The End of WW The End of WW IIII

The Downfall of HitlerThe Downfall of Hitler and and MussoliniMussolini

By 1944, the Allies occupied By 1944, the Allies occupied Europe at Europe at Normandy Normandy on the on the French coast (French coast (D-DayD-Day))

German German cities cities were being were being destroyeddestroyed by bombing by bombing

Allied armies were taking back Allied armies were taking back land taken over by the Nazisland taken over by the Nazis

Italy, Germany's major ally under Italy, Germany's major ally under the leadership of Fascist dictator the leadership of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, had fallen. Benito Mussolini, had fallen.

A few days before the surrender of A few days before the surrender of German and ItalianGerman and Italian troops in troops in Italy, Italian rebels captured Italy, Italian rebels captured Mussolini Mussolini trying to make his trying to make his escape to Switzerland. He was escape to Switzerland. He was executed, along with his mistress, executed, along with his mistress, Clara PetacciClara Petacci. Their bodies were . Their bodies were taken to Milan, desecrated, and taken to Milan, desecrated, and hung upside down on public hung upside down on public display.display.

What was the date the Allies invaded What was the date the Allies invaded the German-held French beaches of the German-held French beaches of

Normandy (the largest military Normandy (the largest military operation in US military history)?operation in US military history)?

June 6, 1944 (June 6, 1944 (D-D-DayDay))

D-DAY INVASION BEACHES

D-DAY: THE ALLIED INVASION OF NAZI OCCUPIED WESTERN EUROPE

D-Day Statistics

General Dwight D. Eisenhower Allied supreme commander

Nine allied divisions invaded on D-Day, 3 airborne and 6 infantry, 150,000 soldiers

12,000 planes

5,000 ships escorted the invasion force

20,000 troops were landed by air either parachute or gliders to protect the flanks of the invasion force from German counterattacks

Shoulder sleeve insignia are of the

American units, division and above,

that were involved in the Normandy invasion

on June 6, 1944.

US TROOPS ADVANCE OFF THE INVASION BEACHES AFTER DEFEATING

THE GERMAN COASTAL

DEFENDERS

A HEAVY PRICE WAS PAID FOR BY US SOLDIERS IN THE SUCCESSFUL

INVASION OF FRANCE

US TROOPS MARCH IN A VICTORY PARADE AFTER THE LIBERATION OF PARIS IN LATE AUGUST 1944

Hitler's Last Days/ End of Hitler's Last Days/ End of WW IIWW II

Several attempts were Several attempts were made on Hitler's life made on Hitler's life during the war, but during the war, but each each plot plot was was foiledfoiled

The war for Germany The war for Germany appeared to be inevitably appeared to be inevitably lost as the US and its lost as the US and its allies surrounded and allies surrounded and then invaded Germany then invaded Germany after the last German after the last German Offensive (The Offensive (The Battle of Battle of the Bulge)the Bulge)

Hitler’s hand-picked Hitler’s hand-picked lieutenants, seeing the lieutenants, seeing the futility, defied his orders futility, defied his orders or or committed suicidecommitted suicide

Hitler’s 2Hitler’s 2ndnd in command in command Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Himmler committed suicide committed suicide after captureafter capture

The Battle of the BulgeThe Battle of the Bulge

Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (in English: "Operation Watch on the Rhine")

19,000 Americans killed, the Battle of the Bulge was the single largest and bloodiest battle that American forces experienced in World War II

British losses British losses totaled 1,400. totaled 1,400.

Hitler's Last DaysHitler's Last Days On On April 30, 1945April 30, 1945, as the , as the

Battle of BerlinBattle of Berlin raged raged above him and realizing above him and realizing that all was lost, that all was lost, Hitler Hitler killed himself.killed himself.

His long-term mistress and His long-term mistress and new bride, new bride, Eva BraunEva Braun, , joined him in suicidejoined him in suicide

Adolf was found with Adolf was found with gunshot wounds to the gunshot wounds to the head and both Eva and head and both Eva and Hitler with traces of Hitler with traces of cyanide poisoningcyanide poisoning

Aside them laid Hitler’s Aside them laid Hitler’s dead German Shepherd dead German Shepherd BlondiBlondi

The front cover of Time magazine, May 7, 1945. Although he had committed suicide on April 30 and German radio reported Hitler had died in battle on May 1, his death was widely presumed but not yet confirmed.

