2. The Liberation of France Strategic Bombing – (American/British) Bombed industrial installations and other factories to limit production and transportation Feb. 1945 – raid on Dresden; destroyed ¾ of city and killed 135,000 people Forced the Luftwaffe (the German air force) to relocate into Germany itself D-Day 3 million troops, one of the greatest array of naval vessels and armaments ever assembled June 6, 1944 – General Dwight D. Eisenhower sent forces into action Landing came at 60 miles of the Cotentin Peninsula After 1 week, the superior manpower and equipment of the Allied forces prevailed On August 25, free French forces arrived in Paris German retaliation in the Ardennes Forest – Battle of the Bulge Soviet forces sweeping westward into central Europe and the Balkans
3. Continued Allied advance halted at Rhine River German retaliation in the Ardennes Forest – Battle of the Bulge Soviet forces sweeping westward into central Europe and the Balkans Omar Bradley’s First Army pushing into Germany Captured city of Cologne, found a bridge to bring Allied forces across river April 30 – with Soviet forces near, Hitler killed himself May 8, 1945 – remaining forces surrendered, referred to as V-E Day
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6. The Pacific Offensive Gen. Joseph W. Stillwell In 1942, forced out of Burma by Japanese Led Chinese, American, and Indian troops back through Burma 1 year later Constructed Burma Road Battle of Leyte Gulf June 1944 – American armada struck Mariana Islands Captured Tinian, Guam, and Saipan In Sep., American forces landed on the western Carolines Oct. 20 – Gen. MacArthur’s troops landed on Leyte Island in the Philippines Japanese used entire fleet against Allied invaders in 3 encounters Collectively are considered Battle of Leyte Gulf Feb. 1945 – American forces seize Iwo Jima 20,000 Marine casualties
7. Continued Okinawa 370 miles S. of Japan Kamikaze planes sent into US ships 3,500 sacrificed 50,000 US casualties before capture of island in June 1945 100,000 Japanese died Firebombing of Tokyo in March Am. Bombers dropped napalm on city, 80,000 dead Japanese will to resist decreasing Emperor Hirohito appointed someone to sue for peace
8. Manhattan Project Race to develop atomic bomb Nazi scientists Albert Einstein and theory of relativity Matter could be converted into energy Uranium used in the bombs Discovered to be radioactive in 1930s by Enrico Fermi in Italy 1940 – scientists at Columbia University began chain-reaction experiments Dec. 1942 - Fermi achieved first controlled fission chain reaction Army took control of research Appointed Gen. Leslie Groves to reorganize the project Dubbed “Manhattan Project,” $2 billion invested Los Alamos, NM lab constructed the actual bomb
9. Continued July 16, 1945 in Alamogordo, NM Trinity bomb (plutonium fueled) Truman’s ultimatum Surrender by Aug. 3 or face complete devastation “unconditional surrender” needed, no compromises Controversy attack unnecessary OR prevented further US casualties/costs? Hiroshima/Nagasaki Aug. 6, 1945 – Enola Gay (B-29 bomber) dropped bomb on Hiroshima Killed 80,000, more with fallout 2 days later, Soviet Union declared war on Japan 1 day after that, US dropped another bomb on Nagasaki
