there is at least one slide. 7) Proof of turning point section requires five statements of evidence to prove a battle was or was not a turning point in the war. February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 5 of 7 High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource Power Point Required Data Name of Battle: When was it fought? Began: Ended: Who started this battle? Who joined this battle: On Axis Side: On Allies Side a) a) b) b) c) c) d) d) Where was this battle fought? (Be specific, if it starts in one location and moves to another, include this information) How was this battle fought? (In your readings, it will say things like "this battle was fought on land, sea, and in the air" or "This battle was fought entirely by ground troops.") What equipment was used? (Be reasonable here - if you have an air battle list the types of planes, a land battle - tanks and guns. If the battle uses new equipment, be certain to include it.) By all means show pictures of the equipment! February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 6 of 7 High School Social Studies Twentieth Century American History The Second World War Teacher Resource Summarize the story - Tell the story with as much detail as you can without exhausting your audience. This is the best part of your presentation – you get to be the storyteller – your PowerPoint should be the pictures in the book, only no one has to hold the book up and pass it around. Think back to when you were younger, you liked picture books that had lots of pictures and not lots of words – make the PowerPoint like that. Get great visuals – as many as you can, and turn the pages a lot as you – the storyteller – weave the story of the battle. Statistics: Killed and wounded for each side. Equipment losses. Who won, who lost, and how that was determined. Using an Excel graph here would be a great idea. Was this battle a turning point? Prove it by supporting your decision with facts. In your PowerPoint you must have at least five statements of evidence – that is minimum. February 17, 2005 SCoPE SS100407 Page 7 of 7