Hitler and Blondi- Hitler and Blondi- During the Fall of During the Fall of Berlin, before Berlin, before Hitler committed Hitler committed suicide, he ordered suicide, he ordered his physician Dr. his physician Dr. Stumpfegger to Stumpfegger to test his cyanide test his cyanide pills on Blondi to pills on Blondi to ensure they ensure they workedworked

Eva Braun Hitler (wife of the Eva Braun Hitler (wife of the Fuhrer)Fuhrer)

A Computer-animated pic of A Computer-animated pic of Hitler’s underground bunkerHitler’s underground bunker

What happened to the Hitlers’ What happened to the Hitlers’ bodies?bodies?

Several witnesses stated that on April Several witnesses stated that on April 3030thth he Hitlers dead bodies were carried he Hitlers dead bodies were carried up to ground level through the bunker's up to ground level through the bunker's emergency exit to a small, bombed-out emergency exit to a small, bombed-out garden behind the Chancellery where garden behind the Chancellery where they were doused with gasoline and set they were doused with gasoline and set on fire by members of Hitler's personal on fire by members of Hitler's personal SS bodyguard. The SS guards and Linge SS bodyguard. The SS guards and Linge later noted the fire did not completely later noted the fire did not completely destroy the corpses, but Russian Soviet destroy the corpses, but Russian Soviet shelling of the bunker compound made shelling of the bunker compound made further cremation attempts impossible further cremation attempts impossible and the remains were later covered up and the remains were later covered up in a shallow bomb crater after 18:00. in a shallow bomb crater after 18:00.

On May 2 the remains of Hitler, Braun On May 2 the remains of Hitler, Braun and two dogs (thought to be Blondi and and two dogs (thought to be Blondi and her offspring Wulf) were discovered in her offspring Wulf) were discovered in a shell crater by Ivan Churakov of the a shell crater by Ivan Churakov of the Russian 79th Rifle Corps Russian 79th Rifle Corps

The Nazis SurrenderThe Nazis Surrender Roosevelt Roosevelt (USA),(USA),

Churchill Churchill (Britain), and (Britain), and StalinStalin (Russia) made (Russia) made arrangements for post-arrangements for post-war Europe at the Yalta war Europe at the Yalta Conference in February Conference in February 1945 1945

American, British, American, British, French and Russian French and Russian forces eventually forces eventually surrounded Berlin in surrounded Berlin in late April of 1945late April of 1945

On May 7On May 7thth, the Nazis , the Nazis surrendered; surrendered; VEVE-Day -Day (Victory in Europe Day)(Victory in Europe Day)

FDR’s DeathFDR’s Death About 2 weeks before About 2 weeks before

Hitler committed Hitler committed suicide, around noon on suicide, around noon on April 12, 1945 FDR was April 12, 1945 FDR was being served lunch being served lunch when he stated "I have when he stated "I have a terrific headache" and a terrific headache" and then collapsed of a then collapsed of a massive massive Cerebral Cerebral HemorrhageHemorrhage. .

Vice President Vice President Harry S. Harry S. TrumanTruman was sworn as was sworn as President President

FDR FDR never sawnever saw the end the end of WW 2of WW 2

Break for homefront video

FDR’s funeral processionFDR’s funeral procession

The Surrender and Defeat of The Surrender and Defeat of JapanJapan During the During the PotsdamPotsdam

Conference of July 1945, the Conference of July 1945, the Allies gave Japan an Allies gave Japan an ultimatumultimatum- unconditional - unconditional surrender or surrender or face destructionface destruction

The Allies also agreed to divide The Allies also agreed to divide up Germanyup Germany

Japan –Japan –refused refused to surrender to surrender despite nightly firebombing of despite nightly firebombing of its cities such as Tokyo and its cities such as Tokyo and YokohamaYokohama

The Allies were planning a The Allies were planning a massive 2-part invasion of massive 2-part invasion of Japan code-named Japan code-named Operation Operation Downfall Downfall to begin on to begin on X-DayX-Day, , November 1, 1945 and end November 1, 1945 and end with with Y-Day Y-Day on March 1, 1946on March 1, 1946

The invasion would have included troops from the USA, Canada, Britain and Australia

The Russians were planning to The Russians were planning to invade from the north-they had invade from the north-they had

already taken over the Kuril already taken over the Kuril Islands by early AugustIslands by early August

Why did Truman decide to drop Why did Truman decide to drop the Atomic Bombs on Japan?the Atomic Bombs on Japan?

