Download ww2 major battles

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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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