Ending the War in Europe

21.4

Operation Overlord

• Commander- General Eisenhower

• Invasion took place on the Normandy coast

• 1.5 million American soldiers, 12,000 airplanes, 5 million tons of equipment sent to England in preparation for invasion

Planning Complications

• Needed to begin at night

• Ships had to arrive at low tide

• Paratroopers needed a moonlit night

• Had to have good weather

• June 6, 1944: D-Day

D-Day

• 7,000 ships• 100,000+ troops• 23,000 paratroopers• Landed on five

different beaches• Difficulties at

Omaha beach• Largest amphibious

operation in history

The Plan for Japan

• Two-pronged attack:– Admiral Nimitz would

“island hop” its way through the Pacific

– General MacAthur would go through the Solomon Islands, take the coast of New Guinea, and retake the Philippines

Island-hopping

• Difficulty: water around islands not always deep enough

• Amphtrac (Alligator)- boat with tank tracks; made attacks easier

• Troubles taking Tarawa • Took three Mariana Islands

– From these islands, B-29 bomber planes could bomb Japan

MacArthur

• Went from the Solomon Islands to Japanese base of Hollandia (600 miles) then to Morotai

• In October 1944, landed on Leyte in the Philippines

• Japanese response led to massive fighting• Battle of Leyte Gulf: naval battle in history• Japanese retreated but some held out and

continued fighting until the war’s end

The End of the War in Europe

• Although D-Day was a success, fighting raged on

• As Allies advanced, Hitler tried one last offensive move

• Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944-Jan. 1945) – Goal- cut off Allied supply line in Antwerp, Belgium– Germans successful at first and surrounded U.S.– Gen. Patton raced to help and broke through German lines– U.S. won the battle– Germany suffered 100,000 casualties and lost many tanks

and planes

The End of the War in Europe (Continued)

• Russia pushed Germany out of its country, across Poland, and into the eastern part of Germany

• By March 1945, U.S. crossed the Rhine River, Germany’s last major line of defense

• With his enemies surrounding him, Hitler killed himself

• Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz succeeded Hitler• Germany signed unconditional surrender on May 7,

1945• The next day, May 8th, known as “V-E Day”