1.1. To bring the war to a To bring the war to a swifter endswifter end. . 2.2. The battle for Okinawa had shown that an The battle for Okinawa had shown that an D-D-

Day typeDay type of of invasioninvasion of the Japanese of the Japanese mainland (planned for November) would mainland (planned for November) would result in result in large numberslarge numbers of American of American casualties. The official estimate given to the casualties. The official estimate given to the Secretary of War was 1 million Allied Secretary of War was 1 million Allied casualties, though some historians dispute casualties, though some historians dispute whether this would have been the case. whether this would have been the case.

3.3. Invasion would also have meant the death of Invasion would also have meant the death of tens of millions of tens of millions of Japanese Japanese soldiers and soldiers and civilians, who were being trained as militia. civilians, who were being trained as militia.

4.4. The The JapaneseJapanese were were refusingrefusing to surrender to surrender (to surrender is a (to surrender is a dishonordishonor)-)-break for break for Pacific scene from OkinawaPacific scene from Okinawa

What 2 Japanese cities What 2 Japanese cities were the Atom bombs were the Atom bombs

dropped on?dropped on?1.1. HiroshimaHiroshima (August 6) (August 6)2.2. Nagasaki Nagasaki (August 9)(August 9)

5 days after the 25 days after the 2ndnd bomb bomb was dropped, the was dropped, the Japanese surrenderedJapanese surrendered on August 14, 1945, or on August 14, 1945, or V-J V-J dayday, signing the Japanese , signing the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on Instrument of Surrender on September 2. September 2.

The Japanese troops in The Japanese troops in China formally surrendered China formally surrendered to the Chinese on to the Chinese on September 9, 1945. September 9, 1945.

Japanese military leader Japanese military leader General General TojoTojo was was executed by hanging for executed by hanging for war crimes in 1946war crimes in 1946

THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB WAS

DROPPED ON THE CITY OF

1.HIROSHIMAAUGUST 6TH, 1945, 70,000 KILLED AND EVEN MORE

WOUNDED

A SECOND ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON 2. NAGASAKI AND

THE JAPANESE SURRENDERED

AUGUST 9TH, 40,000 KILLED

V J DAY, AUGUST 14, 1945 WORLD WAR II ENDS

Break for Civilians @ war video

The Results of the WarThe Results of the War 1. The 1. The Holocaust: Holocaust: US and US and

Allied soldiers discovered Allied soldiers discovered gruesome sites when gruesome sites when liberating Nazi Occupied liberating Nazi Occupied Europe:Europe:

the victims the victims where Jews and where Jews and other of Hitler’s other of Hitler’s ”enemies”_”enemies”_were being were being systematically systematically massacred massacred by the Nazisby the Nazis

2. The Russian Soviet 2. The Russian Soviet communists communists took over took over all of Eastern Europe- the all of Eastern Europe- the Cold War Cold War followed as a followed as a competitive arms race competitive arms race between the United between the United States and States and The Soviet The Soviet Union Union (Russia)(Russia)

The Results of the WarThe Results of the War 3. Germany 3. Germany was rebuilt was rebuilt

and split and split into East into East (controlled by the (controlled by the Russians) and West Russians) and West (controlled by Britain, (controlled by Britain, France and the USA)France and the USA)

4. The formation of the 4. The formation of the United Nations (United Nations (UN) UN) an an international organization international organization made up of all nations to made up of all nations to prevent prevent further warsfurther wars

5. The 5. The Jewish Jewish people people were finally given their were finally given their own country by the UN- own country by the UN- IsraelIsrael

After WW 2 Germany was After WW 2 Germany was occupied by 4 countriesoccupied by 4 countries

West and East GermanyWest and East Germany

The Results of the WarThe Results of the War 6. European colonies in 6. European colonies in

Asia and Africa granted Asia and Africa granted independence.independence.

7. Japan (who fought 7. Japan (who fought the Allies on the Allies on Germany’s side) along Germany’s side) along w/ Germany was w/ Germany was occupied occupied and and rebuilt rebuilt by the USA.by the USA.

8. The 8. The USA USA becomes becomes the most the most powerful powerful nation in the worldnation in the world

The Results of the WarThe Results of the War 9. 9. Women Women gain even gain even

more more rights rights by by working working in the in the factories building factories building weapons weapons to help the war to help the war effort. (Rosie the Riveter)effort. (Rosie the Riveter)

10. US Isolation/neutrality 10. US Isolation/neutrality ended ended

11. Due to massive war 11. Due to massive war production in the production in the factories, the United factories, the United States’ recovered States’ recovered completely from the completely from the Great Depression.Great Depression.

The Results of the War-Our The Results of the War-Our New World ChallengeNew World Challenge